Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-07-06
sinking of the Steamer scioto.

MNeo JUNCTION, O., July st is
now believed that the loss of life, by
the sinking of the steamer Sciato,
will not exceed twenty
MHao JUNCTION, July st is
likely that the death list will en-
brace between twenty-five and fifty
persons. When the boat is raised it
is believed that a number of bodies
will be discovered. The ill~fated
party seemed equally divided as to
sex, but so far tine bodies of three
ladies only have been found.
WHEELING, W. Va, July 5-3 a.
MT Is Impossible to ascertain at
this hour the number of persons
drowned by the sinking of the excur
sion steamer, Scloto, after the latter
had been IN collision with the steam
tug, John Lomas, near Mingo Junc>
ton, o., last night. Capt. Thomas
son, Dan, is missing, and deck hand,
name unknown, was drowned from
the Scioto. The rest of the crew are
safe, the first man taken out of the
water being Charles Mccoy, watch
man. The John Tomas struck the
Scloto on the port side,
about fifteen feet from
her bow and made a large hole,
through which the null filled rapid
ly, and she sank at once The boat
is now lying at the bottom of the
river. The water is two feet deep In
her cabin.
Charles Page, of Marietta, Ohio,
stoker or assistant engineer of the
Sciato, said that they started from
East Liverpool at $50 clock in the
morning, with a large excursion
party, who were off for Fourth of
July frolic, and that they went as far
dow the river as Moundsville, ar
irving there about 1:30 o'clock in
the afternoon. After lying there
about two hours, they started for
home, stopping at Wheeling and
Martins Ferry. The people hailed
us ali along the river, but the captain
said We had enough on board, and
he refused to take any more, except
at Steubenville, where several came
aboard. When we colhded with the
Lomas, as near as | can judge from
what L heard people saying, we had
on board 400 persons, at least, and
possibly 500. L was on watch at the
time of the accident, and when the
boats whistled for passing [ no
tced that there was something
W ,Ig, but thought notl ny of it,
and stepped out on deck for a sec
ond, when saw the Lomas right
upon US. 1 rushed back to my en-
glne al d obeye the bell to go back.
which was Immediately followed
by the bell to stop, and
then seeing that the boat was fast
the engineer and L threw a
skiff into the river, and then 1 ran
after my coat but when l got back
the skitf was so full of stricken
people that [ knew it would sink, SO
[ jumped into the river and struck
out for the West Virginia shore. In
looking around me as I swan, saw
that the water was black with strug-
Cling human beings. The express
sion of their faces was frightful be-
yond description. Men, women and
children were crying piteously for
help, and some OF tie screams SO
me that I could scarcely
swim. The current was strong, and
struck out with all my might and
soon got out of SIGHT of the crowd
5 % the nesTy water, there being but two
shore in safety, with little help from
me. We swan about a mile togeth-
er, and when we reached the shore
it was almost impossible for any of
Us to stand up. As to how many
persons were LIST, I can form 10
idea. Nor do l know what caused
the accident, or who is to blame.
CINCINNATI, July "a special
from Mingo Junction, says that it is
to obtain the names of al
the missing, but it is well known
that the number is not greater than
twenty.