The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-11-05


the scene was most fearful. One hundred
and fifty passengers, mostly foreigners some
with their wives and families, all in confusion
grand, trying to save their lives. The boat
grounded two hundred yards from the shore,
the pOnderOus engines thumped and worked
in vain. The passengers were rampant and
wild. Efforts were made to adjust the hose
to the donkey engine but the crowd would
not allow it. Some tried to throw out planks
aud stagings, but the crowd rushed to the
edge Of the deck, and, in their eagerness to
secure positions, prevented the stagings from
being put out. All shouted "Get off the
staging!" and the man who cried the loudest
was the very man who was in the middle of
the staging. Some clung to spars and bits
of wood, but more found nothing to hold.
swan or hOated for short time, and then,
benumbed by the icy chilluess of the waves,
and blinded by the smoke, they sank to
watery graves. Many mules ard hroses we're
on board, and with the deck passengers, and
ESSA NAL-- y 1ASAteao93 LIZ bOuAu N4ptGl lu6In
to display more reason than human beings,
they rushed with the people and Jumped in
to the water with them and on them, Some
few started and swan ashore, but the most
of them swan around the boat in circles.
drowning men, woman and helpless children.
One mule jumped into a crowed of people
struggling in the water, and by his frantic
movements drowned six persons.
STATEMENT or MR. PHELPS, OF SHREVEPORT.
TEXAS,
About half past six yesterday evening, l
was sitting in the hallway of the boat, most
of the passengers being at supper, reading
Pickwick Papers, when heard the alarm
of fire from below At first ! thought it
arose from some of the deck passengers who
we're perhaps jolly. A moment after heard
a second louder cry of fire, and then 1 ran
back to the steps leading TO the hurricane
roof and going in front of the pilot house
l shouted that there was an alarm of fire
from below. Some one responded from the
pilot house, well, intimstiug, we know it.
Then l went 70 the texas-the gangway of
the texas, and met the Captain, Thomas W.
Scott, comi g from his room. 1 gave him
the same information, aud be said, sis there2
Then ran down the steps, went to 10y state |
room, No. 2l, met the ladies from the cabin |
going forward. l got my overcoat and |
satchel, and started out at the side doo-, on |
the right hand side TO the guard, thinking |
the fire was aft. When came out [ met |
a dense cloud of smoke at the pantry. ran
along the guard forward, and overheard Mr.
W. H. Chick, the second clerk, say to some
excited person who was making some sug-
gestion, keep cool, Wen all be saved" l
then passed to the guard forward on the left
hand side, and then first saw at what dis
lance the Jat was from the shore. She was
then aground, aud the outside engine was
working. GIelt confusion and excitement
prevailed on the deck below. Then look
ed about for some means of escape and dis
covered life preserVer lying on tho deck
near me, which some person had brought
'ut in his eEcitement and forgotten, pulled
,ff my coat and boots, and put on and fasten-
ID the life preserveF, and awaited my appor-
unity to jump overheard, wishing to agoid
he crowed and the animals that were STAN
leding and jumping overheard, ] jumped