Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-03-27
The ECHE'S DESTRUCTION.
The Eighth River Disaster on Western
Waters.
Boat Burned to the Waters Eege
Ten Miles Below Natchez, Result
ing in the LOSS Of Thirty Lives.
How Many Escaped Injury A
Full Account of the Ninth River
Accident in the West.

ACCiQ6Ilb III Ll6 w est.
The burning OF the steamer Tecne
was the eighth river accident to Oc-
cur in the west. The boat left Natchez
on the evening of May 4th, 1925, heav-
lily loaded with cotton and carrying
about seventy passengers, many OF
whom came on board at the moment
of departure and were unknown to
each other. The Teche was IN her
down stream course and after pro-
ceeding for about ten miles, darkness
came on Capt Campbell, who was in
command, deeming it unsafe 10 pro
coed further on the trip, at once
brought the boat to anchor at two
O'Clock the following morning.
After a while it was decided that
the trip be continued. Steam was got
ten up and just as the boat was about
10 start the passengers, many
of whom had been asleep in their
berths. were startled by shock which
seemed sufficient to separate every
plank and timber that had been used
In the boats construction. 1t was
report that sounded like the discharge
of a whole broad side of the heaviest
artillery Every light on the boat was
extinguished either by the escape CT
steam or by the conclusion of the air
AS the day had not yet dawned, an
impenetrable darkness lay over
the scene of the disaster, the extent
of which could only be imagined by
the affrightened and Mortified crowd
collected on the deck. But At that
moment of appalling danger and
DREADFUL ANXIETY
was heard a cry that the boat was on
fire.
Then followed a scene of indescriba-
BILE confu- ion. The passengers III the
very insanity of terror were rushing
hither and thither through the dense
and ominous gloom, many" anticipat-
ing their doom in their erring en-
deavor to avoid it, Mr. Miller, of Ken
lucky, one of the surviv ng passengers
who afterwards published in New
Orleans paper Narrative OF the
events Of this fearful night states
that when the alarm OF fire was given,
he attempted to 60 towards the bow,
but before he had advanced ten PAGES,
he was precipitated through the hatch
way The matches had been blown
off by the explosion and after FORUM
ately alighting on his feet in the bot
tom of the hold, he found himself
knee deep in scalding water, which
had been discharged from the boilers.
He would soon have persisted in the
suffocating vapor which filled the
place, had not his cries for assistance
been heard by some one on deck who
threw TO him the end of rope and
thus enabled him to escape from his
agonizing and perilous situation Ly
this time the flames began to ascend.
illuminating the deck with a lurid
glare. which enabled the passengers
to discern means of escape which were
offered, though these means were
made less available by the terror and
confusion prevailing. The yawl made
several trips to the nearest shore
carrying off a load of passengers at
each trip, but as the flames began to
extend rapidly over the deck it was
evident that all on board could not be
saved in this wey
In these circumstances the Captain
gave orders that bales of cotton
should be thrown overheard and on
these many persons were kept afioat
until they were rescued.
THE LAST INCIDENT
Of this ~agic narrative is one of the
most distressing. About 8 o'clock a.
a., a passing steamer was hailed BY
the survivors on board of the burning
boat A yawl was at once sent out
and about dozen of the Teche's pas
sengers crowded into it. BY some UNI
lucky accident the yawl was over
turned and every man, woman and
child were drowned. 1t would seem
that their inexorable fate had doomed
them to destruction. The exact num-
Der of lives lost could never be ascer-
tanned Several were killed instantly
and number of others died from
their injuries soon after the accident.
The loss of life, however, was sup
posed to be in the neighborhood of
thirty persons.
THE STEAMER MECHANIC
was the next boat to meet disaster,
making the ninth river accident of the
west. Capt. Hall, her commander,
and General Lafayette, both suffered
heavy losses. The boat was a COM
plete wreck. The Mechanic sank at
the mouth Of Deer creek about TWEEN
ty-five miles below Louisville. KY, on
May s, 1925. While there were no
lives lost in this accident there were
number of narrow escapes. Gen La
fayette lost eight thousand dollars in
money besides his clothing and fine
carriage which he had on board. Gen.
Lafayette talked but little about his
loss and seemed happy to think that
all on board had escaped and reached
shore in safety
Capt. Hall also lost one thousand
and three hundred dollars which was
in his desk. The Mechanic sank Just
two days after the explosion of the
Teche