Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-08-07
THE SULTANA WRECK
BONES OF THEvlCT.MsR EceNTlvEx
POSED BY THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

POSED BY THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
In April, 1865 T7sr I,oiler. l.urst and 500
Union Soldiers Were Killed or Drowned
River Has Now Undermined the Grave
yard Where Recovered Bodies Laid.
The boat lay in this port for several
hours d'scharging cargo of molasses,
ana started up the river early on the
morning OF the 9th. She had pro-
ceeded about six miles, being opposite
lien and Chicken Island. when, with
out any warning whatever. her boilers
burst, her hog chains parted and the
shattered wreck caught fire. AS many
as l,5o0 soldiers We're killed or drowned
as result OF the accident, and for
four days dozens Of floaters were cap-
tured every hour or so.
Many bodies were recovered near
the scene of the wreck. and these were
buried at Mound City. At that time
the people in. this vicinity cared prec-
'ous little for Yankee soldiers, though
they gave them a decent BURIAL No
tomDstones were erected. however, and
the graves were not kept green
When the Sultana's victims we're
buried at Mound City the impromptu
graveyard in which their last sleep
was to be slept was far from the rivers
bank, but the Mississippi. seemingly
with iiend!sh desire to claim the
bones OF these victims for her waters
10 ripple over, as they have rippled
over for years the bones of other vic
tins OF the same catastrophe. has
gradually worn away the ground until
now she sweeps by the graveyard With
a steady. sullen lnuImur. and bones
and CHASTITY skulls look down on the
water from where they lie, Il few feet
away.
The wreck Of the steamer Sultana,
which occurred on April 81. 1865. and
which sent Z shuddcr over the entire
length and breadth of this land has
been recalled by the action of the Mis-.
s'ssippi river, on whose broad bosom
the catastrophe took place and in
whose cold embrace hundreds of sol
d1ers went down 70 rise no more.
The Sultana was Il very large Missis.
sippi River packet. which was engaged
Dy the United states Government AZ
soon as the Civil War was ended. to
convey Federal troops from the ia,
South TO their homes. The steanle,
TOOK on a large number Of troops at
Vickshurs, and took on several athc,
smaller deiachments on the way III
Wien she arrived here on April 20
she had 2,SGU Federal soldiers aboard
short Sight.
Short sight is very prevalen, in cit.
les and countries where education il
more highly Developed, III rural dis
tricts aud villages it IS rarely nc:
with, and among un=ducated people
and savases it is practically unknown
The Inhabitants OF towns and cit;es
have their vision limited by their sur.
roundings. and seldom exercise tl1ei.
sight at long distances They are also
mach mere given TO reading and visit
ing, sc that their children are there.
fore more liable TO acquire that defect
ana the grown-up people transmit the
tendency to it. Apart from other rea-
sons for lis requirement there will al.
ways be found among children great
er percentage of short sight, and worse
degrees OF the defect in those schools
where the desks are low and uusuita.
Bile. and the light bad. thus nccessitat.
Ing much more STOPPING than in those
where these things are arranged in nc
corhAnce with common sense The
percentage of short sight iii village
schools is small, i'll higher educational
Establishments it is great. and in the
universities and colleges is very e:ei,
In some parts OF Germany. where the
writer has lived and spent his youthful
years in college there are 80 per ceni
of the population troubled with s:;ort
sight; SO that il seems that in fc;,
generations the whole country will be.
come short sighted ii the present ra,e
oil increase of the defect he maintained
Fortunately for the human race. SCI
cnce generally finds Il remedy when
the necessity for it arises. and as ,ht
defect increased of late Years. so nj 81
has the knowledge of how TO comba,
It. There never need be a case OF short
sight II parents and teachers should
apply to children before the detec. is
acquired those regulations that have tc
be observed afterwards
Mischief Made. g,y :, NusI-,,