The National tribune., 1886-10-14
A STEAMBOAT DISASTER.
Many Lives Lost BIZ an Explosion ON the nI,sIsslp

Many Lives Lost BIZ an Explosion the Mississippi.
The boilers of the steamer Mascotte exploded
Oct near Neely's Landing on the Mississippi,
between st. Louis and Cape Girardeau, by
which 80 lives were lost. In a few moments
after the explosion the boat was enyeloped IN
flames and the scene that ensued was appalling.
The pilot preserved wonderful GOODNESS and
headed the boat for the shore, but the flames
compelled him to abandon his post before the
stage plank could be lowered. After leaving
his post the current turned the bow of the boat
out into the river again and her stern swung
close to the bank. This afforded a means of
escape Tor several persons who were on that
end of the boat, but the scramble to get off de-
layed for some time the lowering Of the gang
plank, delay that proved terribly fatal. The
plank was finally lowered, and a large number
OF women and children were placed upon it,
but the rush of people was so great that many
were crowded oil and fell into the river. Just
then. to add to the horror of the scene, the
SmoEeStack fell right across the plank, crush
ing many beneath it and causing others to
jump into the stream. Nearly all those not
killed by the falling stack were drowned.
Capt. Thomson worked herOically to save his
passengers. He remained on the boat until it
had drifted 200 yards out into the river when
he jumped overheard and saved himself by
swimming ashore. n NUMBER OF Lne crew,
however, seized the first opportunity to save
their own lives and left the passengers to look
out for themselves. When the explosion oc-
Cured the towboat Eagle was about a quarter
OF mile below the MascOtte, and she was at
once headed for the burning steamer. A large
number of people who were in the water scram-
bed on board of the Eagle as soon as she ar
rived, but her Captain Is severely criticized
because he did not render more assistance than
he did II Ia said hot ho hou Il
the AIascotte ashore and thus enabled a num-
Der OF persons to escape but that he refused 70
do so, fearing that the flames would commune
cate 10 his own boat. The officers and crew Of
the AIascotte unite in saying that the Eagle
could have done so without danger and that no
lives would have been lost except by escaping
steam. The explosion spent its force directly
backward into the engine room, and only the
members Of the crew and roustabOut5 suffered
from the steam.
The scene ut the wharf as the Eagle landed
at Cape Girardeau with the dead and wounded
was most pitiable. As most of the passengers
were residents OF that city, the news quickly
spread and crowds Of people hurried to the
landing to learn the fate of friends aud rela-
tives All the available physicians were
quickly on hand, and with the assistance of
the citizens did all in their power to alleviate
the suflerings of the wounded ones. Among
the persons known to be lost are the wife and
two little girls of w. II. Wheeler, book keeper
IN the Cape Girardeau and Southwestern Rail-
way office at Cape Girard eau Judge William
Hagar, Presiding Judge of the Cape Girardeau
County Court, and his wife; Fritz Lind, Miss
Amelia Kruger, of Cape Girardcau; J. Ray
Perkins, of Evansville, Ind, First Clerk of
the steamer; Miss Julia Robeck, of Cape Gil
rardeau; also the Head Engineer and one
chambermaid. Their bodies have not been re-
covered.
A number of people were rescued from the
water by farmer from the Illinois shore with
a skiff. The Pilots, J. J. Handlan and III.
Gearau, were in the pilothouse, aud Gearau
came down when he heard the explosion, sup
posing a steampipe had burst. but on seeing
the fire he ran to the head of the stairs and
commenced to throw life floats down to the
passengers, requesting them to put them on.
Capt. Thomson, when he realized that the boat
was on fire. tried to get to the life boat, but
was deferred by fire. Ray Perkins. the First
Clerk, is supposed TO have sacrificed his life in
trying to save the money of the boat, as he
jumped off of tue forecastle with life float and
swan a short time before sinking. Charles
Givins, Welshman, jumped at the same time
as Perkins and was rescued, but was severely
burned while in the water by the flames from
the boat. The Mascotte was the heetest boat
going out of st. Louis south and easily made
IL miles an hour going upstream.