The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-04-25
OVER SIXTY LIVES LOST.
Burning Of the Steamer City Of
Pittsburg OF Turner's
Landing, Illinois.
PASSENGERS IN BED At TINE OF ALARM.
An Iade.crshabie Panic Ensa~d on Hoard
snd Many Lives Were Lost nv JAmp-
ing Overheard. While . Number Are
ksowa to Have Perished Misersbly In
the fiamc~

the lAmca
Cairo. Ill. April ei-Thc side-wheel
steamer City Of Pittsbnrg. en- route
from Cincinnati TO Memphis. was
burned TO the waters edge early yes
terdas morning at Turner's Landing.
near oimstead. Ill. II miles from
Mound City. H.. and "a miles from
this city. The early reports stated
that c. lives were lost. and that many
were badly burned and otherwise in
jured. but the list Of casualties Is not
yet definitely determined. Two boats
and every available craft from this
city went 70 the scene for relief. Fl
forts were made 10 catch the New
South OF the same line at Paducah
and have here steam back for relief
hut the New South had passed Pa
ducah upward-bound before the tele-
gram was received.
Most Of the passengers were still in
bed when Second Clerk Oliver Phil
lips gave the alarm. The engineers at
once started all of the pumping en-
cines while the crew brought all the
hose into play
Amid the streams Of water on all
sides. the flames from the lower deck
and dense clouds Of smoke. the mas
senCcrs rushed from tll,'r state
rooms aud frightful panic ensucd.
The appeals of the officers and crew
could not appeaSe the ,error-stricken
crowd that interfered with those
throwing water on the flames as well
as those working with the liseboats.
Few could adjust life prescrvers or do
anything else for themselves. The
smoke was sitting. Great clouds
Heated through the burning steamer.
choking che passengers. adding 10 the
terror Children cried pitionSiy and
begging that they he saved. They
knew as well a their elders that
death confronted them and chung To
their mothers a. though they alone
could save them.
The lfcboats were manned and ev-
cry effort was made TO save the pas
sengors from the floating furnace IL
flames Sturdy bnltmcn rOwed az
they never rowc1 before in the heroic
work of rescue.
From the river banks the sparks
from the burning craft and the dense
clouds of smoke. tinged with tongues
Of flames from the vicious bed Of FIRE
made a most impressive. yet weird.
spectacle.
Boats were sent from The shore to
work in the rescue. but the flames
were only too surely consuulrnaIiny
their work of destruction to save all
from the inferno Boats laden TO
their limit with passengers in such
scant attire as they were able to
gather. were landed at the river
banks. A fast a one boat could be
cmptied il returned TO the Inflated
steamer. heroic rescuers not waiting
20 catch breath Of rest.
The burning steamer was quickly
headed TO the bank. but passengers
had TO jump off the stern and irving
TO swim ashore through the swift
current many were drowned
Many also persisted in the flames.
Only one yawi was saved without
oars. and the women were taken of.
About twenty or thirty were taken
OF in the ,lwl. The rest wcrc picked
M out Of the water. Help. except
from people living near by, did not
arrive until 2.so y. m. and passcn-
gers with only nightclothes and with
out food suffered terribly.
The fire started in the forward
Lns et. L. -
When the steamer run ashore escapes
were made over the cabin railing.
Very few Of the passengers or the
crew were aware of the fire until
II was too late. The captain and
clerk claim in all 80 persons have
been accounted for. The steamer
Maud kilgore. Capt Cole. brought
the survivors 10 this place at 8 p. m.
and the several societies Of the city
rendered all assistance in the way IL
clothing. etc.
Just prior To the boats departure
from Cincinnati she underwent her
annual Inspection by United States
Inspectors Cameron and Feain. and
was granted first-claSs papers
IL. r. Gardner. or Logansport. Ind.
relates his experiences as follows
about five o'clock I was awakened
by tho electric bells and the screams
Of passengers Ny stateromm was
halfway back. l put on a life pre-
server and my clothes and went out
and jumped overheard. was almost
caught under the wheel. and saw one
man drowned who was carried under
the boat by the swift current. was
badly bruised about the limbs. but l
am a good swimmer and managed to
get ashore"
Dim nnUN AV A TDArN