The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-04-12
STEAMBOAT HORROR.
A Mississippi Steamer Blown to Splinters
SIXTY-ONE PERSONS LOST.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, April 1.-THE steamboat
Occeanus from Red river for st. Louis, when
near Brooks Point, twenty miles above Cairo,
at O'clock this morning, exploded her boilers,
tearing the boat fore and aft and making her a
complete wreck. All the officers are reported
killed and any of the passengers scalded to
death or drowned. No names have yet been
received. There were 65 passengers on board
and it is reported that but four or five were
saved E.
A Later Account.
CAIRO, ILL.,, April 11.-At four o'clock this
morning steamer Oceanus from Red river to ST.
Louis, when thirty miles above Cairo exploded
her boiler, blowing her upper work almost en-
tirely away, Immediately after which the wreck
toek Ere and burned to the waters edge.
Thompson, pilot of the steamer John
Lumsden which was lying few miles below,
on seeing the light from the burning wreck
manned yawl and proceeded up the river to
ascertain the cause. He found small party
of survivors on Head Island but passed on to re-
lieve those on the wreck. Ten or twelve were
clinging to the wheel but it dropped before he
reached them and all but four were lost. He
found deck passenger, name unknown, near
the shore badly scalded and who died before
their arrival at Cairo.
The steamer Belle of ST. Louis bound up, took
nearly all of the survivors. Thompson rescued
pilot Halves, who subsequently went to St
Louis on the Marble City. Halves states that
Virgins, their Red River pilot was drowned.
Harry Trip, the pilot, who was on the watch
and Capt Reader, were buried in the debris
and We're heard calling desperately for help but
the fire had gained such Roadway they could
not be reached and were burned. Fisher, the
carpenter of the Inflated steamer who reached
here on the Sheve was not hurt. He states that
the I'd engineer, Alexander Kennedy, was ter
ribly scalded so that he was helpless and blind.
Fisher put him on a stage plank with Others
eral, including Kennedy Geo. Keithley, the
first engineer, is supposed to be lost. Henry
M. Warsham, the first clerk, has not been seen
since the explosion. He expected to 90 through
from Cairo by rail, but was seen on the boat af-
ter leaving here. Charles Worsham, the second
clerk, Jules Dempercoly, the steward, and
Charles Murray, the cabin boy, were found dead
floating in the river all with life-preservers on
They were brought here by the steamer Shreve.
1t is supposed they were chilled to death. There
posed to be lost. The bodies of four ladies
were seen floating past Watson's Landing to-
day, but were not recovered Fisher thinks
that Pilot Halves and himself were the only
employees of the boat saved, though the Belle
of St Louis may have picked up some.
The officers of the Schreve state that there
were about thirty cabin and thirty-five deck
passengers, making, with the crew. 100 souls
about eighty of whom are supposed to have
been lost The greatest portion of the suryiv-
ors being on the Belle of St Louis, no names
of passengers nor any reliable estimate of the
number lost can be obtained except from her.
Fisher describes the effect of the explosion as
terrific beyond conception, the whole upper
works being lifted bodily and falling on to the
boat and into the water, completely SCATTERING
and oan sst I'll reoued by the yaW the
John Lumsden He was in bed at the time,
and although covered with debris was only
slightly bruised
Latest.-The steamer Grand Tower, just ar
rived, reports that the first engineer and mate
and thirty other persons are on the Belle eff st.
LOUIS. The second mate was saved but he died
of his injuries.