The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-10-07
A TERRIBLE DISASTER
no TUE STEAMER LA AlAscorrE,
A Roller Flue Collapses, and tho Boat
Takes Fire and sIuks Number Of
People sOaIded to Death aud 9th
ers Drowned OnlCers' Story,

ST, LOUIS, Mo-, Oct, B,-No cause can
ba assigned as yet for the explosion last
evening Of the boiler Of the river steamer
La Mascotte, which caused such a great
loss of life. The boat Is said to have been
steaming along under 15O pounds Of steam,
her usual amount to carry, when
an explosion suddenly acCured blowing
the fire in every direction, and the utmost
confusion prevailed. The pilot taking ad-
vantage OF her heading turned her toward
the shore, but the flames caused him to
abandon 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 q means OF escape for several
who we're at that end OF the boat, the pi'
lot and cabin boy getting ashore without
any injuries or even wet feet.
Thestage plank was lowered and many
were placed upon 1t, mostly women and
children who would have been saved had
not the smoke stack fallen squarely
across 1t and all who were not killed by
it were drowned,
Captain Thompson alter doing oil in his
power to save the passengers and crew,
Jumped overheard and swan ashore, the
boat having by this time drifted fully 200
yards out into the river, Tho La MascoLte
drilted over to the Illinois shore opposite
Willard's landing and sank, the only
thing visible ut present being her wheel,
,sTORY OF THE DISASTER,
Lew Braham, the second clerk, tells the
following story Of the disaster: 1--WE had
landed at Neel's anu were pulling out,
and walked up stairs and into my room,
when l heard q ANAL explosion like that
OF a sky rocket, and opened tho
door TO the cabin and saw
tho stOam coming into It from the barber
shop. saw the ladies in their cabin and
called tc them 10 come forward. saw
lire coming from under the boiler deck
and | took the ladies forward to the
boiler deck and started down Btairs where
pilot Geaneau gave life preaervers to them,
telling them all to put thom on imme.
diately. lordered the stage plank thrown
over board which was promptly done and
we put oil tho ladies on the plank. Tho
rigging broke and the plank awung out
Mrs. L. Zlmmers jumped into my arms
and / landed her on the stage while l was
thrown into the river myself. | swan
along side Of tho stage and made
the men get of so 1t
would bear up the ladies. I then swan
to ledge OF rocks and Crawled ashore. A
man from Illinois with skiF took people
oil OF the stage and also saved mum.
bsr that were swimming, but don't re-
collect the skiElmRn's name, but he did
some noble work."
sRCoND plLoT'B NARRATIVE.
J.J. Hanlon, the second pilot, says:
"The Eagle was near rs when the dlsas-
ter occurred and could easily have pushed
us ashore without much trouble aud dan
ger, but | understand the Captain did not
care to render any assistance. Adolphus
Evelyn, pilot Of the Eagle, told me that
the Captain ordered them to not to 20
near La MasCotte Ns he did not wish TO
ondanger his boat. II he would only
have pushed us ashore not q single per-
Son would have been injured, except from
scalds and burns.
CAUSE OF TIE EXPLOSION.
A special from Cape Glradeau to the
Post. Dispatch states that the wreck OF the
LaMaScotte resulted from the collapse OF
one Of the boiler ilues. The explosion
spent lts force directly backwards into the
engine room and only the crew and rouBt-
abouts suffered from being sCalded by es.
Gaping steam. Eleven Of the lattUr were
go terribly burned that the flesh peeled
from their bodies. Six OF them have died.
Their names arc Geo. Key wood, oil Nash.
vile, Tennnesse; Marshall H0dan, Of
Walnut Hills, Tennessee; Jack Femme.
gan, Of st. Louis; Thos. Lacey, oil 81.
Louis; William Jones, OF st. Louis; ].
Henry Gordon, Of Evansville. The fol-
loving deck hands were go severely burn
cd that their lives are dOspaired oil: vii.
liam Davis, OF Midway, Ky; Albert Rice,
OF Cape Giradeau; Levy Chatham, of Pa
duCah, KY; William 8. psrtSell, Of Evans
Eville, and Dallas Webster, Of Evans
vile.
The others who are known to have been
drowned are the following: Mrs. William
Wheeling and her two young daughters,
OF Cape Giradan; William Hsgsr, Of
Cape Giradan; A young man, name un-
known; Mrs. Amelia Kruger, Of Cape
Giradan; J. Roy Perkins, ot Evansville;
first clerk Of the LaMssCotte; Miss Julia
RobisCh, Of Cape Glradeen; the head en-
glneer Of LAMascotte, Mac Shearer; o
deck hand and two Chsmbermsids; Lew
D. Adams, second mate; q lady and two
children, supposed to be Mrs.
Barnes and her two daughters
OF Mexico, Mo. DIS. Davidson is so
badly burned around the head and face
that he will probably die. After tho bod.
les Of the killed AMI injured had been
brought ashore they were placed on the
steamer Eagle which brought them 10 ST..
Louis, where local and visiting physicians
cared for them. Tho registered passengers
4 was lost with theta Mascotte, and Il Ia
thought some were drowned or killed
whose bodies have not been recovered.
No more particulars OF the explosion
and burning Of the steamer Msscotte near
Cape Glradean yesterday, has been ro.
ceived, but the Globe. Democrat Correspon.
dent telegraphed late tonight from Cape
Giradeau that nothing new had been de.
veloped to-day In regard TO the explosion
Of the steamer and no other bodies have
been found as yet.
| A CAPTAINS rEARrLEss ACTION.
Oneoi the missing, John Miller, reached
here this morning In skifr from Neely't
landing with his head burned, aud says
that Capt. Ebaugh positively refused tc
allow him to come down here on thC
Eagle this morning 30 as 10 get here be
fore hia vile and children
were buried. Captain Ebaugh's ex
cuse was that II was against The
law. Captain VIM. II. CrapSter, OF the
light house bolt Ivy, arrived here thiI
morning and offered the boats assistance
! IN recovering the dead from the wreck
. While his offer was highly appreciated BY
, the people, Ia contrast 70 Captain Ebaugh'l
course, Il was not accepted 90 q number o
, Bkiffs we're already on tho ground ant