The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-06-03
LATER.

Latter.
LONDON, Ont, May Is.
Up to the present time QO:3O p. NJ s3s bodies
have been recovered. 1t is believed there are
several yet beneath the wreck.
HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
About four O'Clock in the afternoon the Vic
toria, of the Thames Navigation COmpany's
line. started from the dock on her fourth and
her last trip for the day, with large load Of
passengers of all ages, variously estimated at
from 400 to Co., All went well on the down
trip, though the boat was SO heavily laden that
she shipped water in small quantities occa-
to any particular side.
+ On the return trip, when more than halt.
way home. sliRht commotion on the boat,
said by some to have been the playful pranks
Of q number Of youths on the lower deck,
and by others ascribed to the boat striking
on q snag caused the crowd, out of curiosity,
to rush to the side, and. as the side Of the boat
sank with additional weight, q volume Of
water foot or two in depth poured in upon
the lower deck, which was crowded with pas
sengers. Instantly the crowd on both decks
rushed to the opposite side,i and their weight,
together with that of the water shipped by the
boat, caused it to lurch in the opposite direc-
ton. Then il was that the disaster occurred.
The side of the boat sank in the water to the
depth Of one or two feet, and while the crowd
Of people on the lower deck were struggling to
save themselves from slipping down into the
river, the stanchions supporting the uppec
deck suddenly gave way, and the whoe
structure, with its load Of human beings, came
down on those who were below, crushing them
on the deck and rendering escape out Of the
question.
1t Is impossible to describe the scene that
followed. The boat continued to settle on its
side. deeper into the water, taking with il
many OF the passengers who were stunned by
the fall OF the upper deck, and were unable
to help themselves. Scores sank in the water
without an effort, while many others, who
were precipitated into the river unhurt, rent
the air with their vain appeals for that succor
which those passengers who were safe were
pOwerless to extend.
The utmost exertions were put forth to res.
cue rs many of the drowning ones as possible,
aud many were saved from q watery grave.
As soon as possible help was secured and the
and from the wreck proceeded with. The bod
les were placed on the steamboat Louise az
fast as they were brought up, and then taken
to the company's docks, where the task of iden-
tificatiOn began. fi,..t.f.
The accident occurred at about 6:l5, and it
was midnight before the bodies so far recOv- Z
cred were brought back to the city. Here q
most heart-rending scene ensued. The bodies.
as fast as transferred from the steamers, were
laid out in rows on the grass by the river SIDE,
all in their holiday attire, AMI, with the aid of
torches, the faces were eagerly scanned by
hundreds Of anxious friends looking for their
missing ones. iifIul zgU lIGo4iiG1 Wg
A goodly proportion Of the drowned are men
in middle life, and many are children OF ten
der years. Many were the walls of sorrow
which followed the Identification of relatives.
Perhaps it is the mother who discovers her
child. or children parent. One man was
heard inquiring for four children. As'fast as
corpses were claimed they were taken in
charge By their friends, and removed to their
homes. " ''" i'f'A ~ 4
"A small lad, in his fallinto the water, struck
on the back of Mr.. William Ashburg whose
wife was drowned Mr.. Ashburg felt the OBJ
1ect on his shoulders weigh heavily. and, not
knowing what in was, shook to free himself
from his IMAM the sea- All to no purpose.
however. The little chap hung on With the
desperation Of despair, and Mr.. Ashburg was
able TO reach the shore more dead than alive.
No more desperate struggle for life ever
took place than that in which Nicholas Wilson
engaged immediateiy after the disaster. APP
preheud ng the danger, he told his newly
married Wife to cling to the railing. and q mo
ment later he found himself fioundering in the
water. D Strange to say, Mrs. Wilson was
thrown directly into his arms. and. selling her
firmly, he struck ont for shore. On the way
q strong. big man. oyercome with fear. seized
him By the throat, and hung there for
dear life. The whole three must fnevita-
bly, have sunk but for Mr. Wilson'S
presence OF mind. He seized the fellow with
his teeth and bit him with all his force, The
hold was then relaxed. and with weakened
strength. and still bearing his wife In HE arms
10 Struggled toward the shore. Bot few
feet had been passed, however, before he was
again seized with q visc-tike grip BY drown
ing man, and In shc struggle he lost his wife.
He reached the shore exhausted, and booked
about TO see his wife saved. In some unac-
countable way, BY his side. They both then
became unconscious. Sgsg ,f.tE .e. 4
The building improvements in Salt
Lake City for the coming season. it il |
estimated, will reach the value of ST.
OOO, 900.
The escape of steam boiler has q |
sort Of f1ue-went expression.