The New York herald., 1872-04-12
Another HOLOCAUST.
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About Seventy People Killed by
the Blowing Up Of a Red
River Steamboat.
THE CCEAHUS BLOWN TO PIECES.
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Frightful cenes---Passengers Burned
and Drowned.
PERISHING ON LIFE BUOYS.
STATEMENT OF A SURVIVOR.

CAIRO Ill., April IL. 1872.
At four O'CLOCK this morning the steamer Oceanus,
from Red River to st. Louis. when near Brooks'
Point thirty miles above Cairo. exploded her
boiler, blowing her upper works almost en-
tirely awav. Immediately after which the
wreck took 1re and burned to the
water's edge. Thompson, pilot OF the steamer
John Lumsden, which was lying fcw miles below
on seeing the l,ght from the burning wreck,
manned yawl and proceeded up the river to ascer-
tain the cause. He found "A small party of survv-
0rs on Head Island but passed on TO relieve those
on the wreck. Zen twelve were
CLINGING TO THE wnERI,
but the wheel dropped before he reached them, and
ali but four were lost. lie found q deck passenger
name unknown, near the shore ana badly scaded,
and wnO uied before arrival AT Cairo. The steamer
Belle, bound up. TOOK nearly all inc survivors.
thompson rescued pilot Harris. who subsequently
went TO st. LOUIS on the Marble City. Tue latter
states that WIg9ins their Red River pnOt was
drowned.
HORRIBLE EEArH-BURNING AND DROWNING.
Harry Trlpp pilot on the watch, and Captain
Reader were buried IN the debris ana were heard
calling desperately for help but the fire mad gained
such hcadway that they could not be reached. and
were burned. Fisher, the carpenter oil the m Iated
steamer, who reached here on the Shrevc. was not
Alexander Kennedy. terribly scaldeI. was helpless
ana blind. FISHER put him on stage plant with
others, but the stage capsized, drowning sew.
eral, including Kennedy. George Keilhley, FIRST
engineer, IS supposed lost. Henry NJ. Worsham
first clerk, has not been seen since the explosion
he expected 10 go through from Caro- by rail-, bu
was seen on the boat after leaving here.
Charles Worsham, second clerk; Jules Dempe.
wolf, steward, and Charley Muvay, cabin boy, were
found dead floating In the river, oil ith life
prescrvers OH, ana were brought here Dy the
steamer Shrevc. II is supposed they were chilled
to death. There were five lady passengers, all Oi
whom arc supposed 10 ne lost.
the BODIES OF FOUR LADIES
were seen floating past Watsou's landing to-day
but were not recovered.
Fisher thinks tnat the pilot Harris 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 Shreve state mat there were about
thirty CABIN aud thIrty-hyc deck passengers, max
ing, with the crew, nearly hundred souls about
eighty OF whom are supposed 10 have been lost.
The greater portion OF the survivors being on the
Belle OF ST. Louis, no names oi passengers nor any
reliable estimate OF the number lost be obtained
excep, from her.
THE EXPLOSION TEREIfIG BEYOND DISSERTATION.
Fisher describes the effects OF the explosion as
terrific beyond conception the whole upper works
being lifted bodily ana Calling on the boat ana into
the water completely shattered. lie saved himself
Dy securing plank ana hoatlng until rescued by
the yawl OF the Lumsten. He was IN bed at the
time, and though covered with d6Drls, was only
slightly bruised.
LATER DESPATCH-rHRrY PASSENGERS SAVED.
The steamer Grand Tower, lust arrived, reports
the first engineer ana mate and thirty other persons
on the Belle OF 81. Louis. The second engineer was
saved, but died OF injuries.
The Oceauus ran IN the Carter Red River Line. she
cost about year ago $3S,0OO. and was insured
for S2i, 900 IN Cincinnati ana Wheeling Offices.