The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-09-19
STEAMBOAT CATASTROPHE.

days of steamboat navigation on the great
rivers of the West, and especially the great
Father OF Waters, the mighty Mississippi,
that | took passage at Louisville on one of
the floating palaces bound for New Orleans
Leaving out danger, nothing could he
more delightful than long trip on one
OF those magnificent Western steamers,
with their elegant state-ro0ms, splendid
almost gorgeous saloons, and sumptuous
tables of fare, where you lived as if in a
palatial hotel, enjoyed the companiomshir
of your fellow passengers, with the con-
slant pleasure of continual variety, whether
you sought amusement within the limits of
your floating home, or looked for it abroad
upon the great river ard its panoramic
shores.
l have said that; leaving out danger, this
was always very delightful; but the periis
of those journeys We're so constant, and
fatal accidents were so frequent, that many
persons of timid nature never travelled
without keen sense of fear being eve.
| present. lest the unseen sawyeIs and snags
OF the Mississippi, or some boiler explosion
from over pressure OF steam, should change
apparent pleasant safety to direful disaster,
and the brightness and happiness of life to
wailing despair or the gloom of death, all
in a single moment of time.
One great source OF danger was certain
defiant recklessness of consequences which
seemed to govern every one connected with
the boat, from the captain down to the
stoler, and which was always forcibly
exhibited in Il race with another boat in
which every one appeared to take the most
excited delight.
In these cases the furnaces were always
crowded with fuel in ordar to generate all
the steam possible and sometimes the
safcty-valve was even pressed down so as to
throw a greater force Of the dangerous vapor
upon the working piston in order to compel
few extra revolutions of the wheels, and,
if possible, cause the boat to force ahead of
its rival, which in turn was doing the same
dangerous thing.
Being prudent man, with some desire
to live out my time, | was in hopes that
nothing of this kind would occur on the
voyage upon which | had embarked; but
just after reaching the mouth of the Ohio,
another magnificent steamer, descending
from st. Louis, coming Just ahead of us,
seemed determined to shoot ahead with the
pride of racer, and leave us in the wake.
This our ambitious captain would not
allow. and Immediately gave orders tc
crowd on all the steam possible.
At first the timid portion of the passen
gers became alarmed, and made some loud
protests against the perilous proceeding
but when they found that their remon
strances remained unheeded, and that the
two boats, after miles of trial were, so tC
speak, neck and neck, their courage grad.
ually rose with their natural pride OF not
wishing to be outdone, and they not only
became oblivious to their own danger, but
as eager as the most daring to see their
provoking rival left behind in the race.
Such is human nature.
For the distance of perhaps twenty miles
this exciting contest continued most of the
passengers crowdiDg the upper deck on
both steamers and cheering and waving
their handkerchiefs, and actually passing
taunts from one boat to another, as if their
whole aim in life were now concentrated
upon leaving their rival behind.
1t had frequently happened that these
perilous contests had continued for hours
and even days, without any serious conse-
quences; but then again the results lad
sometimes been terrible as they soon prove d
to be in this case.
| was standing upon the upper deck near
young lady did not know, but to whom
my attention had been drawn, with the
secret conviction that she was one of the
most lovely and interesting creatures had
ever seen-l, at this time, being young
gentleman of two-and twenty, and full of
the poetic romance of the future, and she
apparently at the closing point of her teens
when suddenly found myself lifted into
the air, heard a tremendous report and
crash, and was then plunged down into the
turbid waters of the Mississippi, amid a
struggling mass Of human victims, whose
shrieks and groans of terror, horror, suffer
ing and despair were appalling to hear.
Just as | reached the water was struck
by something that partly stunned me, and
l sank down in the muddy current, but
without loosing my presence of mind.
knew that the steamer was a shattered
wreck, and that | should now have to make
desperate struggle for my life.
AS | was a good swimmer, however,
had little fear of being able to save myself
but as attempted to rise to the surface, l
came in contact with human body, which
l Immediately distinguished by the clothing
to be female.
Self-preservation is said to be the first
law of nature; and acting on this instinct,
l determined to save myself first, and then
do what could for my fellow beings.
therefore at once attempted to swim
| Al,