Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1895-03-15
LOST ON RIVER And RAIL
Passengers Perish in Wrecked Steam.
boat and Pullman.
AN OHIO PACKET BOAT SINKS.

The LongfelIow Crashed Into u Bridge
During a Fog at Cincinnati. and Sew.
erai of the Passengers and Crew Were
Drowned---Fatal Railroad Accident to
Nestibuled Palace Cars at Scotland, Ga.
The Cincinnati and New Orlepls packet
boat Longfellow struck the channel snnn of
the Chesapeake Bridge at Cincinnati. Ohio,
on her way down the river at o'cloc?: n. m
and sank within three minutes.
Three passengers and six of the crew were
drowned, four persons were injured and
four on the day after the tragedy were miss
ing. The passengers and crew numbered
about one hundred. Four persons were
badly in ured. Most of them were rescued
by the towboat Hercules Carrel that was
helping the Lons:ellow to pick her way
through dense fOr.
Those known to have been drowned are
David Aldridge, Rome, n y; Mrs. w. J.
Ault, Dayton. Ohio; John L. Carter. New
port, KY, first clerk of the I4ongfelIow: Gus
Chauvet, barEeeper of the Longfellow: James
Miller, porter, New Orleans; unknown girl
sixteen years old.
Those missing Were: pr. Anderson. wo-
man physician, New YORK City; w. J. Ault,
Dayton, Ohio; - EeadOn, deckhand Gin
cinnati; William Walker Texas. tender on
the Longfellow; unknown deckhand.
The Longfellow was started in tow of the
Hercules Carrel When tho boats were about
fifty yards above the bridge, the Longfellow
became unmanageahle and in few minutes
she plunged against the bridge.
She was cut in two The forward section
sank almost Immediately, and the stern part
remained aiiOat a few minutes. Tho Carrel
stood alongside md tnp,y Off ,F b,
passengers and crew as possible.
The body of the siXteon-year-old girl was
recovered at Iroutmans, about eight miles
below Cincinnati. She was supposed to have
been an invalid from Now York, who was on
her way South attended by DR.. Anderson
When the force Of the shock was felt the
colored roustabOuts made wild rush for
the Carre1, tramplng passengers under foot
and throwing them aside in their rush for
safety.
Several OF the passengers resisted such
treatment, among them Ed. Skidmorc, who
was aboard the LOngfellOw to see n party Of
friends of. Mr.. SkidmOre was in the lead Of
his party, and when the roustabouts made
their charge for the Carrel he realized that
be must fight for the lives of the ladies and
his own.
Catching up a life prcserver he Knocked
one of the colored men down, and helping
his friends aboard the Carrel he returned to
the Longfellow to see il he could offer any
assistance to others. He then saved two chill
dren and two moro ladies, after which there
was only time to save himself before the boat
sank.
David Aldridge. the invalid. who was
drowned. was the superintendent of Poor at
Rome, n. Y. He probably met his fate while
going back to the Longrel!ow after seeing
his wife safely to the Cnrre!.
The Longfellow was built in 1876 at Gin
cinnati and named tho U. p. Schenck. It's
tonnage was 617S. Its length when built was
291 feet, and its beam was forty-two feet
About two years ago it was longthened thirty
feet and since then has been making regular
trips. 1t was valued at So, 500, and was in
sured for S12. 500. The boat carried 500 tons
of freight, mainly insured at Pittsburg.
chimes.