The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-01-06
A Chapter Of Horrors.
From the Round Table. |

A Chapter Of Horrors
From the Round Table.
Dismal as has been the long cataloeu
OF crimes and casualties which. during tn
last ten years, have shocked the most re
fined centres of the world, and wearisom
and undistinguishable as such things he
come BY constant repetition, the steamboa
disaster which has lately occurred on IN,
Ohio river will long be remembered for tn,
sweeping character Of the destruction il en-
ts'led, for the terrible pictureequeness o
the scene itself. and for the extsaordinar,
nature OF some Of the incidents.
Inc Two steamers-the United State.
add the America-belonged to the sam,
company o company who are said 10 nav,
conducted their business for thirty vearE
with such care and prosperity that, will
one excepti0n-the explosion of the boile,
Of tug-boat owned BY then-they have
never before met with an accident inyolv
ing loss OF life. Tho collision occurre,]
during the night at point near the towu
OF Florence, where there is said to be !
depth OF more than twenty feet of water
and plenty of width between tho river
banks above it. As regards the cause Of
the collision statements and opinions con.
fiict. One says that the pilot OF the Amer.
ca was deceived in the distance, apothe,
that the United States was on the wrong
side OF the. stream. A gentleman whose
account has been published declares that
the whistle Of neither boat was blown nm
til within two hundred feet of each other.
The law calls for six hundred feet as the
least separating distance for adopting the
PrecautiOn, and provides that "Iftwo sbiDs
under steam arc meeting end on, or Eeariy
end on, SO as to involve risk of collision
the helms OF both shall be put to port, so
tnst each may pass to the port side Of the
ot0er and every steamship when mp
preaching another ship, SO a. TO involve
risk OF collision, shall slachen her speed, or,
u necessary, stop and REVERSE" All ac-
counts seem tn concur in this that the
America blew her whistle twice, that the
United States replied once, that tho time
after this was too brief to avoid tho cotas-
troPhe, and that thus in the black night.
and crammed with passengers, the great
Pa'P'tating masses rushed ut full speed into
zach other, snd that both, with the lives OF
nearly hundred people, were almost in
stantly destroyed. 4H ft
At first thought, even allowing for the
momentum or the shock and
or the possible casualties at the points of
collision, the mortality seems uneccounta.
DC: But We have 30 far only part of the
Melancholy story. The United States car. |
'ea % cargo great quantity Of petroleum
2 barrels; and the barrels we're 80 slowed |
nat by the jar Of the collision some OF
nem were thrust upon the furnaces, and
ENG simultaneously forced open, instant !
omoust'On was OF course the consequences. |
Q that in less than half minute the boat
rag one sheet of fame. The America
mich had struck the United States amid
hips, Immediately backed down the stream.
!ut the former vessel WAS not destined
nus TO escape. The United States o. n
1ged oy an implicable fate, drove down
nee more on the ship which had dealt her
WI deat1'biow. and presently both steam
y were 10 c0nfagratiOn. And now ensued
orrors which an eyewitness tells "a were
eyond, not what he had ever seen or read
: but outstnpped aught he had ever
o., in the why Of piercing misery
40 swirl desOIati0n. OF the crew OF the
n.tsd States-twentytwO in all eighteen
er'shed instantly. The petroleum Was al
ost as swift in killing oil close by it as K.
oo!d have been SO much gunpowder. In
se0, II was this awful celebrity of the oil |.
= names which wrought such unavoidable
aognter on hoard the United States the
merica once moro separated from her =.
'emy, was also on fire; but, not being 40 !.
loaded, she burned with com.
lrnt've sIOwness; and-it sounds in
range contrast with tho bellish torture, /.
'dured, without possible help, at the came /.
oment BY the people in the cabin of the !;
n'ted States-the passengers and crew or :
% America ,cadled quietly ashore. Sueb
As the shallowness Of the water where ,
ear boat now grounded, and such the
'arness OF the river bank, that tbey vere 9
lie in safety to do 80.
Meanwhile some Of the unhappy passen. !
fs OF the blazing United States were =
ak'ng frantic Efforts TO save themselves /; 6
tno 'ea; 10 nts and some abandoned them. n
ives almost Immediately to despair. .
'me OF the scenes described transcend d
y we ever head Of The Louisville q
'nn:l says that ono Of the gentlemen on b
ara bad the presence Of mind to unbiuee 9
ao0r, which he threw into the river .nd.
Ter ne and his wife had jumped in. he j
lced her in position to reach the shore. q
sow stay here, DEAR" was his request. I,
ntii can hx myself some way, and We 4
n both be saved" Imagine the bus- v
nd's agony, just - he had procured some
ing that would float, to see q man swim n
ward the frail support of his wife and 4
ock her away from i'll She was drown.
In the same account another similar h
;'dent occurs little alter: 4
"A gentleman With his sister. a lovely r
q accomplished young lady, were passcn. n
~ on the United States. At the frat Al
ock the gentleman was thrown from his I
d clear ON the floor. Hastily pulling nm n
pantaloons no rushed 70 the state-room II
his sister. burst open the door, and. seix. Al
her IN his arms, carried her down on \
main deck, where, psQearing door eI
utter, he threw it overheard and leaned i,
or it with his sister in his arms. Hcl
.eed her securely on the shutter and vas Il
INNING behind, pushing it, with bis pre.
Us load, toward the shore, when, 70 his u
FTor. . big, barly, and abls-bodied man q,
am up, pushed bis sister OF and climbed q
On it himself. Tho young girl sank with ',
cream. and il she came, to the surface. Il b,
9 90 dark and the confusion 60 great. -
It he could not end her. Maddened at Al
dastardIy act he made after the author. m
i 0elZinN him hv tho fh.o.k i. .a..-.