The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-10-29
BY TELEGRAPH.
RUM AND RECKLEssNEss.
A Sad Disaster on the Mississippi
River.
STEAMBOAT BLOWN UP AND SEVEN
TEEN LIVES LOST.

New YORK, Oct. ga despatch from Dav-
export, Iowa, early this morning reports the
loss of the steamboat Gichrist at that place on
the Mississippi river last night and the loss of
thirty passengers. When the steamer bad
passed under the Government bridge spanning
the Mississippi and connecting the cities of
Davenport and Rock Island, the cam rods of
thd engine suddenly gave way, causing the
entire machinery to become unmanageabe
and useless. The river just now is very high,
owing to the recent and extensive floods, and
the current unusually rapid, carried the help
less vessel down stream at a rapid and appal-
ling rate. Tue steamer was thrown with tTe-
mendous and resistless force against one OF the
abutment. AS the Gilchrist came in collision
she careened, causing the weights on the safe
ty valves of the steam chest to break from
their fastenings and slide off. The valves no
longer holding check on the steam in the
boilers, it poured out in huge volumes and en-
veloped the hapless crew and passengers, who
were wildly endeavoring to secure life preserv-
ers in the main saloon, and scalded many of
them in an awful manner. No sooner had the
steamer rebounded from the collision than she
began sinking, in which condition she was car
ried past and below that city, the Shrieks and
cries for help uttered by the victims being dis
tinctly audible by the large crowd who
thronged the banks, but they could extend no
assistance, as the steamer was hurled past their
eyes by the turbulent river. There were on
board twenty three passengers four of whom
eight persons have been saved so far, and of
these some of badly scaded Three of the
lady passengers are known to have been killed
or scalded to death.
Another Account.
Rock ISLAND, Oct. ga little after 10
last night the steamer Jennie Gilchrlst left
here with thirteen passengers and crew-of
sixteen men, and passed through the bridge,
and at about half a mile above il, when the
engineer discovered that the rod which is used
to reverse the wheel was broken and the boat
began drifting rapidly down stream. When
threatening danger became apparent Mr.. Skel-
Ion rushed into the cabin telling the passengers
of the accident and urging them at once to take
refuge on barges He notified the pilot, who
blew the whistle signal of distress. The pilot
then left the wheel, giving it turn for port,
and rushed for the barge. crying as he went
down stairs, "Save yourselves, she is going to
strike the bridge" In the cabin everybody
was frantic. Women were crying and men
about as useless. The crew, with the excep-
ton of the pilot, the clerk and engineers and
fremen, are reported to have been drunk and
as terror struck as the others. AS the steamer
drifted upon Their pier, striking it just aft of
the boilers. the persons who had taken refuge
on the barge, and as it swung around to the
of the pier. When the Jennie struck tho bridge
she broke her boiler heads and steam began to
rush out, and for moment the prospect of be-
ing scalded took the place of being drowned.
Those on the barge knew not whether they
~
was thick cloud of steam, suffocating them
Their only chance to breathe was to lie down
on deck. In the cabin of The boat they could
hear cries and means of the fated persons who
had stood there while the crew on the fore
castle were appealing loudly for help. They
could be seen, but at that time no help could
be given. The barge drifted off to the
left, followed by boat and the flat following
it, to Paige, Dixon & Co.'s mill, where it
stranded. The steamer Evansville had heard
the 0rioq and in ah0uf min oY,o
upon the stranded barge and rescued twelve
passengers carrying them back to Rock Island
Besides those saved on the barge there were
five picked up on the Iowa shore who had chung
to the wreck, one woman. Two engineers
and three more of the crew were also rescued.
When the danger became apparent Shelton
and Clerk Schnber tried to get the passengers
to the barge. A few women were in the
cabin in a state of helplessness doing nothing,
seeing nothing, evidently expecting DEATH
Gentlemen tried entreaty and advice, but it
was useless. There were seventeen lost The
steamer had in tow one barge and one fatboat.
The hatboat being pushed at the bow of the
steamer and the barge was fastened to the port
side. There seems no doubt that the steamer
was totally unfit for the work she was en-
ployed in. She was heavily loaded and most
of the crew were drunk. The boat was mostly
a freight boat and was not licensed to carry
passengers. The accident was entirely due to
careless and liquor. There was good deal of
whiskey in the cargo and some of it was tapped
before starting up.
The Jennie Gilchrist carried fifteen passen-
gers and crew of thirteen. Twelve persons
saved themselves by getting on the barge
which the Gilchrist was towing. In this num-
Der are included all the officers, most of the
crew and one passenger. The barge foated
past the city at about II o'clock, the men shout
ing in the darkness for help. The boat Evans
vile brought them in after midnight. Mrs.
Wendt, one of the four female passengers, was
picked up clinging to plank The other
three were drowned. Mrs. Wendt is badly
scalded- Fireman Jas. Sanford, Will Brown
"a colored man) and passenger, three in all,
were rescued after daylight this morning.
They were holding on to the pilot house.
Brown was badly scalded and he and Mrs.
Wendt are likely to de-
AL day parties have been out from the city
searching the river and island just below Rock
Island in hopes of recovering the bodies of
those lost So far the search has proved fruit
less. Great doubt still exists as to the number
lost. A heavy rain set in at an carly hour this
afternoon, and this fact prevented the diver
from making any investigation of the cabin
and hull of the sunken steamer, which lies in
about twenty feet of water just below the city.
The river is slowly falling which will material
ly aid in the search for the bodies tomorrow.