Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-10-28
L0SSOF A STEAMER
The Jennie Gilchrist Broken
on q Pier at Davenport.
Scenes of Terror in the Dark
ness and Steam.
A Drunken Crew and Terrified
Passengers.
Escape of a Number on a Barge,
Seventeen Lives Lost by Criminal
Carelessness.
Escape OF a Number on a Barge


Argus will give the following account
in to days evening edition:
A little after 10 o'clock the Jennie
Gilchrist left Rock Island with
thirteen passengers and sixteen men
Of the crew aboard. 1t passed through
the bridge and had got about half a
mile above it, when, at 1890, the en-
gineer discovered that the rod which
is used to reverse the wheel was
broken, and the boat at once began
drifting rapidly down stream. The
smaller river gave the current addi.
tional force, and swiftly the craft went
down to destruction, when threaten.
ing
DANGER BECAME APPARENT.
Mr.. Shelton at once rushed into the
cabin, telling the passengers of the
accident which had happened, and
urging them to at once take refuge in
the barge. He notified the pilot Of
what had happened, who, exclaiming
why don't they do somethingl For
Gods sake do somethiDgl" blew his
whistle for danger. The pilot then
LEFT his wheel, giving it a turn for
the port, and made tracks for the
barge, crying as he went down stairs:
"Save yourselves She is going to
strike the bridge"
In the cabin everything was frantic;
women were crying and the men were
about as useless. No one seemed to
have any idea as to what to do. The
crew, with the exception of Pilot Du-
rand, the engineers and fremen are
reported to have been
DRUNK,
and as terror struck as the others. As
she drifted down upon the pier, urged
on by the swollen current, she partly
turned and presented her starboard
side to the obstructing pier, striking
it just aft Of the boilers. Eight per.
sons had taken refuge on the barge
and as it swung around to the left o
the pier they cast off the stern enc
and spring lines The bow line wa,
fastened to the fiat ahead, and wher
it was cast off the fat swung to the
right aud the line went out with Z
rush. A negro nlmel Jim Small 'ey
was at that moment climbing over tic
bow of the barge, and the line being
between his legs he was
wHIRLED OVERHEARD.
SHELTON grabbed him by the trousers
and dragged him aboard a very aston
ished but highly grateful negro.
When the Jennie struck the bridge
she hit a little aft OF the boiler head
and broke them in. At once the
steam began to rush out, and for Q
moment the prospect of being scaldeG
was added to that of being drowned
The scene at that time was terrific
Those on the barge knew not whether
they were safe or in mortal danger
Around them was a thick cloud o
STEAM sUFFocATING THEM,
so that their only chance tt
breath, was by laying down and put
ting their mouths 20 the holes in it
deck. In the cabin of the boat they
could hear the cries and moans Of tn
fated passengers,who had stayed ther
while the crew on the forecastle wer
appealing loudly for help. The
could be seen, and at that time no hel
could be given.
The barge drifted off to the LEFT
followed by the boat and the fiat. Al
ter the bridge was passed the work q
rescuing those on the boat begar
First the engineer was pulled aboart
and then the clerk and one negro
They had tried to reach the barge bC
fore striking the bridge, but ha
failed, and
FALLING IN THE WATER,
had drifted alongside the barge unit
rescued. The wind carried the bars
over toward the Davenport shore, an
in the course of a short time the
drilted down on the island outside
Paige, Dixon & Co.'s mill, where
} stranded. The stay there was shor
; The Evansville had heard the ori
for help, and it left Rock Island Q
: its errand of sucoor, and IN abo,
t twenty minutes it came upon
THE STRANDED BARGE
and rescued It's twelve passeI
r gers from their situation, carryir
= them back to Rock Island. Besid,
e the twelve that were saved on Il
5 barge there were five picked up {
the Iowa shore who had clung to Il
wreck, one a woman who displayC
remarkable pluck. The followii
: is the list Of those saved 50 far
q known: Passengers-J. II. May
y Mrs. West, c. M. Davenport. Thom
!. Harts, j. McClelland, W. G. SkeltO
Crew-Bil'y Brown, John Moss, Jr
I /. Schuler, ssclerk, John Gilchrist, ca
/ tain, Derrand and Herr, pilots, t