Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-07-07
FROM THE WRECK.
Latest News from the Scene of the
Disaster.
SEYENTY-FNE BELIEVED TO Be LOST.
Register Special Report.

the Ohio shore. nearest the resting
place of the sunken Scioto, and all day tn,
crowds came and went. To one unac
quainted with the status of the case, tn,
scene would have struck him rather as
gala affair, to which the gaily dressed girl:
and the "Sunddy clothed" young meE
we're hurrying. Vehicles OF all kinds lined
the road up and down the river for miles
and skifs dotted the river at intervals, from
Wellsville to Wellsburg all bearing curious
people to the scene of the collision. The
bearing OF the people was not at all in
keeping with the sadness of the occasion,
and the conduct of some of the spectators
was the subject of the seyerest apprehension
Young men and young women sat on the
bank of the river or in skifiS and laughed
and screamedat their own foolish and out
ofplace remarks, or made fun of the grief
and solicitude of some sufferer by the acci-
dent. These we're not isolated cases, and ]
might multiply instances of bad conduct
that would crowd these columns. Another
instance Of bad taste was the greedy man.
ner in which the owners OF skiffs crowded
along the banks of either shore and clamor-
ell for custom. Their charges in some in
stances were outrageous, and the conduct
OF the boatmen deserving OF the seyerest
censure. \ large number of skiffs were
brought down by the Emma Graham from
Liverpool on Wednesday night, and the
owners of them or those having them in
charge, tried to crowd all others out of the
river, and from all approaches to the wreckin
their pretended anxiety to secure the
bodies of the dead. During Il early morn.
ing three bodies were recovered, or rather
during the previous night and early morn
ing, viz: +. P. Smith, of Wellsyille, and
Charlie Leith, the drummer boy.
Some time after daylight yesterday
morning the body Of young Dan Thomas,
son of Capt Thad. Thomas, who was in
command Of the Scioto at the time of the
accident, was found near where he was last
seen, viz: toward of the coal box on the
lower deck. His body was carefully picked
ont from its watery resting place and
taken in charge by his brother Everett
Thomas, OF Wheeling, who at once left for
Darlington, where the half crazed father
awaited tidings All the remainder of the
day was passed in graphing and Seining for
the bodies of the drowned, but no others
were found until late at night when
one body was fshed out near the boat, and
taken in charge by the authorities. Cor
oner shannon resumed his work of taking
testimony during the morning, but soon
his inquest until later on, or
until there should be q necessity for fur
IuCI uearIuS.
The Pittsburg papers and some misin-
formed people had, by some means, gotten
an idea that Capt. Booth, President of the
Company, had forbidden
all persons from boarding his boat or COM
ing near it, and yesterday morning great
deal Of excitement took place on the Ohio
shore on account of the action OF Captain
Booth. and at one time some even suggest
ed that in case he refused to allow them,to
take forcible possession. All such conduct,
however. vas ayerted by some sensible per
sons, who told the would-be fools that the
story was a canard, and thus paciied them.
During the night there was very little Of
an incidental nature. Crowds come and
went, moving generally in very orderly
manner. and with the exception Of the un.
pleasant instances noted above, there was
nothing to attract attention to them. Fires
were b'lilt at various places along the shore
and meals cooked by those who had brought
eatables with them, of whom there were
not few. Many spent the day in visiting
the boat and inspecting the wreck. Some
took up pieces Of the boards, broken chairs,
bedSteadS, etc, and carried them OIL as
relics, The frequency of their visits began
to get monotOnous TO those working in the
boat, but their protests aysiled them moth:
ing and still the crowd came on.
AIternOOn.
The crowd in the first hour or two after
dinner steadily augmented, and by two
o'clock there were fully $500 people gath
cred on the Ohio shore. The c. & P. trains
had extra cars attached to all regular
trains, and every train brought large num-
bers from points all along the river. The
steamer Emma Graham Wednesday night
brought down twenty skifs and yawls
from Liverpool, while scores of others
were brought from SteubenYille, Wells
Vile; WellSburg and other towns
These skiHs were running to and
from the wreck all day, and several thou
sand people were by this means permitted
to examine the wreck and 90 over the
sunken boat. The frequency Of the visits
and the number Of visitors became great
nuisance, and they interfered with the
work Of those removing the furniture of
the boat, and also with the operations Of
the divers and grahberS who were engaged
in search for bodies supposed to be con.
fined within the bounds OF the wreck
During the forenoon the river began coming
up, and the rising waters also interfered
with thewOrk of diving and grabbing. Fully
seventy-fye men and boys were engaged
above and below the wreck with grabhooks,
claws, Seines aud other instruments in a
search for bodies, but after the finding of
| young Thomas their efforts were unrewari-
ed and unayailing. TIE rising Of the river
OF course prevented any operations on the
/ lower deck. and until the water recedes il
will be impossible to do anything further
IN that place. One man from Steubenville
/ deserves
Especial Notice
for the heroic efforts he made to. rescue
bodies from the submerged part oft Sioto
His name is August Hite. He came down
early in the morning. stripped himself
naked, and for six or eight hours was in
the water, sometimes becoming almo,,
frozen. but he would warm up little and
return 10 his work. Another man. WHOSE
name We could not learn, alternated with
him during the after:Oon; bu. to Vite be-
longs the credit Of riSSing his own life anf
health forStransers encouraged only by th,
tears and grief OF those who waited on III,
shore for tidings Of the fate of their love,
ones
/ The MISSING.