The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-08-11
EXPLOSION Of The GOLD 1gi
And Burnt iO the Wates
Edge.
rs Lives Lost. Al Injured, anf
Ii die From Injuries AsteSy
nseIng Resttied.

The steamer Gold Dust, one Of the nm
es, passseng ger packets Of the Anchor ine'
exploded her boilers about aP. N. Mon
day, only q few minutes afser landins ~
the Hickman wharf diseharging some
freight and one passenger. She had lus'
reached a strong eddy about half mhe
above town when the terrible aeciden'
occurred. Some fe~ citizens who we're
viewing the steamer as she plOwed hsr
way up the river, were the hrst 70 oo-
serve the disaster aud to sound the noie
OF distress. The citizens who witnessed
il report that simultaneous with The sA-
plosiea . rumbling sound like an eAsth-
quake was heard and the fore cabin sou
pilot hous verb blown up and thea isH
vith crash. The ladies cabin r.
| msined in place. In the Pilot house va
two pilots and 8 ladS-~s Mrs. Smith. o.
Kansas City, who were blown sons dis-
lance In the air, and strange TO cay neish-
er were seriously hurt. The citizens q
Hick man " 18th every available skif rush,
ed TO The rescue, and the bank Of the rig.
-r from the town 10 the locality ofthe q
easter was lined with hundreds Of meS,
women anil children, wildly rushing "a
the scene to afford whatever relief il wa.
possible. Some twenty ave or thirts
poor fellows were struggling in the riv-
err ciipging TO plaphs, aud portions OF the
wreck, and being swept down the resist.
less current. The citizens skiff.nen gal
lan,ly rushed to their help. and succeeded
in saving all, except ohp, Of lhosa seen in
The water alive The Cosrier reporter
saw one man bravely buffetring the waves
bat the poor. fellow sank for the last time
wheff the skiff was in about ter feet OF
him The skifs having saved all posi-.
BILE actually in the water, now turned
their attention 10 those upon the boat.
The ladies cabin was yet unhurt, and TO
il INST Of the passengers and crew had
made their way for safety Among them
were FIVE lady passengers. In the mean
time. the citizens on shore had succeeded
in getting a rope from the boat TO the
shore, and pulled the bow Of The boat to
the bank Some men lesped into the
water, aud most of those seen succeeded
in reaching the shore. The citizens skiis
succeeded in rescuing every living soul
remaining on the boat, only knowingly
leaving two dead bodies TO the fast APP
preaching lanes. Probably others were
not 10 be found. A large majority OF those
rescued were either dangerously or slight
ly injured. While the citizens were
heroically rescuing those from the ladie
cabin the flames had reached thai portion
of the boat. aud in n few minutes the
whole was in lurid aame, aud WAS 5urnt
TO the waters edge. Books, freight, safe,
and verifying lost.
There were % or 20 souls on board, and
ofthese Is were never found, ~ injured
more or less. Those rescued were taken
in hacks and wagons 20 the hotels aud
private residences in Hickman, and ev-
cry attention possible was given them BY
our good citizens. Most OF the home ply
sicians were promptly ON hand. doing
everything porsibIei aud soon the whole
town was converted into hospital for the
sufferers. The following is a list OF the