Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-01-30


the crew of the Cheek on her first visit q
the wreck in the morning. A scene 0
the greatest presented itself
Broken chairs, tables lamps and looking
4 glasses were scattered here and there
all over the cabin; while in each state
room the berths we're smashed and broker
down, the mattresses having beer
dragged out by the terrified passenger
to be used as floats and life-preservers
There was blood on the floor, on the
doors, on the panels, and on the broken
berths In one place it looked as if some
unfortunate had leaned shattered and
bloody face up against door, for
the door wss covered over with
human gore. Marks Of bloody hands
could be seen here and there,
telling the tale how the unfortunate vic
tins struggled to escape from the crush
ing timbers,, Passing back through the
ladies cabin we came to the descent into
the nursery, but here the dark whirling
waters Kissed and foamed above the dead
below. TWAS believed that a number Of
persons were drowned in the nursery,
and that their bodies were beneath our
feet. Nothing could be done at the
wreck until morning, so we wendell our
way back on board the Cheek, and
courted tired natures sweet restorer
until daylight. At the dawn of day the
work Of wrecking commenced. Twenty
hands went to work cutting away the
timbers down to the tiers OF cotton.
During the night the wreck had settled
about a foot, and the river rose eight or
ten inches. The water was pouring
through the cabin, rendering it impossi-
BILE to go down for further examination.
During the day several hundred bales of
cotton were taken out of the water and
pulled on board the Cheek. Several
boxes of wine were recovered, and a
large lot Of china and table ware was
taken out ofthe pantry. Everything worth
saving was secured as soon as it came to
light. Bags OF coffee were lying
lin the water badly damaged, and
hardly worth the trouble of saving.
As the work of demolition went on,
sharp lookout was kept up for dead
bodies, but not single body was recov-
cred up to four clock last evening. If
any bodies are in the wreck, they are
under the immense mound of broken
timbers in front of the warehouses, in
the nursery, and in the engine room,
beneath the cabin deck. Standing on
the wheel-house and looking forward, it
could hardly be conceived how such a
ruin could possibly be made, even if
thunderbolt had been hurled with IT,
tanic force through the boat.
The wreck, when we left, was rapidly
settling, and should the rise in the river
continue several days, the cabin will 60
to pieces. 1t was fortunate thing for
the survivors that the explosion was so
tremendous. Had not everything in
front of the warehouses been blown
away, the fire would have reached every
part of the boat, and all would have been
forced into the icy waters. The explo-
sion, however, created such destruction
that it separated the combustible part Of
the boat from the burning cotton in
front, and tearing out her sides, she
sank so deep that the fire was put
out by the rushing waters. The wreck
Aoated three miles after the explosion,
and struck several times before she
grounded on the bar. She struck the
bar stern foremost, her bow swinging
round in the stream until it pointed
down the river. While the work of
wrecking was going on, number of me-
being secured. A box containing let
tiers, papers and photographs, belonging
to Mrs. Capt. Brolaski-strings of beads
belonging to some children compass
a pair of night glasses and log book, sup
posed to belong to the pilot of the Ar
thur. Mems and women's clothing lay
scattered about in the water, torn, and
in many cases containing marks Of
blood. Nothing was recovered that
could throw any light as to the identity
of any person. Pieces of the ma
chinery were scattered in every d.
rection throughout the boat. A
number of iron rivets which were in the
boilers, were found back in the ladies
cabin and on the hurricane deck aft Of
the wheel houses, showing that the boil
ers must have exploded with terrific
force, as these missiles of death were
driven back through the boat with great
''t"
At clock last evening we left the
wreck on the tow boat Laura and
returned to the city, leaving the Cheek
engaged in the work of wrecking and |
searching for the bodies of the drowned. |
Our thanks are due to Captain Mark |
Cheek, the popular commander of the
steamer Cheek, and MessEs. George
Briggs and Charley Jackson, the polite
and gentlemanly clerks of the boat, for
attentions and favors which it would be
not to appreciate. These
gentlemen worked away at the wreck,
md ,vara making everv effort IN sava