Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-04-10

whose sense % danger Il ever Keen. a
passenger steamer, the James ID. Parker.
wa. about 20 shoot the rapids In the Indi.
ana channel of the Ohio. When she let 20
the lines which hoorcd her 90 the wharf.
q crowd of friends of the passengers stand
Ing ON the dock aud along the river hank
began % cheer and wave their handker.
chiefs In Joy at the sight the vc-.sl made
as she took the stream. The cheering died
away and silence seitled upon the crowd
~ the steamer pulled up the river dis
tanoe. stopped and turned. righting ber-elf
gracefully for the plunge into the rapids.
The moment the steamer cntsrei the
chute the iookouts In the station heus.
had q pr,monition that she was gcina
To become unmansgcable and gave the
alarm. Instantly the lifeboats Reckles-
and Rsady wsr manned and started on
In the track of the steamer. the oar-msn
pulling with n will and the boats outrun.
ming the current. The iookouts on the
prows IL each llfehoat with strained vi.
sion took note % everything that happened
" the steamer, ~ did also the now anx.
iou. spectators ON shore. This was the
alarming sight before them After kerp.
Ing her cour-s splendidly for u few mo-
msnts the steamer hsgsn a. sheer and
wnbble sidswis., and her how gradually
disappeared altogether. Then she ewas sen
to ear,sn to .,arboard. Her smokestaoks
topplsd over, and cloud ~ steam aro-e
from her into the air like the yspor from nm
explosion. Apparently she had gone down.
The Indiana channel at Louisvills j.
commonly called = falls. hut Il really .
rapids cresisd by q submerged ridge of
limeston. rock extending obliquely acru-.
th. river bed The currvnt hs- worn
chut. In the rocks which st high watsi
will admit the passage of vessels of heavy
burden. The fall of the riv,r nj that point
Il about "a feet for 2 mile. and the car.
rvnt runs about ~ miles an hour. u ~
aulr,- 80 fe.t of water IN the channel ioi
heavy vessels % clear the rUcks. The al
Tentative of passing through this channel
1. to go around through the Louisville aud
Portland canal. which Il always crowded
with coal hargcs aud bonde-cript riSd
craft. II was In order "a s-oaps the delay
of the blocked canal that the captain u
the Jane. ID. Parker decided to make up
day's time Loot Ia loading by shooting the
rapids. guld~i by the b.st pilots Ia the
bsrbor.
The experience ~ the crew and the pas
sengsr- Aboari the bat was equally star
tling with that Of the spectators outside.
The vessel was n stern wheeler, and the
weight of her cargo was evidently great
ct In front, 80 that ON reaching the In
cline % the channel her wheel and rudder-
were lifted out of the water aud could not
get O grip by which she could L. managed
aud steer,i. she kept sheering, and lie
spite the sfforts % th. pilot, who saw the
danger ahead and tried To avoid II, she
presently struck REF. She straightened
Tor = moment and then went humping
against the rocks below until her bow wa-
completely submerged.
Presently her stern was entirely knock.
Ell OF on the rocks, and swinging out Into
th. channel she sank In about n feet of
water. The fir-t warning to the pas-sn.
gers on board was rapid .uerssion OF
bumps and fearful crash. Groups 81 ter
rified women and children rushe'i from
the cabins up on deck. The roof was
crushed In In places, and bose-and barrels
AMI bundles 10 mercbandise tumbled 10
th. decks below and rolled about among
the passengers. The wreck was almost In
stantaneou-, and to those outside she aI'-
p.arci to be simplya mas of crushed and
splinterrd timbers, with boxes, merchan'
disc, ships rigging and dismantl"i smoke
stacks lying Unfortunately ON her bat
ttresl decks.
The vessel was leaning upon one side.
and the floors were - step u was neoe~s''.
~ for the Passengers IN VI. improNised
ladders TO climb from one deck to the 9th.
er. On the csntel side the water rushed
Into the cabins through broken doors and
windows. To add to the terror. a stove In
the saloon was overturned, and the wreck
took fire. A sense % coming danger sick
enei every heart. Fortunately the sissm-
er crew put out the fire bcforc u gained
headway. IL bur-t forth . second time
and was again qu.nehed.
The entire catastrophe took place inside
Of 10 MINUTES. and within that time the
pas.eDg,rs had all ben released from their