The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-09-03
THE OCEAN WAVE D1sAsrzR.
COMPLIED FROM THE REPORTS IN THE
MOBILE REGISTER.

GERS went ashore. After remaining about !
half hour, the boat blew her whistle TO
go, and the passengers ashore had just
reached tho boat when the explosion oc
Cured. Mr.. Ben. Lane gives the following
graphic description of the scene whicn
followed: Fragments of timber ana metal
few in all directions. The fore part OF !ne
boat and cabin was completely carried
of the boat, crushing the upper cabin. Inc
boat Immediately sank, with her DOW SUI
merged. The tide was rather high, ana tue
depth of water around the boat vas aooot
seven feet. knew, in q moment, tnaC ~
must be great disaster, and hurried 70
the spot to see what could do for the VIC
Tins. ] met q wild, surging crowd OF con
sternated survivors hurrying ifoin 'ne
scene, some wild with grief at the loss OF
relatives. just under the boat we're severai
persons, some swimming, some hoiong on
to pieces of floating timber and some VINO
could not swim alternately rising and eink-
ing, soon to perish II help came not;
recognized J. NJ. Lomery, Gle k OF the Ci..
cult Court, swimming very well, and boat ns
was to be had, until too late to rescue sne
| drowning. The guests of the hotel ana toe
residents turned out in body, ana len.
dered every possible assistance; LA. ,E
numbers Of boats were h 'afa 60 save ~ the
drowning. All was over with them IN less
| than five minutes. But many OF THESE
were so badly wounded that they would
have died, if rescued. Capt. VIM. Eaton,
both legs broken. A boat reached his oody
Just too late, rac 81 vent down. strag-
Cling woman ,..i IL \. gone down near .ne
same e,or. y, IN, DIST of such confusion
and terror, vs. .npossible to nave any
plan executed. The Rnests and residents
plunged in the water, with their clothes
on, and saved several from drowning. +.
III. Caldwell had the good fortune 10 save
two or three children, who were immed'ate,
ly cared for by the ladies. The lao.es, III, =,
in their ministrations to the wounded
everything that humanity could suggese or
require was done. In q short time All toe
neighborbOod of Point Clear and batSies
,, Wharf had gathered on the scene. o my
Thomas, of Battles Wharf, and DR.. Key
nolds, of Mobile, who happened to De there;
They had but few medical appliances, ano
were overwhelmed with the work oefofe
:, them. They could only attend to the wo1s'
y cases, leaving the otherato the care OF tne III,
o dies. Returning, for moment to my room,
y found it filed with scalded children
i Wilder scenes of grief were Dever wiz
messed. The frantic cries of the SURVIVORS
as they lamented for lost wives, chllaren
n to all who had human sympathles; y
'e ME, it was more painful to behold tn'
W badly wounded than the dead. Inc iatte
l. were, at least, at rest, and their sunering
of in this life were over. The oincefs % W.
l. boat were nearly all of them victims. Capt
m Eaton was killed. The engineer, Jane
10 Murray, and his wife were both badly hur!
The pilot, Mr.. Webster, was baoiy nur'
}; The engineer and his wife were poCu ~
t, the engine house. The force OF the eApiu
}; vino were in the centre or bow OF the poa
OF suffered. Those in the rear generally 90
mt capped, except such OF them as Ju"Pe
of overheard and drowned. The boiler wa
u not 80 much exploded, as 1T was torn ope .
of with long seam. 1t was so rotten as
1T, literally tear open. If it had been stronge
0: 90 az to explode with greater violence, tn
destruction would probably have bee
greater Scarcely a half Of the passenger
oh escaped uuhurt, but the WOUNDS CT n'au
were slight.
The Ocean Wave has, for some time, zee
Til considered an unsafe boat, and che mas
ons ways been an unlucky one. a crini :,
gs sponsibility rests somewhere, anu IL Sus'
Inc to be visited upon those to whose recAiTs
ore ness and incapacity it ia attrioutaoie.
to ystem of inspections, every where, Is zoos
;t Sf careless and reckless, and the officers WI
in give an official certificate of safety, to sue
,,Y old shells of boilers ought to lose their
ing fetal heads, if not their necks.
eful In the same swift and m sterious manu-
mid in which bad news is frat broken TO con
its munity, nobody knowing from whence
' men how it came, report of the disast
who reached Mobile. AT first it was thoug
at. IL. .,o be untrue, but 1t W
oh"o o"o .SPO. InhD Paw
The soon authenticated ny SaPo''iu
men III I'm hrou chit the news to the CITY, lie oei
rent VIZ" .Ln,e f,,r mi from Poi
Clear coming to the city in the sloop "!ds
H saw q huge column of smoke ano stea
nay .rise from the steamer, but heard no repo
leny -: e., ,v;ndusrd and a fresh wind pl
pre-: vailng. On his way to the city, Capta
IND Payne fell IN with the steamers Annle
lent lent Fountain and notifying them of the occ'
sing renee, they were headed for the scene
acts the terrible disaster.
has T., tba c;tu tl,a news sDread rapidly a
III 'Ho Ivy '"o en- ,,;th ~,
pect, wildly ana the sJreets were ING" " '''' T.
ton, pie making their way to the river front
nome anxiousiy and tremblngly awaiting the
men rival of the steamers with the news
o q no victims of the accident. Those nav
hose relatives aboard the " ocean w ave LILO
BILE q tested their deep and pent up feeiings
dies an occasional outburst of grief, while v