The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-09-05
CAPSIZED IN A STORM.
A Steamer Turned Completely
Over i'm the Ohio River.
Ten to Fifteen Men, Women and
Children Drowned.

An Evansville (Ind) dispatch says: The
transfer steamer Belmont was capsized by
the hurricane this forenoon at Stan
ley's landing, three miles above Hen
derson, and from ten TO fifteen
persons were drowned. The vessel was turned
completely over She was going to Hender-
son with barge on which was a train con
tanning passengers of the Louisville and Nash
vile railroad. The boat separated from the
barge. All on the latter were saved, and all
on the boat except four or five were lost.
Among the lost are Captain John Smith, E.
c. Roach and son, prominent merchants of
Evansville; Miss Laura Lyon and 81 ter, Sal
lie Bryant, a teacher here, and her mother,
Mrs Bryant the wife, child and niece of J.
H. Murray, secretary of the Brierfeld (Ala.)
Coal and Iron Mine company, and Mrs.
Woodtrea, of Henderson
Dorsey Pierce, agent of the Adams Express
company, who was a passenger on the train
leaving Evansville on the barge at T. 80
o'clock this morning, said: " The day was per,
fectly calm, but we had been out only short
time when heavy wind came up. l and my
daughter remained on the barge. A black,
funnel shaped cloud came up from the north
west. The storm was terrific. 1t struck the
side of the steamer, careening it over The
pilot tried to make for the shore, but the boat
was unmanageable The wind again struck the
boat full on the side, breaking the cables fas
tening it to the barge. The boat turned com,
pletely over and instantly sank. young
married woman with child in her arms jus
| before the storm struck us, went over to the
| boat from the barge. She was last seen il
the cabin. Her valse had the initials j. &. NJ.
| She was from st. Louis on her way to Nash
| vile. Two drummers and three of tn
| boats crew to the upper side of the
| steamer, got on its bottom and were res
cued by skif. Our barge
was blown to the Kentucky shore, three miles
north of Henderson, and was there made fast
to the shore. Conductor Charles Wood did
| all in his power to save the passengers Woo
went ashore and walked to Henderson through
| the storm in order to get relief Matt Brad
ley, chief train dispatcher on the Louisville
road, was on the steamer when it was struck
by the cyclone. The Belmont was towing the
barge, which carried two passenger coache,
and three freight cars. When the steame
| commenced rocking and straining the pilot,
/ tried to keep her in the channel. Panic seize
| the passengers but she stood the gale for hal
an hour | went on the barge, when sud
| denly there was "A jerk, the hawser broke anC
the smoke stack of the Belmont came rafting
down The steamer gave a convulsive SHAKE
and keeled over. A drummer Just before the
upset jumped into the river and swan ashore
| The passengers ON the cars in the barge took tn
matter coolly, but on board the steamer the
scene was most hcartrpnding The five woman
were shrieking and appealing for some one t.
save them. Excited men beseiged Captain
Smith begging him to do this and that, HI
remained cool, however, counseled all to rc
main calm, and, although he lost his own life
saved many of the passengers. The storm
lasted only forty minutes. Rain poured il
torrents and the wind was the strongest eve
felt here
At o o'clock this morning the most destruc
tive hurricane ever known here broke owe
Evansville, doing damage of not less THAI
100000 in the city and vicinity. House
were blown down, roofs carried away, tire
or four steamboats, badly injured, thousand
of shade trees torn up by the roots, and othe
injury done. Probably the heaviest in livi
dual loser is John II. Roellen, whose ney
foundry was almost wholly demolished. Tn
It GAMERS Josh V Thorp and Silver Thor
were badly damaged, the former being almos
| wrecked. Several churches and new schoc
| house were also badly damaged