The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1902-04-26
PASSENGERS IN A Wild PANIC
MOST 0E THEM AWAKENED FROM
SLEEP TO FACE An AWFUL
DEATH.
RtscutRs WORK nfRoIcAllf
TERRoR-STRICkE CROWDS IN
ER's CREW.

+ Cairo, ILL.,, April 22.-Ihe Slue- Hc@i
steamer City of Pfttsburg, en- route
from Cincinnati to Memphis, was
burned to the waters edge shortly aIte1
O'Clock yesterday morning at og-
denis Landing, twenty-four miles from
this city. The early. reports stated tnat
sixty-fivc lives We're lost and tnat
many were badly burned and otherwise
injured, but the list of casualties IS hot
vet definitely determined. Two boats
and every available craft from tnls
city went to the scene to extend rellet'
Efforts were made to catch the New
South, of the same line, at Paducah
and have her steam back for RELIEF. but
the New South had passed Paducan'
upward -bound before the telegram
was received.
Most Of the passengers were still Ill
he'd when Secold Clerk Oliver Phihps
gave the alarm. The engineers at once
started all the pumping engines, wnAie
the crew brought all the hose into play.
Amid the streams of water on all sides,
the flames from the lower deck and tne
dense clouds Of smoke. the passengers
rushed from their state rooms ana d
frightful panic ensued. The appeals OF
the officers and crew could not appease
the
yerror.Stricken Crowd.
that interfered with those throwing
water on the flames, as we'll as with
those working With the life boats. Few
could adjust life preservers or do any
thing else for themselves. The smoke
was sitting Great clouds fioatea
through the blazing steamer. choking
the passengers and adding to the ter
ror. Children cried pitifully, begging
that they be saved. They knew. as weil
as their elders, that death confronted
them, and clung to their mothers as
though they alone could save them.
Life boats were manned and every eI
fort was made to save the passengers
from the floating furnace of fiamea-
Sturdy boatmen .owed as they never
rowed before i'll their heroic work OF
rescue. From the river banks the
burning craft and the dense clouds or
smoke, tinged with tongues of flames
from the vicious bed of fire, made Il
most impressive yet wierd spectacle.
Boats were sent from the shore to help
in the work of rescue, but the names
wers' only too surely consummatins
their
Work of Destruction.
to save all from the flames. Boats laden
to their limit with passengers in the
scant. attire they were able to gather
were landed at the river banks. AS fast
as one boat could be emptied 1t re-
turned to the :ll-fated steamer, the he
roic rescuers not waiting to catch q
breath of rest. Th, burning steamer
was quickly headed to the bank, but
passengers had to jump off the stern,
and trying to swim ashore through the
swift current, many were drowned.
Many also perished in the flames.
Capt. Philips says twenty or twenty
five of the passengers are missing ana
the same number of the crew. Two
women passengers were severely
burned but will recover
The fire started in the forward hatcn,
larboard, and burned fiercely when the
steamer run ashore. Very few of the
passengers or crew We're aware of the
fire until ii was too late.
The captain and clerk last nigh-
claimed that in I'll eighty persons have
been accounted for, leaving sixty per-
sens lost or unaccounted for.