The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-08-11
THE STERN OF THE BOAT WAS IN FLAMES.

THE STERN OF THE BOAT WAS IN FLAMES,
And the cabin had already caught. Cap.
tain David, who up to this time had been
asleep, was reused up and hurried down
to the cabin to awaken the passengers.
The scene that followed almost battles
description. The rudder was powerless,
and the boat. unable to stem the swift
current, halted a minute or two and
then veering around again, swung into
the current and began drifting down
stream stern foremost. The flames by
this time had got into the cabin, and
went Kissing and cracking through the
fancy gimcrackery of that apartment -
The passengers,rou from their sleep,
hurried out, some of them half clad,
others only in their night clothes, and
still others nearly naked, came hurry
ing QUITO be driven by the fierce flames
first on deck and afterward down to the
very bow and point of the vessel In
the confusion nearly every one had lost
their presence of mind, and. though
every state-room was supplied with two
life. .preservers. in the whole crowd of
passengers huddled around jackstaff
and brace, there were only two or three
who had thought of securing them, and.
almost strange to say, two Of those
were ladies'
HOW TO ESCAPE.
The first thing that was done was to
overturn the gang plank or staging
This was done, and the raft thus con-
structed was pushed out in the water
on the larboard side, the flames not yet
having reached this part of the vessel.
1t had hardly righted itself before
TWENTY MEN JUMPED ON IT,
Overcrowding it so that it swamped and
upset, and four or five OF those who
had been so eager to save themselves.
regardless Of other and weaker ones
sank to rise no more. Men employed
on the boat and passengers got planks
and hurried to the edge, and. plunging
in, sought to save themselves Others
secured cabin.doors, and presently the
boat-carpenter, George Donkerly, took
his knife, and cutting the cords that
he'd the "bull rails," loosened them
and gave still others means of saving
themselves. A few came down bear.
ing
THEIR MATTRESSES ON THEIR SHOULDERS
But none save the two or three men.
toned before thought OF the life-pre
servers that hung up in the state-rooms
One young man came forward with 6
box containing pair'of game chickens
under his arm and boldly set sail with
that for a lighter, and strange to say
succeeded'in gaining the shore.
The boat continued to drop dowr
with the current within fifty yards O
the Indiana shore, and soon the wheels
ceased to revolve. Then the star board
chimney toppled and fell over into th'
water. BY this time the cabin had beer
nearly burnt off, and the scores of mel
and women were to be seen
SWIMMING AROUND IN THE WATER.
The strong breeze which been blow
ing from the south carried the flame
to the larboard side, and the only way
of escape was to plunge into the waite
on the other, the Kentucky, side aut
float with the current The heat wa
intense, and those who were in the wa
ter had to paddle themselves away from
the boat to keep from being blisteret
by the flames. A number of those VIII,
yentured too near were thus injured
and one man who had the presence q
mind to put on his straw hat, had
burned off his head The boat contin
ued to drift down with the current unit
it struck bar opposite Laughery Is
land bar and just above the mouth O
Laughery Creek when it run agroun d
the two
4 MASSIVE WHEELS FELL OUTWARD,
The remaining chimney toppled over
and the flames swept over the forward
deck, k,and already the tragedy was abou
concluded. The boats yawl which ha'
hung suspended from the stern, hat
dropped from its fastenings, and takin,
fire, was seen floating down the stream
One of the life-boats, the starboard one
had been launched somehow, and with
a crew of three persons only set ou
. for the shore. The larboard boat had
been covered with the flames, and the
ropes burning of, dropped down into
the water where it overturned aud was
useless.
l. AVN uTc wUrr
Were seen hanging to the guards as the
life-boats came up, but as they had bu,
one oar to reach them was impossible
A skiff, however, soon came up and res
cued them. Another man, Mr.. Fowst
Of Louisville, with his wife and child,
had got a plank and were out in the
water in fair way to be saved when an
IHHUMAN WRETCH LEAPED DOWN ON
And the mother and child were seen no
more. The husband and father, almost
DISTRACTED, swan to the shore, while the
wretch took possession of the plank,
and saved his miserable existence.
The number on board, all told, is
supposed to have been from seventy to
seventy-five persons. The exact list
cannot be had. The reports of the
lost have ranged from sixteen TO TWEEN.
ty-eight people; probably twenty five is
the number. nearest to the fact. The
citizens and passengers do not attsch
any blame to the captain and officers
At all events, it has not been expressed.
The suspense and uncertainty as to the
fate of the missing has added intensity
to the painful interest felt in the calam.
| ity here. At this time forty-fve per.
cona q ro knoun 70 haua hoan aauad