Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-10-29
SCALDED AND DROWNED.
A HORROR ON THE MISSISSIPPI.
A Steambost Dashed Against the
Pier of a Br1dge-Safety Valves
UncOVered-The Helpless Passen-
gers and Drunken Crew Wrapped
In Steam-Hurried Down the
Rivera Costly Sacrifice 20 Folly.

NEW YORK, October 2S-A Herald special
from Davenport, Iowa, furnishes the fol-
lowing: "The steamer Gilchrist left this
port last night in apparently good trim and
condition, bound for all points up the
river, loaded with a large and valuable
cargo OF miscellaneous freight and carrying
in her cabin a full list of passengers.
When the steamer had passed
under the government bridge spanning the
Mississippi and connecting the cities OF Da-
venpoTt and Rock Island, the cam rods of
the engine suddenly gave way, causing the
entire machinery to become unmanageable
and useless. The river was very high, owing
to the recent extensive floods,
and the current unusually rapid.
So when the Gilchrlst had no longer her
machinery to keep her bow up stream, the
swiftly running river carried the helpless
vessel down stream at rapid and appalling
rate. Being so near the bridge the steamer
was thrown with tremendous and resistless
force against one Of the abutments.
GAS the Gilchrist came In collision with the
enormous mass of stone, she careened, caus
ing the weights on the safety valves of the
SIT am chest to break from their fastenings
ami slide off. The valves no longer hold
ing check on the steam In the boilers,
it poured out in huge volumes,
and enveloped the hopeless crew and pas
sengers, who were wildly endeavoring to
secure life preservers in the main saloon,
and scalded many of them in an awful man
ner.
''No sooner had the steamer rebounded
from the second shock of the collision than
she began sinking, in which condition she
was carried past the city, the shrieks and
cries for help uttered by the frenzed
victims being distinctly audible to
large crowd of citizens, who
soon thronged the banks. But
they could extend no assistance, as the
steamer was hurled past their eyes by the
turbulent river. All of the small boats and
skiffs, usually numerous on the river, had
been drawn ashore and laid away for
the winter and to escape the floods which
have prevailed all along the course Of the
Mississippi river for nearly fortnight. SO
there was no means of speedily reaching the
sinking steamer. Other steamers lying at
the bank Immediately went to her assist
ance, and are actively at work searching for
survivors.
''I learn that there were on board twenty
three passengers, four OF whom were
females, and crew OF fifteen. Only eight
persons have been saved so far, and OF these
some are very badly scalded. Three of the
lady passengers are known to have been
killed or scalded to death. The city is In
great excitement, and everything possible
is bving done to relieve the unfortunates.
There Is hut little hope that any more can
be saved"
Rock ISLAND, Ills, October 28.-Fur-
ther intelligence from the scene of the
wreck of the steamer Jennie Gilchrist is to
the effect that seventeen persons in ell
were lost and seventeen saved. The other
passengers might have been saved II they
had yielded to the entreaties of the more
cool headed, who went among them before
the steamer struck the pier and urged them
to get on board a barge. The latter even
tried to drag them from the cabin but they
were 50 terrified and powerless that they
could make no effort to save themselves.
The steamer bad In Tow barge and one
fat boat. The latter was being pushed at
the bow of the steamer, while the barge
was fastened 10 the port side. There seems
to be no doubt that the steamer was totally
unfit for the work expected from her. She
was heavily laden, and most Of her crew
were drunk. Furthermore, she was merely
freight boat, and not licensed to carry
passengers The accident was entirely due
to carelessness and liquor. There was a
good deal Of whisky in the cargo, and some
of 1t was tapped before the steamer left the