The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-07-06

MINGO JUNCTION, u, July 4.-Ihe
steamer Scotia, with about 500 passeng-
ers, cOllided with the John LOOmis in
the middle of the river tonight, sinking
the Scotia in fifteen feet of water, only
the pilot house being visible. Excur-
siOnists are arriving, but are so much
excited that l cannot get any definite
information as to the number of the
lost.
LATER REPORTS.
MINGO JUNCTION, o., July 4.-One of
the survivors says the Scotia was coming
up the river under full head of steam,
and when about half mile from MingO
Junction the John LOOmis was sighted
coming. The pilot of the Scotia whistled
for the channel, but owing to a misun-
deTstanding both boats took the same
side and the LOOmiS striking the Scotia
and sinking her in fifteen feet of water
in three minutes from the time of the
collision. The scenes on the Scotia were
heartrending, and the life struggles were
frightful to behold.
The LOOmis was only slightly damaged
and went to work at once to save those
on board the unfortunate Scotia. This
task was rendered easier by the bright
moonlight, and no doubt many lives
were saved from this reason. 1t is now
believed that the first reports were eX-
aggeTated and the loss of life will not
exceed twenty persons.
FROM AN EYE WITNESS.
WHEELING, W. VA, July Arthur
McNulty, who lives at Cross Greek, was
an eye witness to the whole matter, and
was standing in his door Immediately
opposite where the collision occurred.
1t was about o'clock. The LOomis, in
passing the east end of the chute,
whistled for the preference of sides, and,
as near as | can judge, it was three min
utes before the ScOtia's answer and
neither of them appeared to shear off
and almost Immediately the collision
occurred, general confusion following,
and l saw people Jumping from the hur-
ricane deck and all parts of the steamer.
AS far as l could see the LO0m1S struck
the Scotia forward, for the water flew
over the bow of the Scotia. The Scotia
sank almost Immediately and the LOOmis
backed up. AS soon as possible the
LOOmis ran to the Ohio shore and land
ed her passengers, and then returned to
the wreck. The crew and officers of the
LOOmis then exercised every effort to
rescue the unfortunate passengers, and
succeeded in landing over four hun
dred, making seyeral,trips, and continued
to work as long as there was any who
desired to leave. AS soon as | saw
the accident l jumped into my skiff and
started for the wreck. When got there
got five persons within a distance of
twenty-five feet, and there were two
other skiffs below me picking them up,
but don't know how many they got.
They were hallOOing all over now, and
there appeared to be great many in the
wreck, but it was too dark for me to
tell the number. l then took the par
ties l rescued to the Ohio side, and by
that time the LOOmis had landed their
party and returned to the wreck. l had
Just come home from work as the boat
came past, and couldn't tell how many
were ON board, but from what the par
ties who had landed told me, there were
from sixty-fve to seventy on the boat.
From the tone of the conversation of
those that had been landed, / gathered
that from 500 to $50 were landed. Three
women were carried ashore and died af-
| ter they had been rescued.
Two little boys and the assistant en-
gineer of the Scotia were rescued and
stopped at COx's. The assistant engi-
neer told me he thought many lives
were lost, as the decks were crowded,
and the boat sank easily. There was a
man and woman passed within 100
yards of my house. He was holding
her hands up and crying for help, but
my wife saw them sink. The scene
was terrible, as l saw at least fifty
young ladies who had been brought to
shore, who were saved by their escorts
swimming and holding them up.