The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-27
THE MISSISSIPPI CATASTROPHE. n
tine Hundred Lives ReDrorfed Iost.

Particulars Of the Snagxing Of the Nick Wall
survivor of the sunken steamer Nick Wall,
who has reached Memphis, relates the following
circumstantial details of the fearful Disaster
The accident occurred about four miles below
WorthOn's Point. The majority of the passen-
gers, about thirty, had retired; eight of us were
sitting around the stove amusing ourselves, when
we felt the severe shock and jumped up some
running one way, some another. / ran out the
front door leading to the boiler deck, but i'm
mediately after getting out everything seemed
quiet, ard turned round and walked back to
the cabin. | suppose the time that elapsed
from the time | left the cabin until l re-
turned was about two minutes when a crash
came and the hurricane roof caved in, dashlng
barrels, wagons, plows, and numerous other
articles to the boiler-deck where everybody
had rushed who could get out of their state
rooms. was thrown against the smoke-stack,
but by great eXertions managed to eXtricate
myself, and commenced climbing boxes and
barrels, and was twice pulled back by the hair,
and the third attempt made some one caught
me by the feet, and in the struggle to save
themselves pulled my shoes off. Finally |
managed to gain the hurricane deck. There l
saw no earthly chance of escape as the the roof
ing something on which to float. The boat was
by this time under water, nothing remaining
ont but the hurricane roof and pilot-house. l
cannot give description of the sight
runs cold when think of it. The wreck was
still floating down the river, and ws did not
know what moment she would sink Women
were screaming for their husbands, and children
for their parents. just as we thought all hopes
were past we saw the lights of boat coming
up the river, and every one that could shouted
for assistance James Vandervoorst, assistant
pilot, lit piece of paper and showed it as a
signal of distress In about fifteen minutes she
made fast to the wreck, when all that were
able got on board the Seminole. Everything
was done by the captain, crew, and passengers
of the Seminole that could be done to eXtricate
the dead and wounded. nephew of Captain
Poe, the commander Of the Nick Wall, while
endeavoring to escape from beneath the falling
bales and boxes, was crushed, and finally fell
into IT, liver and drowned. The Pargoud passed
the wrssR of the NickWall about two hours after
the disaster, and the captain and officers and
from the Wall every possible kindness. Those
going down the river were taken by the Par
goud to their destination without charge. Mrs.
| Poe was found wedged in the cabin between
! boxes and barrels. In cutting through the hur-
! ricane roof the axe struck her head, causing q
| slight wound. She was brought to the Seminole,
| and is doing well. When the dead bodies were
! brought in the scene beggared descriptisn-hus-
| bands searching for wife and children, and chill
! dren for parents among the bodies. Twenty-Five
bodies were taken out of the wreck, aud many
others were on the lower deck, which was theI
under water. When Mrs. Poe was foHnd the
water was up to her chin in the cabin. gen
tlemap, with his wife, daughter, and son-in-lav
! the two last named only married few days
are among the dead. They intended 10 get OF
about one mile below.