The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-08-16

13 to 10 Persons Killed - 8
20 Is Wounded.
Fun Particulars from Persons on
Board.
HEROIC CONDUCT OF HER OFFICERS
The steamer Cumberland. plying
in the Evansville and Cairo packet
trade, commanded by Captain VIM.
Lowtb, with Marion Wright and
Bruce Hunter. clerks; James Ma
theny and James Damron, pilots;
Robert Redman and Thomas Green.
engineers David Pearson. mate !;
George Birch, steward, Samuel
Copeland, mail agent, left Evansville
between five and six o'clock Friday
evening. for Cairo, with a fair cargo
Of grain and packet freight. At Mt.
Vernon she took about 800 sacks Of
wheat, and few minutes after four
o'clock on Saturday morning. while
approaching the bar at ShawneetoFn,
and Just as Pilot Matheny had rung
for heaving the lead, her larboard
boiler exploded with a terrible crash,
leaving the boat . complete wreck,
and killing and wounding a large
number Of her deck crew, a few pas
sengers, and the mail agent, as is sup-
posed.
Jim Damron had left the pilot
house as the boat landed at Raleigh.
and Pilot Matheny seeing light on
the Kentucky shore, short distance
below, backed down, supposing it was
hail, but finding it was not. had
Strengthened the boat down the river,
and as above stated, had struck the
bell for the lead, but had not changed
the speed of the boat. l Il no1l
Engineer Redman, who was on
watch, hearing the call for the lead,
at once tried the water in he's boilers,
and finding it satisfactory. returned
to the engine to be ready to answer
the slow bell, which he expected,
and had just taken his position by the
engine when the boiler exploded. 1t
is the opinion Of her engineers that
only the larbeard boiler exploded, but
all the boilers, three IN number, were
blown overheard. Only a small piece
Of the exploded boiler, aud two small
pieces Of the aues attached TO the
boiler head, were found. Jim Mathe-
ny, who was at the wheel. was blown
overheard, as was also Bruce Hunter,
Second Clerk, who was on watch
when the explosion occurred. Ma
thE Is but little stunned, and was
no. only,yble to save himself, but also
aided Hunter, whom he found help
less on the water, by elinging to portions
of the wreck, tin rescued by a skiff.
David Pearson. the mate, was as
cending to the hurricane deck,
to pass the word from the
Ieadsman to the pilot, when
he was lifted up into the air and
| let suddenly down, falling into the
hold, beneath where the boilers had
been, among Goals of fire. lie drew
himself up by the kelsen, but being
blinded by smoke and ashes, he fell
through the hatch upon the other
side. As he fell from the hurricane
| deck he was caught by the head by
two sections of the falling chimney.
and held suspended for a moment,
when fortunately Alex. Howell, of
Shawneetown, who was making his
way out of the wreck, stepped upon
the chimney, separating the portions
so that Pearson was freed, and fell
as we have before described into the
hold. After having worked his way
out Of the hold he discovered that
the boat was on fire, and though
badly stunned, bruised, and bleeding,
he rallied such Of the crew as he
could find able for duty, and with
their aid succeeded In extinguishing
Che fire, which broke out In another
| place, but by the timely efforts of the
mate and crew, assisted by Alex.
Howell Captain Lowth, and others,
it was again. distinguished, and the
wreck, and no doubt, many lives,
saved. In the meantime the anchor
was cast out, and the J. L. Graham
came up and towed the wreck to
Shawneetown, when it sunk gradu-
| ally, her butts having been started
by the explosion.
When the explosion took place
| Capt. Lowth and Jim Damron were
4 buried in the wreck Of the Texas, anG
had to burst their way out. which
With much effort they succeeded in
doing, and joined the mate and crew
IN their efforts to save the boat. anC
assist the wounded. Capt. Lowth wa
especially active and efficient in seeur
ing the comfort of the wounded, anc
was nobIy seconded In his efforts b.
Capt Howell aud Mr.. Daniel J Jacobs
of Shawneetown, and the people o
Shawneetown were earnest in thei
, efforts to render assistance and re
lieve the suffering.
Marion Wright was asleep In. hi
room, with Bruce HUI sr's little BIO.
\ in the upper berth, and, although tn
q safe and books we're blown overheard
r from the Office, Immediately in from
H.. Il. a.I.l... IL