Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-06-04
a cry oF GRIEF.
The Captains Account of the Dis-
nster-A Statement from a
Passenger.


lapsed at London, were forwardei
to Ottawa to-day, by Sawly Risley
government steamboat inspector 0
this city. He looked on her as
safe boat for river traffic. She wa
! inspected twice last year, first ii
May, and again in October. Th
bodies still unclaimed are being en-
closed i'm shells and removed Il
/ Doill's Hill, where they will be Wis
tied by many anxious friends wht
are in search of their missing ones
The story of the disaster, as giveI
! by competent witnesses who were
on board, shows that the illfateC
vessel was on her last trip, and tha
on setting out from Spring Bank, tt
return to the city, she had nearly
all her passengers on the way
down, and in addition, large
number who were waiting on the
wharf to be conveyed home. The
number on board on the return trip
is estimated at 700, a burden out oi
all proportion TO the strength and
capacity of the vessel. Shortly
after passing Woodland Cemetery
the boat began to rock and the
crowd surged from one side to the
other with each oscillation, rather
enjoying the fun than being in any
way alarmed. One passenger stated
that a number of youths ON the
upper deck took delight in keep
ing up the rocking motion by NOV
ing from one side to the other,
while Others shouted gleefully ''let
her sink, We'll only have to wade
ashore" 1t is said by some, though
denied by others, that the officers in
charge endeavored to induce the
passengers to remain quiet, but
their efforts were unavailing. The
crowd surged from side to side,
with each movement of the vessel,
increasing the quantity of water on
the lower deck, to the terror Of
some and delight of many more of
those below. No one seemed to
foresee the danger. Suddenly the
position became alarming. When
nearly opposite Cave bridge, water
to the depth of a foot or more
rushed in on the south side of the
boat, and the crowd surged again
to the north side of the boat, slow
ly following the movement by
Fastening over to that side. This
time the vessel almost turned
on her edge and the deck floor be-
came elevated to an angle not far
from perpendicular. All at once
the supports of the upper deck gave
way with terrible crash, on ac-
count of the unnatural position and
great weight imposed. Over the
great railing the people tumbled by
headlong into the deep
water, and to make the situation
more terrible, the whole upper deck
and supports went crashing down
upon the Wretched victims, tearing
and bruising the struggling mass of
which thus became en-
quilted in the dreadful watery tomb.
The scene. that followed beggars de-
scription. Between the wreck and
the shore could be seen scores of
human beings who had become lib
Grated from the debris, and were
battling with the element into
whose cruel grasp they were sud
ienly thrown, and slowly but sure
Ly yielding to its power. Many
who were so stunned by the crash
rs to be unconscious, sunk without
IN effort. The work Of recovering
bodies was then commenced, and |
has been continued unrelnittingly
ever since. The steamer Princess
Louise came alongside in a few |
minutes. In a short time both her |
lecks and every available inch of |
space was taken up with dead |
bodies. Tears came into the eyes |
)f many a man of iron nerves as he
gazed upon the bodies of boys and |
girls as they were taken from the
liver, clad in their holiday attire,
md carried in sympathizing arms
aboard the Princess Louise. Mean
While tidings were conveyed to the
,ity, and crowds of anxious ones
locked to the scene to learn if pos
ible the fate Of some one that was
lear to them.
Manyo the bodies are terribly
bruised and mangled from the
rush of timber which came down
rom the upper deck, and in many
ases the features have evidences of
he desperate struggle which must
lave taken place.
A visit to the scene shows the
Victoria to be a complete wreck,
,eing literally an i'll constructed
Tessel broken into splinters. 1t is
aid, on good authority, that her
'oiler was not properly secured,
nd it shifted with the rocking of
he boat. Hardly any portion of
he vessel is visible above the
vater.
Captain Rankin, who had charge
# the ill-fated Victoria at the time
# the disaster makes the following
"We.Were on the last
rip for the day, having made three
rips previously. We had not very
eavy loads going down, as there
vas plenty of room on board, but
1hen we got to the wharf at Spring
bank, there was large crowd
Waiting, and before ] could get the
off the boat the others
ushed on the after part, jumping
nd climbing in every direction. 1
rdered them down off the top of ;
he decks, and threatened | would
OF leave the wharf till midnight if
Ome of them did not get off. One
Mr.. Powell, of London
,ast, said to me: You are not ,
Ding to put me off, are you?' And
said: you had better get off, He ,
id so, and is now alive. Very few {
aid any attention to my orders, ;
nd only about fifteen or twenty :
rent off the boat. After we started !
number of people on the lower !
eek began surging and moving .
round. Presently | noticed Il :
lightly different action on the !
Oat, and being unable to leave my !
ost at the wheel sent Il boy down !
} the engineer to ascertain if there I
as any danger. ] was looking .
DrWard to a sand bar about 200 J
ards ahead on which intended TO !
each the boat, That was my de- !
re, because | was beginning to get :
Just then couple of row :
oats came along side, the oecu- .
ants of which were racing, and the ;
.owd rushed to the side OF the boat ;
} see them. The engineer then !
mt up word that we had better try :
nd get the crowd to go aft, because ,
he water was coming in. Just :
len the crowd made rush to the
Ort side, and as they did so the 7
eSSel Just took lurch and went :
part bow down. Then the boiler ;
lifted from it's position and went :
trough the side. | believe the :
eSSel would have recovered herself !
My for the boiler going over, and :