The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-04-13
THE OCEANUS DISASTER,
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
A SCENE OF HORROR.
Partial List Of Those Saved,
Killed and Missing.

has arrived here. He says He bad
Just come off watch and was undressing
to retire. Rushing into the pilot house
he found his partner, Harry Trip,
wedged in the wreck and tried for some
time to cxtricatc him. when the flames
wrapped them in. Harry begged that
Harris would leave him, as it was Use
less for both to die. Finding that he
could not save him. Harris let him to
his fate and saved himself by cl;nging
to a stage plank, to which several others
were clinging, and swimming to shore.
The bank was steep, and he found sew
eral others trying to climbit. All were
utterly exhausted, from the cold and
injuries. and nearly all were drowned.
Harris helped George Wiggins on
shore, but he was 50 much exhausted
that he fell back into the river and was
drowned. Wiggins was Red river
pilot whose residence is at New Orleans
and was married only three weeks ago.
Harris was picked up by the steamer
Lumsden and placed on board the
Belle OF st Louis. The II. NJ.
Shreve passed down after daylight and,
being hailed, first learned Of the ac'
cident. She found Mr.. Fisher, who
had swan nine miles on pine board
and is unhurt save lame hand. Mr..
Fishers family reside in Pittsburgh.
She also found the body OF Chas. Wor
sham, the second clerk, Jules Dewell,
steward, and Chas. Murray and cabin
boy. They all had on life preservers
and were badly scalded and burned.
The remains were brought to Cairo
and an inquest was held upon them to-
day. One lady lost was tight rope
performer going to join Robinson S
circus. The Oceanusipassed at | A. NJ
and was hurrying to keep out of the
way of the Marble City. Only two
persons saved could give any account
OF the disaster the pilot and carpenter.
They saw no one who was not sCaIded
or burned. The carpenter roomed with
Pilot George Virgins, in the next room
to Captain Worsham. Both rooms
were on fire when he left the boat. He
aud the carpenter heard Captain Wor-
sham calling for help from under heap
OF ruins. which were envelOpcd in
flames.
ST. LOUIS, April l2.-The following
is the statement OF an eyewitness, who
resides at Bloomington, III. lie was
brought 10 by the Belle of st. Louis
this morning: Twas in my state room
at the time OF the accident, as were
most OF the passengers. The first noti-
fcation | had OF the disaster was a
bissing sound, and then an explosion
followed which made sound
like the full report OF park
of artillery; then my berth, the upper
one, fell 10 aud | went down upon Geo.
Bourne, Of Iowa, who was sleeping be
meath. ! saw at once what was up,
and reached for life preseryer and put
it on. then shut the stateroom door.
to keep out the escaping steam, and
from the outer door ! ascended to the
upper deck. Here the scene was n
terrible one. The texas was gone,
and the volumes OF escaping steam,
combined with the shrek and groans Of
the poor men caught in the machinery
below, made my blood run cold with
horror. | had but little time left for
thought, as the boat had taken fire. 1t
broke out near the boiler. looked ont
for a float, but could find none. then
took a stateroom door and jumped into
the river. 1t was intensely cold. As
swan off got my face severely
scorched by the flames, which swept
down upon me as il anxious to pull me
back in their power, A good many
were in the water at the time. ] law
Mr.. Constable. OF New York, and his
wife. They had float between them.
She was apparently very weak and
about TO sink. She kept saying Come
to me, George; l can't swim" The
last saw OF them they passed down
the rapid current, her agoDized white
face turned upward, murmuring as if
in prayer. swan with my float some
distance, and shortly afterwards was
picked up by a small boat and then
taken and transferred to the Belle OF
St. Louis, which kindly brought many
Of the survivors here.
The following is the list OF those
saved
Geo. Kingshilty, first engineer; Pat
Daving, watchman; Austin Joice,
mate, badly burnt; Willis Webb, fire.
man: Faest Lourins, roustabout; John
Gibson, L. Medham, Mike ORiley,
Henry Smith, deckhands, not hurt;
Martin Bole, deckhand; John Ross,
cabin boy; Chas Sumner and three
cooks, not hurt.
Crew who died on board the Belle Of
st. Louis-Alex. Connolly, second en-
gineer; N. Reddy, deckhand; Morgan
Foley, deckhand J. B. Stewart, fire.
man.
Crew Missing-Alfred Rider, captain;
d. W. Worsham, first clerk; H. Tripp,
pilot; John Harris, pilot; George
Virgins, pilot; Charles DeWolf car
penter; Jim johnson, fireman; A. L.
Cook, fireman; II. Magusts, cook; W.
Hill, second cook; Mrs. Wallace,
chambermaid; VIM. Wise, Porter; c.
Burkles, second steward; Ben. Boist,
cabin boy; Gus Clark, sailor; Billy
Hart and Nat Archer, texas tenders.
The following were the passengers