The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1895-01-25
VESSEL SINKS.
Over Thiriy-Five Of Her Passengers
and Grew L ost.
The Disaster Occurred at Wolf Creek, IhIr-
ty-fiVe Miles Above HAwesViIe. KY
After Sinking the Boat broke Ia Two
and the Top Fart Floated Away.

HAwEsynLE, Jan. 2i.-The great
Cincinnati and New Orleans steamer
State Of Missouri went TO the bottom
Of the Ohio at Wolf Creek, p. O., thirty
five miles above this city, at o'clock
Saturday night and forty people met
death. The post Office at Wolf Creek,
is twenty miles from the railroad,
and IT was with great difficulty that
your correspondent secured the facts
that follow. There was no telegraphic
connection to the scene OF the disaster
and no way could be found TO reach
there.
Al o'clock Sunday morning the rear
end Of the hull Of the steamer was
caught at Troy, Ind, seven miles be-
low here, and thirty drowned mules
securely tied TO the guards, were found.
At Cloyersport, Ky, c. c. White
head, an old nat-boat pilot, who was
ON the ill-fated Missouri, was seen by
a reporter Capt Whitehead was in
jured and almost exhausted, but he
undoubtedly was the hero Of the dis
aster. and the following interview
with him will prove interesting TO
thousands Of people who had friends
or relatives aboard. Capt. Whitehead
said:
We were coming down the river aud
having good Time. was in the pilot
house and was just starting down TO
supper When reached the cabin
deck / noticed the boat heading too
much toward the shore, as thought,
and ! stopped 10 see what the matter
was. At this time Mr.. Garland, OF
Cave-in-Rocl,s. Ill. came up, aud told
him the situation lie said. i can't
swim, how can | be sayed2' told him
to catch plank and jump when the
boat struck.
AT that moment the pilot seemed
TO realize where he was and the steam
cr's bow began 10 turn about, lie was
about half second too late. The bow
missed the rock, but the stern struck
and was completely torn OF from the
other part Garland jumped and was
the first man of the boat.
"When the shock came brave Ne
gro jumped ashore with line and tied
II, but the headway Of the boat parted
the line and she swung into the river
] saw the boat was sinking, and as
there seemed TO be no one in command,
! helped lower the boats and helped
all the lady passengers in, and all Of
them were saved The steamer was
then rocking and went to the upper
deck, expecting 10 stay there until help
came
In less than four minutes the boat
had gone down over her upper decks,
aud when | was knee deep In water
jumped and began swimming in the
dark
"a Negro who was frightened and
fighting for life caught me 10y the hair
for support, and had n terrible strug-
gle IN the water but finally fought
him away and saw him 90 down to rise
no more.
Just as reached shore heard a
loud report saw great flame aud the
cabin of the boat rose high in the air
and then knew At the boiler had
burst Whom looked around saw "a
yuwl with people who had boarded II
before left the boat go down, and
none Of them were saved"
MIR Bush, from Barres Point, Ark,
was my roommate. lie had thirty-five
mules ON board which he was taking
10 his plantation. lie was drowned.
and 30 were all his mules, Second
Clerk Charles Howard, OF Paducah,
Ky, was saved. Capt Coppler was
saved, but the passengers scored him
bitterly for not attempting TO save the
boat There was passenger en- route
10 Cairo who was injured.
Pell and son, of Newport, Ky, were
the pilots, and both were saved. The
Young man was at the wheel, and it Is
said that his carelessness caused the
trouble One OF the engineers was
saved
The mate Of the steamer, by fight.
| ing drowning men with an oar, man
aged To save every woman in the boat
sl'" "l'eh ne was iounu ne was Wais'
uV'p III "luu anu almost ueau, n'
op.'' was on,S s'Ri' minutes N slhHrnI
ou' VI s'sh' ir'n' 'i'' ''ine sue s'rues
'"e ,''S'
u ,h'rS was a command given oy
"'s ,,., p'''S : a'u @ no' near IL
"'' '"', "'u,eu 'ns' VI ih''auc'
gro's back found when got ashor,