The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-27
RIVER DISASTERS RECALLED.
Burning and Sinking of Steam
boats in Last % Years.

There have been in the last twenty-five
years only half a dozen steamboat dis
asters that. in terrific loss of life, are in
any way comparable to the calamity that
, befell the City Of Pittsburg Sunday MORN
ing.
The most recent of these fatalities was
the overturning Of the Golconda about two
months ago. The vessel was on its way
from Paducah. when a storm overlook her.
The wind blew SO fercely that the boat,
which was only a small packet, careened.
Several persons. including women and chill
dren, were drowned
The sinking of the City Of Paducah near
Is a year ago at ~Brunkhorst Landing, lis
miles below ST. Louis. caused the death Of
at least thirteen persons. The boat had
made the landing and was backing out into
the main channel. when she struck a hid
den snag. A hole forty feet long was torn
in her hull. and she sank so rapidly that
there was no time to awaken the passen-
gers and sleeping roustabouts. many of
whom persisted. The City of Paducah set
tied in twenty-six feet Of water and never
was raised.
Several persons among the passengers
and crew of the Kate Adams lost their
lives by the burning Of that boat in jan
uary. 1889. She took fire in the cabin and
was almost wholly afiame when her COM
mander brought her to the bank a short
distance above Commerce. a point forty
miles south of Memphis. The Kate Adams
was an exceptionally fast boat. and to her
fell the honor of conveying President
Grover Cleveland from West Memphis to
Memphis on the occasion of his visit TO
that city in 1883.
The most terrible catastrophe on the Mis-
sissippi River or any of its tributaries since
the destruction Of the Sultana and before
the burning CO the City of Pittsburg, was
the disaster that overlook the Hannah
RnnEG ahn!lf olp mo ---- NJ
quemine, La. ten miles above New Orleans.
Although not accompanied by such large
loss of life. the accident is almost withouse
parallel because OF the horrible circum-
stances under which several persons per-
ished after their rescue seemed certain.
The boat was southwark bound. with a
big cargo and a large number of passen-
gers aboard her. While in midstream fire
was discovered in one of the forward cab
ms. The command to bank her was given,
and at once the pilot turned her to land.
The fire gained rapid Roadway. driving the
passengers to the lower deck. Many leaped
into the water. while the rest, confident
remained aboard.
The pilot stood at the wheel, his clothes
smoking and his flesh blistering in the fierce
heat. The engineers. too. kept their posts,
answering signals until the boat was run
aground. Then followed the horrible scenes
that STAMPED the catastrophe as among the
worst in the history Of such events.
Many of the crew and passengers leaned
from the boat to the bank. where they sank
nearly waist-deep in a sort of quicksand.
In the attempt to ave the unfortunate men
and women. some of the crew piled boxes
and timbers between the burning boat and
the helpless victims. The intense heat soon
fired the boxes, and the struggling beings
died in agony before the eyes of their COM