New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-06
THE COLLISION ON THE OHIO.
NOT LESS THAN TWENTY-FIVE LOST.
ACCOUNTS OF THE DISASTER BY EYE-wITNEssEs-
PARTIAL LIST OF THE KILLED AND MISSING.
mn

lnenlS IN rcg3Tu 10 lDe COLLISION NJ MlDBo
Ohio, show that while the reports of yesterday
were greatly exaggerated, the catastrophe is OF
an appalling character
partial inquest was held today, at which it was
shown that the steamboat John Lomas was going
down stream at full speed ia a swift current with
load of fifty excursIonIst and the steamboat Scioto
was going up stream pretty rapidly with 800 pass
engers board, returning from Fourth of July ex
cursion to MOunGsrillc, West Virginia. The Lomas
sounded Sne blast, signalling that she wanted
ths Ohio side of the channel, and the
Scioto replied with two blasts, indicating that she
wanted the same side, and curved her bow in that
direction. When about 200 or 800 yards apart,
both pilots reversed engines, but not in time to
avoid a collision.
The Lomas ran her bow, which sat low in the
water uader the guard of the Scioto, and broke
large hole in her bow. She sank in eighteen feet OF
water within one minute. and went down Ike
lump of lead as Captain Thomas expressed it, lcav-
ing about five feet of water on the cabin
floor. scene of the widest confusion
followed. The collision was entirely unexpected
many who sat oil the guards were thrown over
beard. None in the engine room and lower deck had
time to escape The river has since fallen, but this
apartment is still under water and full of bodies
thai have not been taken out. 1t was used as re-
freshment saloon at which sandwiches and ice
cream and lemonade were sold but liquors of
any kind.
David Keller, of Wheeling, who acted rs pilot of
the Scioto. was asked by reporter
to give his version of the affair. He said:
1--WE first sighted the John Lomas when she
was opposite tho island. was opposite the town.
and was hugging the Ohio shore. The pilots rule
is that the descending boat shall give the first sig
nal at a distance of not moro than 800 yards The
Lomas did not do this. She approached much
nearer, and / said to Clinton Thomas, who was
with me in the po-house, / wonder If she is ever
going to signal y The words had scarcely been
said when she blew one whistle which sgnified that
she wanted the right of the channel. or the OHIO
side"
How far apart were you at this time y
"The distance could not have been greater than
40 yards at the most and probably was not over
400 Yards did not think could make the West
Virginia bank in time to avoid collision, and
blew two whistles, indicating that wanted the
port side or the OHIO bank, and the Lomas re-
sponded with two whistles but instead of bearing
Off toward the Virginia Shore she curved III
toward Ohio. and made directly for the
Scioto. As soon as l had sounded the
two whistles l rang to reverse the
engines and this was done Immediately. We were
about $50 feet from the Ohio bank and slightly
quarerng, with both wheels backing when the
Lomas struck us. Her PROV came crashing with
great force against the timberS of the Scoto about
ten feet from the stern. The blow was very heavy.
The bow of the Scloto Immediately rose, and the
bow of the Loinas, which was low in the
water, ran under the guard fully fifteen feet The
boat was shaken from stem to stern. The shock
seemed to strain every timber in her. ! heard
confession of excited cries. and felt her going
down.
Captain Engebright, of the John Lomas said:
1--WE were about half a mile below MingO
Junction when b. j. Long, our regular
pilot who was at the wheel, noticed the
Scioto coming up stream. AS the descending
boat we had the right of position in passing. Long
blew one blast, the signal that he wanted the Ohio
shore The Scoto, instead of Immediately turn
ing to the Virginia side of the river, replied
with two blasts. That meant that she
wanted the Ohio shore, too. Long then
signalled with two blasts and rang the
bell to reverse engines. The engines were re-
yersed at once We were about 600 yards apart
when Long gave the first signal and the distance
was considerably less when we heard the second
blasts from the pilots. Both boats had been NOV
ingrapidly and we had very strong current behind
u.s. The Scioto trying to cross our bows, and it
was impossible with all that we could do to avoid
striking her. The bow of the Lomas passed under
her guard, and must have torn large
hole in her bow. for she began to sink at once.
We struck her on the larboard sidc-the side next
the Ohio bank-abOut the head of the cOal-bOx.
had about fifty excurslonists on board The excite
ment was very great on both boats. | thought 1t
best to land my own passengers for fear that the boat
might he upset bv n rush from he Scioto Then, rs
SON as could return took all the Scoto's people,
about one hundred trip, making four trips in all
4, .,..I,;s Ia a,yau |
TO him to back lie replied: | am backing
did verything could to prevent the accident, and
am ready for the fullest investigation"
The list of bodies recovered is As follows
FoGo. DAVID OF wellsville, Ohio, age twenty throe,
clerk In Martins sore at that place
PIPES STEWART age tweny-one, son OF William Pipes
RrAnDMERE HARRY. age fourteen, of William
Beardmerc, Of East Liverpool
SHIELDS, MARY, age eighteen. of East Liverpool
SMALL, EDWARD, OF WcllsyiLe.
BRANNoS BELLE, OF Welsyille
BURKE, EVAN P. of East Liverpool,
Ohio, stOnemason. age twenty-three.
He was the escort OF Miss Hughes who was rescued.
sPRAGUE, CETIE, of Hammondsyille Oho' age eiSh-
coNseR JOSEPH. OF wellsvie Ohio, age seventeen.
RDpY, SARAH, of wellsville, daughter of the late
Charles Kiddy.
The list of missing is as follows;
DAVIDSON CHARLES of wesve, Ohio age fourteen
years cymbal player in the Wellsylle COrnet Band,
Son Of K L. Davidson. The father and the boys
brother, D. A. Davidson spent the whole day at
that WAS taken from the river.
rrrru CHARLES a drummer IN the Wcsville Cornet
Band lie was about the same age as young David
ARMSTRONG, COLUMBUS. age fifteen, played the bass
,Ir1ni i'm the Welsyille COrnet Band. There Is no
other reason 10 believe that Clum,' as ne was
knOwn was drowned than that nothing mas Deen
heard rom him since the accident
NFru1N JAMES OF East Liverpool, Ohio. His mother
and relatives had not heard OF MIN since he started
ont on tbe trip They formed part of the crowd on
Inc river bank and at the shed that served US teh-
porary morgue Of the victims 49, =, ~, ,.,.,.
II Yrs age twenty, lived at Welsviue, but has lat
terly been in East Liverpool
u,VToxr JOuN OF the Welsyc COTnet Baud.
ELLIOT CHARLES young man living ~ BeaVer Falls.
ITia friends we're an1iousy looking for him. Iney