The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-08-09
A FLOATING HOSPITAL.
ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THE STORY
OF THE HORRIBLE FATE OF
THE STEAMER GOLD
DUST.
THE STEAMER CITY OF ALTON ARRIVES
WITH SOME OF THE OF DEAD AND
WOUNDED ON BOARD.

night, near Hickman, KY, of the boilers of
the steamer Gold Dust, given in yesterdays
BULLETIN, was confirmed 80 Tar as il went
by the full Developments of yesterday,
about twelve o'clock, when the steamer
City Of Alton arrived at our wharf, having
aboald nearly all that were saved from the
catastrophe.
When the tug Ariadne, having aboard
Drs. Parker and Dnning, Capt, Shields
and Mr.. Sol Silver and others, arrived at
Hickman Monday night, they found every
thing in better condition than they had ex.
pected. The wrecked steamer was no
more, having been destroyed by fire after
the explosion; the dead aud wounded, such
as could be found had all been taken ashore
and given all possible care and comfort by
the citizens of Hickman, who transformed
their private and public houses into hos
pitfalls and themselves into nurses for the
| time being. But yet there was much to do
DR.. Farris, big hearted, one-armed ply
stefan and surgeon, of Hickman, had been
very active but Drs. Parker and Dunning
found their hands full also, and they did
much good work, as did also Capt, Shields
in the way of directing preparations for the
removal of the hclplessly injured.
The steamer Alton arrived at Hickman
about o'clock yesterday morning. She
was not heavily laden and had
but few passengers. Her cabin vas cleared
of the furniture, mattresses were spread
upon the floor and the wounded were
carefully carried aboard to be conveyed
TO their homes in this city and in st. Louis.
The boat came here, running very care
fully and making no intermediate land
ings. She came in sight here about
II 80 o'clock and Immediately people
from every part of the city hocked 10 the
levee. The flag on her jack staff was at
half mast. She came up very slowly
without the usual long blowing Of the
whistle and landed about ~ o'clock,
touching the wharf almost without
jar. Chief Myers and officers
Martin, Mahanny and Wins were on hand
and kept the crowd, which was by this
time several thousand strong, from board
ing the boat. And no efforts were made to
get aboard. All crowded on the outer
guard of the wharfboat, but stood there
quietly; there was no bustling no loud
voices, no laughter, not a smiling face.
Rough men talked in whispers-the horror
of the occasion was reflected in every face
in that great crowd, tears filled the eyes Of
some, deep sympathy spoke in every move.
ment.
The boat lay here an hour and half,
receiving medicines, ice, provisions and
other necessaries While she lay
here, three of the wounded were
brought ashore and taken to the hospital.
The names of three of them were VIM.
Hall, Al. Hill and JEFF Walker-all ne.
groes. They were badly scalded about
the hands and arms, chests and heads
They were brought down from the cabin
on ltters, carefully laid in ambulances,
OF which over dozen were in waiting, and
conveyed to the marine hospital station
One of them however, jeff. Walker, died
before he reached the hospital, A fourth,
whose name we did not learn, died before
he was taken from the boat, WAS placed in
the hands Of an undertaken aud was
buried at the seven-mile grave yard yes
terday evening. One of the two who were
taken to the hospital, VIM. Hall, COL, has n
family living here. He is very badly
scaIded about the face neck and heads,
and seemed to be in greater mental agony
than the others, for he groanod and raved
almost necessarily.
A view Of the cabin of the Alton, soon
after she landed here, was heart rending.
There were fifteen men lying in cots aud
upon mattresses on the floor Nearly all as
still as though dead, with eyes closed, faces
bruised and red aud swollen, in some cases
almost beyond human semblance, hands
and arms bandaged, and bodies covered
with cloths and blankets saturated in
liniments But they were receiving the
best of care. Two young ladies in part.
cular--one of them passenger on tho
steamer Alton, Miss Coffee, of st. Louis
the other one of the fortunate rescued from
the i'll fatcd Gold Dust, Miss Smith, of
Troy Pean., deserve special mention in
this connection. They moved about
among the mangled, suffering men like
ministering angels, dressing their wounds
with gentle hands, cooling their fcvered
brows, giving water TO the thirsty, apply.
ing medicines and speaking words Of cheer
to those who could understand. The