The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-08-07
Additional Particulars Of the Burn.
ing Of the Pat Rogers,

/ AAb Va AAO - 4SVkGIus
| CINCINNATI, August Gin addition Ia
those reported lost of the steamer Pal
Rogers yesterday, the following are now
believed to have been drowned: Annie
Cook and two children Of Simon Gestner,
Cincinnati, the wife and child OF DR., N
Gibbons, Madison, Indiana; A. N. Bolts,
North Carolina; James Smith, deck hand.
+. NJ. Stone, OF North Carolina, was badly
burned, also John G. Hughes, tho mate.
They arrived In the city last night, The
greatest misfortune consisted in the fact
that the fire occurred in that particular
part Of the river, for Just there the river
was at such stage that Il was impossible
ior her 10 reach the shore, drawing as
much water as she did. The time between
first alarm and the time when every body
had LEFT the boat Is said 10 be twenty min.
utes. At this time there was dry land on
the starboard side only thirty Yards
distant, but there was q wall OF flame in
tervenlng. On the larboard side the land
was long distance oil. The wind was
blowing toward the nearest shore. and
drove the flames in that direction. MANY
Of those who got nearest the shore arc
disdgured for life, the exposed part Of
their bodies being actually roasted by the
excessive heat.
One oi the most thrilling and miracu-
lous escapes was that OF Miss l.. A, Viii
liams Of Louisville. Miss Williams,
throwing away her vallse and all extra
clothing, secured the services Of a gentle.
man In throwing overheard q crate Of
peaches and leaped In after 1t with a life.
preserver. When she attempted to cling
10 the crate, however, 1t revolyed like a
reel In the water. For two terrible hours
she struggled with the refractory boz,
and had just closed her eyes in despair
when she was drawn into a skiff by MI,
Huff, who rendered such signal service in
half dozen other cases. Miss RaWden.
OF Louisville, jumped from the boat to-
ward the Indiana shore, and the hungry.
tongued flame licking along the surface Of
the water horribly burnt her head and
lace. She had no lie. .preseryer, and only
secured one end Of plank by clinging to
the pantaloon leg OF man who swan
past her. She says that while moving
through The water, several drowning per.
sons extended their hands toward her some
even grasPing her hair and tearing out
handtulls in their terror. The last living
object seen on board the boat was a little
child three or four years old running about
screaming with alright, surrounded BY
flames and its legs arms and face exposed
TO the terrible heat. The negro crew be.
haved badly, hurrying of the boat before
there was any imminent danger and mo-
nopolizing all available means Of support
Two colored men and one white man
rowed away in life boat that could have
been made to convey twenty or thirty
people ashore. The river is being dragged
for bodies this morning.
BODIES RECOVERED.
CINCINNATI, August 6.-Up to two
o'clock this afternoon four bodies had
been recovered by party dragging the
river at Aurora. One was a barber
named Minor Mintz, and young lady
supposed 10 be from CoVington, Ken.
lucky. The other two are an unknown
man and woman.
The bodies OF Ferd Melter, Mrs. Smith,
and Miss Coax, Of Madison, Indiana, have
been recovered from the river, at the
scene Of the Pat Rogers disaster near Au.
rora. Further investigation sheds no ad-
ditional light on the origin Of the fire, ex.
cept to dlssipate the uspicion which rest.
ed on the negro discharged from the
boats employ. The number on board, all
told, is supposed to have been seyenty-
two. The exact list can not be
bad. Reports Of the lost have ranged
from sixteen 10 twenty.eight; probably
twenty-five is the number nearest the fact
Cilizens and passengers do not attach
blame to the captain and officers, at all
events 1t has not been expressed. The
suspense and uncertainty as 10 the fate of
the missing has added intensely TO the
painful interest felt in the calamity here
At this time lorty five persons are known
to have been saved.