The weekly miner., 1881-11-01
A Terrible River Accident.

A Terrible River Accident.
Rock ISLAND, Ills. ,iOct. 2s-A little after
with 13 passengers and 16 men of the crew!
aboard. 1t passed through the bridge and got
about half mile above, when at 1890 the en-
ginper discovered that the rod, which is used
to reverse the wheel, was broken, and the
boat began at once to drift down the stream
Of the swollen river. The current gave ad-
ditional force and swiftly the craft went down
to destruction. When the threatening danger
became apparent, Mr.. Shelton at once rushed
into the cabin telling the passengers of the ac-
cident which had happened and urging them
to at once take refuge on the barges. He no.
titled the pilot OF what had happened, eX-
claiming, "Why dent they do something
For Gods sake do something" Blowing the
whistle for danger, the pilot then left his
wheel. giving ii turn for port, and made
break for the barge, crying as he went down
stairs: 'sSave yourselves; she is going to hit
the bridge" In the cabin everybody was
frantic; women were crying and the men were
about as useless. Noone seemed 10 have any
idea of what to do. The crew, with the ex-
ception of the pilot, erIand clerk, engineers
aud fireman, are supposed to have been ter
ror stricken and drunk. As the boat drifted
upon the pier, urgedtby the current, she partly
turned and presented her starboard side to
the obstinating pier, striking it just aft of the
b,;I ;rbt bod foE r.AfIuA III,
the barge ami as it swung around to the left
of the pier they cas-, off the stern line aud
sprung for their lives. The beam line was
fastened to fat ahead and when it was cast
of the fiat swung to the right and the line
went out with rush. negro named Jim
Smalley was at that moment climbing over
the bow barge and the line being between his
legs he was whirled overheard but Shelton
grabbed him by the trousers aad landed him
aboard, a very astonished but highly gratitied
negro. When the Jennie struck the bridge
she hit little ait OF her boiler heads and
broke them in. AT once the steam began TO
work out and for moment the prospect Of
being scalded vas added to that of being
drowned. The scene at that time was ter
rifle. The only chance TO breath was BY ly-
ing down and putting their ,.ouths to holes
in The deck. In the cabin they could hear
the cries and means of the fated passengers
who had stood there, while the crew on the
forecastle were crying loudly for help. They
could be seen but at that time no help could
be given. The barge drifLed to the left fol-
lowed by the boat and the fiat folio ing it.
After the bridge was passed the work of res
| cung those Oh the boat began. The first en-
gineer was pulled aboard then the clerk and a
| negro. They tried to reach the barge before
striking the bridge but failed, and falling in
the water had drifted alongside of the barge
until they were rescued. The wind carried
the barge over toward the Davenport shore,
| and in the course of short time it drifted
down on all island outside of Paige, Dixon
u Co.'S mills, where it stranded. The stay
there was short. The Evansville had heard
the cries f'r help and left Rock Island on an
errand of succor. In about twenty minutes
it came upon the stranded barge and rescued
its twelve passengers from their situation,
carry ing them back to Rock Island. Be-
sides the twelve saved on the barge, there
were five picked up on the Iowa shore who
had clung to the wreck, one of whom was a
woman who had displayed. remarkable pluck
in the cabin. When the danger became ap-
parent Mr.. Skelton and Clerk Schuler tried
to get the passengers down TO the barge.
| Four women were in the cabin in state OF
helplessness, evidently expecting death. The
gentlemen tried entreaty and advice, but the
effort to overcome their tear proved frultless.
| There were severn cen lost. 1t is impossible
to give their names. The steamer had i'll
tow ole barge and flatbOat. The tfatboat
was being pushed at the bow of the steamer
aud Tie barge was fastened to the port side.
| There seems No doubt the steamer was total
ly unfit for the work she was heavily loaded
and some of the crew we're drunk. The
boat Was merely freight boat aud was nol
licensed to carry passengers. The accident
was due to carelessness and liquor. Tier
was good deal of whisky in the cargo and
some OF it was tapped before starting.
LATER.
1t is impossible TO give full list of those
killed in the accident last night As no regis
ter was kept of those on board. Those know
to be lost of the passengers are j. Zuber
VIM. wendt and daughter, Mr.. James Trey
or, Miss Sadie Temple, and foar unknown
OF the crew, James Sanford, fireman J. B
T,mpls, Steward; Williams, watchuau, ant
four negroes, Dam@s unknown, deck hands
The officials of the Jennie Gilchirst are Sc
verely censured by the surviving passengers