The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1895-01-23
NOT SO BAD.
The Story Of The Sinking Of The
State of Missouri 0verdrawn.
Instead Of One Hundred Lives
Being Lost as First Reported
ONLY FIVE ARE MISSING.

The news Of the sinking Of the State |
Of Missouri last Saturday night near
Hardin's Landing, thirty miles above |
this city on the Kentucky shore, Fl led |
this town with wild excitement and all |
sorts OF rumors as to the loss OF life and
hair breadth escapes OF the unfortunate
passengers. The first reports gave il that
there were 100 lives lost and only four
or five were saved to tell the story, and
those were four women and one man, our
neighboring townsman Cas- Whitehead,
Of Tobinsport, Ind.
There were all sorts OF rumors and
every man had his story and it was al
ways different from the last mans.
The News is glad to state, however,
that the story, although bad enough, is
not near so bad as first reported.
Mr.. G. q. Whitehead, who was a pas
sengcr on the ill-fated steamer gives the
following account Of the accident
CAS- wHITEHEAD's STORY.
Cas- Whitehead was on the Inflated
steamer homeward bound from Cincn-
natl and tells the following story: l
went into the pilot house at Rosewood
and had been there all the evening"
while was there the captain OF the boat
came up and took hold OF the wheel and
remarked, this boat steers easy you all
have nothing to do, soon after he left 1
went down and was followed by old man
Pell, one of the pilots, who left his son
at the wheel. 1t was now just little
after sunset and went up to the front
part OF the cabin and was standing talk
ing to Mr.. Garland, of Cave In Rock
when / saw the boat was getting caught
in the cross current. said to Mr.. Gar
land we are going to strike that rock.
MIR. Garland said what must do? can
swim but was never on a boat before in
an accident, l said grab plank and if
she strikes, jump.
We were now drifting down close to
the rock and the pilot was driving her
with all the steam he could get, but it
was too late, the stern swung in to the
| IOCh CIuShihk III tiC WuOlC euu' WI
Garland jumped, so did several of the
deck hands. A rope was made fast to a
tree, it broke and we drfted out into the
stream. Everybody lost their heads.
| never heard any command to launch
the yawls, but | saw a mad rush fer
them. The mate took of several of the
ladies in a yawi. One yawl sunk with a
load OF people in it. Down on deck the
decking hands were hemmed in, for as
soon as the boat hit the rock she began
TO settle down at the stern. Fire broke
out in the front part and the yell of the
drowning and the screams OF the stock,
being scalded and roasted, drowned all
orders, il there was ever any given.
, ran TO the roof OF the boat as well as sew.
eral others and we stood on the top OF
the boat thinking the cabin might float
, Some jumped and tried to get to the will.
lows. stayed until the water reached
my thighs then grabbed plank and
started for shore. | thought several
times was gone as the boils and suction
OF the sinking vessel came near drawing
me under. had hardly got clear OF the
wreck when there was a loud roar and ]
saw the cabin all break up. When got
to the willows ] saw several trying to
work their way through them. l had a
hard time getting through, but finally
reached the shore. then went to Mr.
| IJarliniu hnnoa uInra Il -
out. We then organized searching par
ties and had both sides OF the river
thoroughly searched. ! do not know
how many lives were lost, but think
there was great many. When left on
the City OF Greensboro only few had
turned up, but it was lucky great many
were scattered along the farm houses on
both sides OF the river. Skiff's from
Wolf Creek and Alton came TO our help
The City of Greensboro arrived sewers al
hours afterwards and with her search
light both banks were carefully searched
Capt. Penny did good work and did all
he could to help, he had all the rescued
deck hands and others he could find
placed on the Tell City and sent them 10
Louisville
PASSENGERS OFF THE WRECK.
The State OF Kansas landed here yes.
, terday about 8 o'clock with the greater
portion of the passengers and officers Of
', the ill-fated State of Missouri, which
sunk at Maiden's Rock, Saturday about .
o'clock. The passengers claim that they
have never been interviewed The fol
lowing is what they have to say about
the terrible disaster; James Pell, pilot,
says: "They were compelled to run
close to shore and the boat became un-