Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-08-30
THE LAST HORROR.

THE LAST HORROR.
Particulars of the Terrible Steamboat
Disaster ON the Mississippi.
Especial Dispatch to the courier-Journal.l
MEMPHIS, Aug. 2A.-The Phil. AL
len came up this morning with several
of the survivors of the Geo. G. Wolf
disaster.
THE EXPLOSION.
At the time the Wolf exploded her
three boilers she was in mid stream,
Just above the mouth of st. Francis
river, with light cargo. Nearly all
of her cabin passengers, having finish
ed dinner some time before, were sit
ting on the port boiler deck. There
were five ladies'. six men, and three
children. While they were talking a
heavy rain-st0rm came up, and they
were about to start Cor the cabin, when
with terrible crash the boilers ex-
ploded simultaneously The deck upon
which they were, opened, and part of
them were thrown sixty feet in the
air, coming down in the river among
the debris and falling timbers from the
wreck; while those in the aft cabin or
rear portion of the boat were not in
jured in the least.
THE WRECK.
Those who make this statement say
that the boats officers, Immediately
after the explosion, extinguished fire
that caught below, and then manned
a yawl, and after half an hours labor
ious work got line to shore and haul
ed the wreck to stump, where it was
made fast, and then work commenced
to pump her out. The cabin was not
blown off, as was first reported, but
only as far back as the state-room in
the rear of the Office, the balance re-
naming intact. The safe and books
are supposed to have gone overheard
as they have not yet been found in the
wreck.
THE ILL-FATED SECOND ENGINEER
| Owing to the illness of the first en-.
gineer, the second had been on duty
fOrty-eight hours, and undoubtedly
fell asleep at his post and permitted
the explosion which cost him, as vel
as at least thirteen others, including
the Dawson family, the fremen, anC
rOusters, and two Irishmen, one be
longing to party of five employees o
the Transatlantic circus, one of whom
while in the water nObly saved tn,
life of Miss COhn, his life.
BRAVERY OF THE OFFICERS.
All the passengers interviewed bear
testimony to the heroic conduct o
Captains Carter and Widen, as well a
other officers, and state that but TO
their bravery and great presence o
mind the boat would have sunk aftel
the explosion, as she was taking waite
fast and was got to shore just in time
A HEROIC CHAMBERMAID.
Capt. Widen, who is badly burned
in the back, thighs and hands, an,
who was injured about the head some
what, but who is doing well, and in al
likelihood will soon recover from hi
injuries, states that when the explosion
occurred he was in his room in bed
but did not hear the noise of tn,
guage cocks, as stated by former dis
patch. He was blown sixty feet in tn
air straight up, and fell upon the fore
castle just in front of the steps, wher,
the burning air from the exploded
boilers had full play on him, and wa
rescued from his perilous position ..
the colored chambermaid. Lizzi,
Thompson, who not only carried hin
from the castle and burning air, blu
rescued and perhaps saved the lives o
three other officers, Carter, Donohue
and Eddie Widen, by extricating then
one after another from their position
and herself escaped unhurt Thes,
noble acts of the colored heroine de
serve more than passing notice, ant
to her, the gentlemen named inform
me, they owe everything.
A BRAVE STEWARD.
Hiram Mehaffey, the steward, acted
nobly in his endeavors to save life, anC
was of much assistance to Capt. Wider
in extinguishing the fire that caugh
III tnc WOOu duu CUdl DuuhcTS.
FIFTEEN LIVES LOST.
As near as can be ascertained there
were seven whites and eight negroes
lost; and scarcely one of the boats
passengers or crew would have beer
left to tell the tale had the boilers ex
ploded when full of steam. As it was
each of them let go at the same instant
and there is not piece of either lef
that weighs over 300 pounds, so strone
was the pressure. But, strange to say
no one was injured by the flying frag
ments.
WATER ALL GONE.
The mud-drum was also exploded
and was torn to sheds, which proves
beyond a doubt that the water in the
boilers had got below the lower guage.
cock fully ten or fifteen minutes before
the collapse occurred, In fact, the
steward states that he tried the kitchen
hot-water cock before che explosion
and got nothing but steam, and the
chambermaid the laundry faucet five
minutes before the explosion, with the
same result. She started then to inform
the captain of the fact, but changed
her mind and did not go.
A STRANGE STORY.
The second engineer, John Hepler
who by his carelessness and neglect
ushered so many souls into eternity, was
seen to try the gauges, and then run to
the side of the boat, from where he
jumped into the river and was seen by
parties on shore swimming down stream
toward the shore before the accident
occurred, and without doubt escaped
to the woods. He has wife and child
living in st. Louis; and up to the time
of the disaster was considered a very
careful and competent man. As far as
known the loss of life amounts to
seven whites and eight negroes.
KIND ASSISTANCE.
The citizens of Helena and the
farmers living in the vicinity of the
explosion are mentioned in the highest
praise by both officers and passengers
for their kindness.
EDGEFIELD TO GAINESVILLE.