The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-21
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
At Least Ten Lives Supposed to Have
Been Lost.


Been Lost.
LOUISVILLE, KY, Jan. 2O-The Cincin-
natl and New Orleans packet State of Mis-
souri, was sunk in the Ohio river just below
Alton, Ind, Saturday evening at Sis
o'clock, and it is believed at least ten lives
were lost The vessel struck a sharp rock,
and ripped the starboard side open from
one end to the other. In less than five min
utes she complete wreck. The crew
and passengers. nearly one hundred in all,
were paralyzed at the shock, and before
anything could be done the vessel was al
most completely under water The upper
deck broke away and floated off, Nearly
everybody jumped into the river and made
for shore, some hundred yards away.
The State of Missouri left Cincinnati for
New Orleans Friday afternoon. She had
on board twenty passengers and a crew of
between seventy-five and eighty. Most of
the crew were negroes. So far as can be
told no passengers were lost. The followins,
are known to be saved: Capt. Joseph Con-
Ion, Cincinnati; Chief Clerk Julius Wehr-
mann, Newport, KY; Second Clerk Chas.
Howard, Metropolis, ILL.,; Third Clerk Rus
sell Laws Smithland, KY; Pilot James
Bell, ST., Dayton, KY; Pilot James Bell,
jr., Dayton, KY; Mate Henry McAdams,
Ironton, O.; Second Mate Amos James
Cincinnati; carpenter Swain, Metropolis,
ILL.,; steward Fred Harlem CINCINNATI;
Waterman Dick Brogan, Dayton, KY; bar
keeper Joseph McCabe, Cincinnati; cook
John Bolts. CINCINNATI pantryman Isaac
Brown, Cincinnati; Waterman Joe Gardner,
Cincinnati; passengers James McCafferty
and wife, Philadelphia; Miss NJ. B. Ong,
Philadelphia; Mr.. Garland. Cave-in-Rock,
ILL.,; James Bush, of Arkansas, and a
young bridal couple from Cincinnati One
man rescued four persons on a mule, which
swan ashore The passengers were all
ticketed through to New Orleans
The trip was uneventful until the dreaded
point known as Horse Shoe Bend, near AL
ton, Ind, was reached. Here, the pilot
slowed down as the current was very swift
and turned his wheel so as to avoid an OBJ
struction known as Bullock Rock The rud-
ers failed to respond to the wheel, and there
was a grinding, crashing sound. The boat
was first lifted on one side as she struck
and slid along the rock. taen she settled
and began to careen. There was no time to
think, so fast did she go down. Everybody
rushed for the upper decks. There was a
flash of fire from the furnaces and a cry
that the boat was afire. This added to the
terror and passengers and cew began to
jump into the icy river. Thirty-five of
them swan to a clump of willows, opposite
Hardman's landing and chung to the trees
until Mr. Hartman came out in a boat and
took them to his house on the bank Thir-
teen managed to secure the boats yawl and
foated down to Alton. Ind. Many of the
crew were not lucky enough to get to the
upper decks and they went down with the
boat. 1t is believed that at least ten if not
more were drowned.
Mr.. Joseph McCabe, the barkeeper, and
most of those named above who were picked
up at Hardmans landing came back to
Louisville tonight on the Tell City. Mr..
McCabe says the experiences of those res
cued were dreadful. The officers kept as
cool possible under the circumstances,
but there was little time to think and none
in which to act.