Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-10-07
LA MASCOTTE HORROR
LATEST PARTICULARS OF THE TERRIBLE
STEAMBOAT DISASTER.
Most of tbs Victims Killed by the Falling Smoke
Staek-AccounS From the Boats Officers
The Refusal Of the Eagle Captain to Help
the Wrecked Steamer to Land.

ST. LOUIS, MO-, OCTOBER o.-NO CAUSE
can be assigned as yet for the explosion
last evening of the boiler Of the river
steamer La Mascotte which caused such q
great loss of life. The boat is said to have
been steaming alang under $50 pounds Of
steam, her usual amount to carry, when
an explosion suddenly occurred, blowing
the fire in every direction. The utmost
confusion prevailed. The pilot
taking advantage of her heading
turned her toward the shore,
but the flames caused him to aban-
don his post before the stage plank could
be lowered. After leaving his post they
turned the boats bow out in the river
again and her stern swung close to the
bank, which afforded means of escape
for several who were at that end of the
boat, the pilot and cabin boy getting
ashore without any injuries or even wet
foot
KILLED BY THE SMOKE STACK.
The stage plank was lowered and many
were placed upon it, mostly women and
children, who world have been saved had
not the smoke stack fallen squarely across
it and and all who were not killed by 1T
were drowned. Capt. Thompson, after
doing all in his power to save the passen-
gers and Icrew, jumped overheard and
SWAN ashore, the boat having by this
time drifted fully two hundred yards out
into the river. The LaMascotte drifted
over to the Illinois shore, opposite Will
lards landing, and sank. The only thing
visible at present being her wheel. Lew
Brohan, the Second Clerk, tells the fol-
lowing
STORY OF THE DISASTER.
I'VE had landed at Neels, and were pull
ing out, and walked up stairs and into
my room, when heard a small explosion
like that of sky rocket, and opened the
door 10 the cabin and saw the steam
coming into it from the barber shop. l
saw the ladies in their cabin, and called to
them to come forward. I saw fire COM
ing from under the boiler deck, and took
the ladies forward to the boiler deck, and
started down stairs, where Pilot
Geayen gave life preseryers to them
telling them all to put them on immedi-
ately. ordered the stage plank thrown
over the board, which was quickly done,
and we put all the ladies on the plank.
THE RIGGING BROKE
and the plank swayed out. Mrs. L. Zim-
mers jumped into my arms and l landed
her on the stage while was thrown into
the river myself. swan along side Of the
stage and made the men get of so it would
bear up the ladies. / then swan to n
ledge of rocks and crawled ashore.
4 man from Illinois with askiff took the
people off of the stage and also saved a
number, that were swimming, but don't
recollect the skiffmans name, but he did
some noble work.
THE SECOND PILOTS STORY.
J. J. Hanlon, the second pilot, says:
The Eagle was near US when the disaster
occurred, and could easily have pushed
us ashore without much trouble and dan
ger but understood the Captain did not
care to render any assistance. Adolphus
Evelyn, pilot of the Eagle, told me that
the Captain ordered him not to go near
the Mascotte, as he did not wish to endan-
ger his boat If he would only have push
ed us ashore, not single person would
have been injured, except from scalds or
! burns.