People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-01-24

but was sold before il made Its first
trip, was sunk in the Ohio river Just
below Alton. Ind, at $40 o'clock
Saturday evening, and according to
some reports, at least forty lives
were lost while according to others,
among them the eompanys officers,
only a few negro roustabouts per-
ished. It IS impossible at present to
learn Just how many lives were lost.
1t is certain. however. that at least
ten negro deck hands persisted and
there IS strong reason to believe that
this was only about one-fourth of the
total loss of life.
The State of Missouri left Cincinnati
for New Orleans Friday afternoon
with twenty passengers and a crew
OF between seventy-ive and eighty.
most Of the latter negroes The pas
sengers were all ticketed through TO
New Orleans At Horseshoe bend.
near Alton, Ind, the pilot slowed
down. as the current was very swift,
and turned his wheel so as 10 avoid
an obstruction known as Bullock
Rock. The rudder failed to respond
to the wheel and the next moment
there was grinding, crashing sound.
The boat was first lifted on one side
as she struck and slid along the rock,
then she settled and began to careen.
Everybody rushed for the upper
decks. There was a fash Of fire from
the furnaces and a cry that the boat
was afire.
This added TO the terror and pas
sengers and crew began TO jump into
the water The upper deck broke
away and foated away. Thirty-fve
Of the persons on board swan TO a
clUmp Of willows opposite Hardman's
Landing and chung to the trees until
Mr.. Hardman came out in q boat and
took them TO his house on the bank
-Four were rescued on a mule, which
swan ashore. Thirteen managed 10
secure the boats yawl and hoated
down TO Alton, Ind. About ten Of
the crew were not lucky enough TO
get 10 the upper decks and went down
with the boat
CAPTAIN wHITEHEAD'S STORY.
In telling the story Of the wreck
Captain Whitehead said: I'VE were
coming down the river and making
good time. was in the pilot house
and was Just starting dowE to supper.
When I reached the cabin deck ! %
tieed the Loaf heading too much to-
ward ShO-, .. thought, and stopped
to see win. was the matter. At
this time q Ur. Garland OF Cave. in
Rock, IL, came up and | told him
Of the situation. He SAID: 1 can't
swim How can ! Oe saved?' told
him to eaten plank and jump when
the boat struck. Garland Jumped
and was the first man of the boat.
I When the shock came a brave
negro jumped ashore with q line and
tied it. but the Roadway of the boat
parted the line and she swung
into the river. l saw the boat was
sinking and helped lower the boats
and assisted the lady passengers into
one Of them. The steamer was then
rocking and l went to the upper deck.
expecting to stay there until helm
came. In less than four minutes the
boat had gone down over her upper
decks and l was knee deep in the
water. jumped and began swimming
in the dark. when negro who was
frightened and fighting for life,
caught me By the HAIR for support.
finally fought him away and saw him
20 down TO rise no more. just as
reached shore I heard a loud report,
saw a great fame and the cabin OF
I the boat rise high in the air, and then
I l knew that the boilers had burst.
When l looked around | saw a yawl
with people who had boarded il be
fore l left the boat, go down and
none Of them were saved"
The first clerk Of the boat is now al
Alton, Ind, insane. He was one Of
the few in the boat who seemed tC
try to do nothing, and he was found
half buried in the mud on the Indi
ana shore below the wreck. He swan
clear across the river. 1t is thought
that his reason will never return.
As the rear end of the boat went
down the foreeastle caught FIRE. and
for two minutes lighted up the whole
country, but the boat soon settled Il
the bottom and left the struggling
people in utter darkness. The Louis
vile and Evansville packet City Of
Owensboro came along soon after.
ward and picked up passengers and
did everything possible for them.
At this point photograph Of baby
was found with part of the wreck,
but nothing is known of it. The pic
ture was made by Porter of New
port ~.
At 5 o'clock yesterday morning the
rear end Of the hull Of the steamer
was caught at Troy, and thirty.
FIVE drowned mules securely tied
to the guards, were found
The piano Of the boat was hauled in,
together with several books Of music.
AT Croeketts men caught half Of the
cabin, the clerks register, the entire
clerks Office and the safe. containing
much money. A staterooIn was also
caught, containing dead man. who
I'D to this time cannot be identified
It IS the only great Ohio river disas.
ter since the Renders boilers ex-
ploded and killed 200 people. The
scene of the wreck IS the most desc
late place on the Ohio river, and al
most inaccessible.
ALL PASSENGERS PROBABLY SAFE
At the Office of the packet COMPANY
a dispatch was received from Captain
Newton Of the steamer State Of Kan
saS stating that all the passengers Of
the State OF Missouri had been picked
up at Alton and other places