The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-07-12
Frightful Collision.

MINGo JUNCTION, OHIO, June f.
The steamer Scioto, with about 500
persons on board, collided with the
steam tug John Lomas in the middle
of the river tonight. The Scioto
sank in fifteen feet of water. Only
the pilot house is visible. The ex-
cursionis,s are arriving here, but are
$50 excited that no definite informa
ton as to the number of the lost can
be obtained.
One of the survivors says the Sci
OTTO was coming up the river under
full head of steam, and when about
half a mile from. Mingo Junction
the John Lomas was sighted coming
down. The pilot of the Scioto whis-
tied for the channel, but, owing TO a
misunderstanding, both boats took
the same side the Lomas striking
she Scioto and sinking her in fifteen
feet of water in three minutes from
the time of collision. The scenes on
the Scioto were heartrending. and
the struggles for life were frightful to
behold. The Lomas was only slight
lly disabled, and went to work at
once to save those on the unfortu-
nate Scioto. 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 exagger-
ated, and that the loss of life will
not exceed twenty persons.
TMingo Junction, near which place
the collision occurred, is in Jefferson
county, Ohio, at the junction of the
Pan Handle and Cleveland and
Pittsburg Railroads, three miles south
of Steubenville.
STATEMENT OF AN EYEWITNESS.
WHEELING, w. Va, July AR
thur McNully, who lives at Cross
Creek and who was an eyewitness
to the whole matter, says he was
standing in his front door immedi-
atelv opposite where the collision
occurred. 1t was about S o'clock,
the steamer John Lomas, in passing
the island chute, whistled for the
preference of sides, and, as near as |
can Judge, it was three minutes be-
fore the Sciota answered, but neither
of them appeared to sheer off, and
almost Immediately the collision oc-
Cured. General confusion follow
ed, and | then saw people jumping
from the hurricane deck and all parts
of the steamer. As far as | could
see the Lomas struck the Scioto for
ward, for the fire flew over the bow
of the Scioto. The Scioto sunk al
most instantly, and the Lomas back
ed up as soon as possible. The Lo-
mas ran to the Ohio shore and land
ed her passengers, and then return
| ed to the wreck. The crew and Off
GERS of the Lomas then exercised
every effort to rescue the unfortunate
passengers, and succeeded in land
ing over four hundred, making sew
eral trips and continuing to work as
long as any were seen alive. As
soon as saw theaccident | jumped
into my skiil and started for the
wreck. When | got there | got five
persons, within Il distance OF twenty
feet, and there were t.so other skitls
below me picking them up, but |
don't know how many they got.
There was shouting all over now,
and there appeared to be 4 great
many persons in the water. but it
was too dark for me to tell the num-
ber then took the parties | had
rescued to the Ohio side, and by
that time the Lomas had landed
their party and returned to the
wreck. | had Just come home from
work when the boat came past, and
could not tell how many were on
board, but from what the parties
who had landed told me, there were
from $50 to 200 on the boat. From
the run of the conversation of those
who had been landed, gathered
that from JUD to ooO were landed.
Three women were carried ashore
and died after they had been rescued.
Two little boys and the assistant
engineer of the Sciote were rescued
and stopped at Cox's. The assistant
engineer told me lie thought many
lives must have been lost. as the
lower decks were crowded and the
boat sank instantly. a man and
woman passed within hundred
yards of my house. He was holding
her up and crying for help, but my
wife saw them sink. The scene was
terrible, as | saw at least fifty young
ladies who had been brought to
shore who We're saved by their es-
corts swimming and holding them