The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-10-29
srrAnnoAr ACCIDENT.
a Mississippi Steamer Wrecked and
Thirty Lives Losf-A Graphic Ac-
count of the Disaster.

NEW YORK, October ga Herald special
from Davenport, Iowa, furnishes the fol.
! lowing: The steamer Gilclrist left this pori
last night In apparently good trim and con
dition, bound for all points up the river,
loaded with large and valuable cargo OF
miscellaneous freight, and carrying in her
cabins fun list OF passengers. When the
steamer had passed under the Government
bridge, spanning the Mississippi and con-
Meeting the cities OF Davenport and Rock
Island, the camrods OF the engine sud-
denly gave way, causing the entire machin-
cry TO become mnlanageable and useless.
The river was very high owing to the recent
extensive floods, and the current was un-
usually rapid, 80 when the Gilchrist had
no longer her machinery to keep her bow
up stream, the swiftly-running river car
ried the helpless vessel down the stream al
q rapid and appalling rate. Being so near
the bridge, the steamer was thrown with q
tremendous and resistlcss force against one
Of the abutments. AS the Gilchrist came
in collision with the tremendous mass OF
stone she careened, causing the weights on
the Safety-yalves OF the steanl-chcst 10
break from their fastcnings and slide Off.
The valves no longer holding check on the
steam in the boilers, il poured ont in huge
volumes and cnyeloped the hapless crew and
passengers. who were wildly endeayoring
to secure liic-preservcrs in the main saloon,
and scalded many OF them in an awful
manner. No sooner had the steamer re-
bounded from the effect OF the collision
than she began sinking, in which condition
She was carried past the city, the slrieks
and cries for help uttered by the frenzied
victims being distinctly audible 10 q large
crowd OF citizens who soon thronged the
banks, but they could extend 40 assistance
as the steamer was hurled past their eyes
by the turbulent river. All OF the small
bosts and skiGs usually numerous on
the river had been drawn ashore and
laid away for winter TO escape the foods
which have prevailed all along the course
OF the Mississippi river for nearly
4 fortnight, so there was no means Of
speedily reeching the sinking steamer.
Other steamers lying at the bank imme-
diatcly went 10 her assistance, and are
actively at work searching for tie sur
YiyorS.
i learn that there were on beard twenty
three passengers, four Of whom were ic-
males, and a crew Of fifteen.
Only eight persons have been saved so
far, and OF these some are very badly
scaldcd. Three OF the lady passengers are
known 10 have been killed or scalded to
death. The city is in great excitement, and
everything possible is being done to relieve
the uniortunstcs. There is hut little hope
that any more can be saved.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
Rock ISLAND, Miss, October 2s.-Fur-
Their intelligence from the scene OF the
wreck Of the steamer Jennie Gilchrist is to
the effect that seventeen persons in all were
lost and seventeen saved. Other passcn-
gers might have been saved il they had
yielded to the entrcaties Of the more cool
headed who went among them before The
steamer struck the pier and urged them
TO get on board the large. The lat
ter even tried TO drag them from the
cabin, but they were so terror-Str1cken and
powerlcss that they could make no effort to
save themselves. The steamer had in
tow barge and one Gatboat. The latter
was being pushed ahead OF the steamer
willie the barge was fastened 10 the port
side. There seems to be no doubt that the
steamer was totally unfit for the work eX-
pected from her. She was heavily laden.
Most Of the crew were drunk. Further
more. she was merely frcight-boat and
not licensed TO carry passengers. The ac-
cidcnt was entirely due to carclcssncss and
liquor. There was good deal Of wills
key in the cargo, aud some OF il was tapped
before the steamer left the wharf.