The National tribune., 1888-07-26
The ExPLoeroY.

drowning people from the foggy river on that
awful morning. by God how can such
scene be tempered even by time, l can hear
the cries rising now from different parts of the
river, over which hung vail of fog that made
it almost impossible to find the drowning,
Help! help! for Gods sake, help! help! o!
is there no one able to come to us?" From
hundreds of despairing souls came up these
cries for help. Let US recall the awful Incl
dents.
On the evening previous TO the disaster the
Suitana, large side-wheeler, came up the
river and landed alongside of a coal-barge to
take On coal. She was loaded down to the very
guards. Every foot Of room On her decks was
occupied by human beings. There were over
1000 people aboard of her. Over 300 of this
number were released prisoners from Southern
military hells. Among them were some women
and children. With other officers Of the
United States steamer Tyler, / visited the
boat and mingled with the living skeletons
who had been rotting in Southern prison-pens
for months, but who were now happy at the
prospect Of soon meeting the dear ones at home.
We cheered them with kindly words, and re-
joiced with them at the bright prospects before
them. Some Of the men were too weak to
walk without being supported by more fortu-
nate comrades. Others were compelled by
sheer weakness to lie on cots or blankets spread
upon the decks, while their wants were cheer
fully provided for by devoted companions who
loved them because of the suffering they had
passed through together. / shall never forget
the touching scene. How in their weakness
and lingering bodily suaeringg these soldiers
forced themselves to appear happy-were hap
py because the war was over and they were
on their way home. Poor men, little did they
think that ere the sun rose again in the east
the larger part of their number would be
HURLED INTO THE CHILLY WATERS
of the Mississippi, many OF them scaIded and
! burned and bruised,-hurled there by a tor.
| pedo, loaded and placed by devil in human
! form, who gloated all that night over the
/ thought that he would murder the - Yankf
before their happy dreams of home were real
| lied.
1t took nearly all night to fill the sultanat
| bunkers with coal and TO take other needed
| stores aboard. An hour before the gray of day
the lines were cast loose and the heavily
loaded steamer backed out into the swoller
! stream and headed up the river She had pro
ceeded on her way about five miles when th'
| explosion took place. The people on boaTC
were in their berths or wrapped in blanket
lying on the decks. The explosion lifted The
| upper works almost bodily into the air. Tht
| Kissing steam and scalding water penetrated Il
| every part Of the wreck. Men and Womei
were first scalded and then blown into th
water. Hundreds were killed outright or sunl
/ lnbD "A NdbcIg grave sOoH dibGI bl6 dWIu
plunge. Some grabbed hold of floating debri
and held on with maniacal grip. Immediately
after the explosion flames burst out in ever
part of the wreck, and the few who had no
been blown into the water were either burned
to death forced TO jump overheard. M
words can describe the awful scene.
The United States steamer Tyler was lyinl
at the foot Of the Navy Yard, and was neares
of any vessel to the scene Of the disaster Th
Quartermaster ON duty reported the explosion
aud fire to the writer, who was officer of Tia
deck. The small boats were called away, am
the Tyler's crew, half clad, manned the boat
and pushed of into the stream. The walls
cries and prayers could be heard over tn
| bosom of the stream, but the morning fog mad
|, / it impossible to see any object distinctly Eve
when we had reached the nearest to us it wa
impossible to see the struggling men froI
whom the cries for help ascended. o, Goo
what position TO be in! Surrounded by pitt
Gus prayers for help, and yet unable to save
single soul. The fog lifted a little, aud W
! were able TO escape from the confusion of th
walls and moans and prayers, and pick up {
many as our boat could hold. These WEI
landed as quickly as strong arms aud willin
hearts could pull ashore, and again We were i
/. | the midst of the
, HEART-RENDING SCENE.
Thus we worked till ell was hushed upo
t the surface of the river. The boats of I'll
, Tyler and tue Groesbeck succeeded in saviu