Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-08-18
ANOTHER STEAMBOAT DISASTER.

jured by Boiler Explosion ON the Mis-
sissippi River.
ONE Of the most frightful calamities in the
annals of Mississippi River steamboating oc-
CURED at Hickman. KY. Aug Z. Shortly AT
ter three o'clock In the afternoon the
steamer Gold Dust. of the st. Louis and
Vicksburg Anchor Line. pulled from the
from shore her boilers exploded, tearing on
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
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, about400 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 a 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 andinjured, 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 explo4
sion but little, If anything. can be ascertained.
John Bowers, first engineer, states that at the
time of the explosion he had started to the,
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, as was afterward proved, that twoa
boilers gave way. The pilot house was lifted
mp and 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,
rs he knew nothing until he awoke to con-
removed from the burning boat by some of
the crew. "When revived, finding that my
injuries were 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
tn hn in, f0x, onI oil
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 sufferings 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 jumuy
into the water to walk ashore. In the con-
fusion and excitement few had jumped into
the river, and these were quickly rescued by
skiffs. number of which were at the spot
ready to go to the rescue of the drown
Ing. The boat got looose from is mornings
by some means, probably By the burning of
the rope and the upper works having been
burnt the hull was carrie1 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 1 can Judge butts
can't be certain, Us the books were all lost:
and one OF these ladies, Miss Hila Smith,
from Pennsylvania went In search of her hat.
and adjusted it on 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
roically and generously. There was nothing
that could be done for the sufferers that thew
left undone''
Capt. John T. McCord, while not dangerous
~ injured. has several severe burns on the
hands, which will lay him up for some time
20 come. He was asleep in his room at the
time. and was awakened by being thrown in
to the debris, the explosion being directly
beneath him.
The names of those killed. as far as can be
ascertained, are: VIM. a. Ingraham. third
clerk; John Lyle, second pantryman; VII.
liam Traverse, bookkeeper; Peter Winter.
second porter; Jim Jerry, captain of the
watch; Waiter Howard, roustabout; Charles
Williams, barber; Jas. Say roustabout. and
T. i. Coleman and Manuel Victor, deck pas
sengers.
Following is q list of the survivors on thes
City of Alton: j. G. McCord. captain hurt: s.
Price, mate, hurt; Lem Gray, pilot hurt:
Washington Morris decker, hurt; NJ Grear.
OF Friars Point, wounded; Stichman, unhurt
Tom Beck, deck sweeper, unhurt; Pat Fitz-
gerald, hurt; John O'Niel, deck hand, badly
hurt; s. Gray, unhurt; Ed. Gray, unhurt.
Headly Smith. unhurt; Bell Meyer deck hand,
unhurt; Jim Monahan, second mate, unhurt:.
John Brown, unhurt; Neel Galty, unhurt Lee
Hyrosman, striker, unhurt; Dad Dunham
hurt; Chris O'Neal. unhurt; Harry DIETRICH.
unhurt; Henry DIETRICH. Sr., hurt, Miss IL.
Smith. passenger, unhurt; Miss Lfby Morgan.
unhurt; Jas. Cofey, unhurt; Ella Coffey. nm
hurt; Mr.. Green. unhurt Frank Shever, hurt:
Thos. HALEY, wounded; Jim WEIGH hurt:
James Geedecker, hurt: Henry Evans, hurt:
Bill Evans, unhurt; Andrew Smith, barber,
unhurt; JEFF. Walker, unhurt; James Nc
Grow, wounded; Fred Clements, hurt James.
Murray, not hurt; NJ. Foley, unhurt; Henry
Rudolph, unhurt; Peter Ramdole, hurt Biz
Anthony, wounded; Bill Hall. hurt: Gus Mar
tin, wounded; Albert Hill, hurt; Robt. Tinsey.
unhurt; Joseph Reyer, unhurt; Joseph Mon
ial, unhurt; Dick Phillips, porter, hurt; Frank
Hurth. second porter, uniurt; Pet Barnes,
unhurt; Peter Shinn, hurt; Sidney Derby.