The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-08-18

ANOTHER STEAMBOAT DISASTER.
fourteen Persons Killed and Forty-six In
jured by . Boiler Explosion ON tho Mis-.
sissippi River.
ONE Of the most frightful calamities in the
annals of Mississippi River steamboating oc'
Cured at Hickman, KY, Aug. Z. Shortly af
ter three o'clock in the afternoon the
steamer Gold Dust, of the st. Louis and
Vicksburg Anchor Line, pulled from the
wharf, and when about three boat-lengths
from shore her boilers exploded, tearing OF
the whole upper works and setting the ves-
sci on fire. The greatest panic and confusion
Immediately prevailed. Nearly all of the
crew. most of whom were colored, deserted
their posts, several of them leaping into the
river. The citizens Of Hickman rendered all
the aid in their power. In q short time a
number of skiffs were run out to the doomed
vessel and ropes were made fast. By the
hardest kind of work the boat was landed in
an eddy above the town, about 400 yards from
the elevator, below which point the explosion
occurred. Before the boat was made fast the
flames had spread rapidly, and it was evident
that an attempt to save her would be impos-
sible. The citizens rescued all the passengers
and officers who could be reached. In a short
time the Gold Dust burned to the waters edge
and the hull careened and sunk in the eddy.
Twenty four of the wounded were taken to
Holcomb's drugstore, and q number of 9th
ers were distributed about private residences,
the citizens doing all in their power to relieve
their sufferings. The City of Alton, another
steamer belonging to the Anchor Line, ar
rived at Hickman an hour or two after the
disaster and took on board all the wounded
that were able to be moved. and some of the
bodies of those who persisted in the accident.
Seventeen wounded were left at Hickman,
twelve of whom are almost sure to die. Sum-
ming up the dead and injured, the case stands
thirty -one dead and missing, and forty SIX
wounded. The mortality growing out of the
accident will undoubtedly reach fifty.
Regarding the probable cause of the explo1
sion but little, If anything. can be ascertained.
John Bowers, first engineer, states that at the
time of the explosion he had started to tho
locker to get wrench to blow Off the mud
valve, feeling sure of more water in the boil
ers than was necessary for safety. Capt.
Ed Gray, who was the pilot on watch, states
that he heard two distinct explosions, show
Ing, a. was afterward proved. that two
boilers gave way. The pilot house was lifted
mp ana partially overturned, leaving him en-
tirely unframed The absence of broken
limbs among the injured appears especially
noticeable.
Henry Dietrich, first clerk of the Gold Dust,
when asked to detail his experience imme-
diately after the explosion, replied that he
could say very little of his own knowledge,
as he knew nothing until he awoke to con-
seriousness at the hotel, whittier he had been
removed from the burning boat by some of
the crew. "When revived, finding that my
injuries we're not serious, returned to the
boat This was about an half hour after the
explosion, and she was being carried out by
the eddy at the time. enveloped in flames.
There was no one in the water, as all
had been rescued very soon after the explO
sion occurred. The fact that it was
election day caused large numbers
Of people to be in town, and the alarm
once given every one rushed to the scene of
the disaster and worked hard and nobly in
rescuing the passengers and crew and ale
Waiting the suiferings of the wounded. When
the boilers burst the wind drove the boat to
the shore. where it was tied, and this enabled
every one who had retained presence of mind
enough to remain on the boat and not jump
Into the water to walk ashore. IN the con-
fusion and excitement a few had jumped into
the river, and these were quickly rescued by
skifs, a number of which were at the spot
ready to go to the rescue of the drown
Ing. The boat got looose from is moorings
By some means, probably by the burning III
the rope, and the upper works having been
burnt the hull was carried away from the
shore, and sunk about 100 yards distant. We
had about fifteen men and five lady passen.
gers on board, as near as can Judge. but
can't be certain, as the books were all lost;
and one OF these ladies, a Miss Hila Smith,
rom Pennsylvania, went in search Of her hal.
and adjusted it Oh her head deliberately be-
lore leaving the boat. She and her four COM
panions are noble ladies, and exhibited the
greatest fortitude and kindness of heart.
They are noble women, and may God bless
them. The people of Hickman, too, are de.
serving of all praise, for they acted both he
-oically and generously. There was nothing
hat could be done for the sufferers that they
eft undone.'
Capt. John T. McCord, while not dangerous
y injured, has several severe barns on the !
hands, which will lay him up for some time
% come. He was asleep in his room at the 7
time, and was awakened by being thrown in
o the debris, the explosion being directly !
beneath him.
The names of those Killed, as far as can be |
are: VIM. A. Ingraham, third /
,lerk; John Lyle, second pantryman; Will
lam Traverse, bookkeeper; Peter Winter,
!econd porter; Jim Jerry, captain of the |
watch; Walter Howard, roustabout; Charles |
barber; Jas. Say, roustabout, and |
?. 2. Coleman and Manuel Victor, deck pas
engers.
Following is list of the survivors on the !
Jity of Alton: j. G. McCord, captain, hurt; s.
rice, mate, hurt; Lem Gray, pilot, hurt;
Washington Morris, decker, hurt; M. Grear,
If Friar's Point, wounded; Stichman, unhurt;
Tom Beck, deck unhurt; Pat Fitz-
,erald, hurt; John O'Niel, deck hand, badly
,urt; s. Gray, unhurt; Ed. Gray, unhurt;
4eadly Smith, unhurt; Bell Meyer, deck hand, /
unhurt; Jim Monahan, second mate, unhurt;
John Brown, unhurt; Neel Galty. unhurt; Lee
iyrosman, striker, unhurt; Dad Durham,
,urt; Chris O'Neal unhurt; Harry DIETRICH,
lnhurt; Henry DIETRICH, Sr., hurt, Miss II.
'mith. passenger, unhurt; Miss Lfby Morgan,
lnhurt; Jas. Cofey, unhurt; Ella Coffey. un.
,urt Mr.. Green. unhurt Frank Shever, hurt;
rhos. HALEY, wounded; Jim WEIGH, hurt;
lanes Geedecker, hurt: Henry Evans, hurt;
Bill Evans, unhurt; Andrew Smith, barber,
lnhurt; JEFF. Walker, unhurt; James Nc
row, wounded; Fred Clements, hurt; James
durray, not hurt; NJ. Foley, unhurt; Henry