The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-09

to the CarreI, which was still moored
alongside
All this occupied but the fraction of
time between the moment when it was
first seen that the boat would strike
and the actual collision. The sound when
the boat struck could be heard for several
squares along the river front and sound
ed as if the walls of a great building had
fallen. A moment later the river was
black with floating wreckage and freight.
The passengers had escaped to the Carrel,
and when the collision occurred the haw-
sers broke, while the Carrel drifted to the
Kentucky side of the pier.
The wreck sank quickly and three min
utes later scarcely a vest.ge remained.
The number of missing and dead so far
as known at this time by the boats agents
is eight, but this number may be increased
when the floating wreckage is overhauled.
There were about forty passengers on the
boat a crew of 81, and about 20 laborers.
None Of the latter are known as they were
only shipped for the river and transfer
company a. short distance below the
Chesapeake and Ohio bridge; even the
number of the laborers is not known and
therefore, it is impossible to ascertain
whether or not any are missing.
The victims were as follows:
David Aldridge, passenger, Rome, N. Y.
Capt J. Lawrence Carter, first clerk,
Newport, Ky.
Gus Chauvet, barkeeper, Cincinnati.
Mrs. w. J. Aull, passenger, Dayton, o.
James Miller (coloreD a porter. Gin
cinnati.
Missing-W. J. Aull, passenger, Dayton,
o.
William Colbert, the second clerk. was
among the first to leave the boat, and he
was also the last to see Capt. Carter,
when he saw that the boat was about to
strike the pier he hurried to his own state
room, where his wife was dressing having
just arisen. His young son was with her
and hurTidly warning them to prepare to
leave the boat he passed on through to
Capt. Carter's state room. Capt. Carter
was just placing on his shoes and was
standing near his berth. Colbert hastily
shouted a warning to him to leave the
boat as she would strike in another mo
ment. Capt Carter appeared to be dazed
for the time being and unable to realize
the full Importance of the warming for
he continued to lace his shoes. Colbert
without waiting further hurried back to
his own stateroom and there taking his
wife. both ran to the deck and jumped
from this to the roof of the deck of the
Carrel. Colberts son followed them, and
all three escaped uninjured. A moment
later the CarrelPs hawser broke and she
drifted off to one side. Capt. Carter could
be family seen in the fog on the hurricane
deck of the Longfellow, and then the
wreck drifted away.
The steamer Longfellow was one of the
largest and best known and handsomest
packets on the Ohio river. She was a
stern wheeler, and up to about two years
ago was known as the L. P Schenck. At
that time she was purchased by her pres
ent owners. the White Collar Line Com
pany, and her name was changed to the
I,ongfellow She was freighted almost
entirely with reaping and moving machin-
! ery for southern markets.
The consignment consisted of more than
I 800 machines and was billed to Vicksbure,
Yazoo City and New Orleans. 1t was
doubtless the largest shipment of harvest
/ ing machinery ever made at one time out
! of Cincinnati, and shows that the south IS
preparing for a period of prosperity. An
/ interesting fact connected with the ship
ment is That the goods were actually sold
| and not being shipped down there on ex-
hibiton. The Walter A. Wood Moving and
Reaping Machine Company, which made
! the shipment, invited the local stock eX-
| change and chamber of commerce mem
/ hers to visit the boat and inspect the
immense cargo of machinery before the
/ start.
The steamer struck the pier just abaft
her boilers. All was confusion, and the
messengers were so hastily aroused that
| only a few of them had time to get their
! clothes The Herculas Carroll pressed 10