Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-21
TWENTY-FIVE PERISH
Ohio River Steamer Burns
Near Paducah, KY.
AWFUL NIGHT SCENE
TERRIFIED PASSENGERS JUMP
INTO THE WATER.
Those Who Were Rescued Nearly
Perish From Cold-Many
Burn to Death.
AWFUL NIGHT SCENE

CAIRO, Ill, April 21.-Although no COM
plete list of either the victims or of the
survivors is yet obtainable, investigation
today indicates that almost one-half of the
$50 people on the City Of Pittsburg were
lost when that Inflated steamer was burned
yesterday at Ogdens Landing between this
city and Paducah. Many of those who
were brought to this city are suffering from
injuries, exposure and fright. The number
aboard was about equally divided between
passengers and crew, the latter suffering
the greater loss in casualties. The names
of many of the "roustabouts were not
known and the number drowned or burned
is not likely ever to be ascertained
The fire started in the lower part of the
steamer in the freight material, or pos
sibly in the engine room and shut off the
means of escape there, while passengers
jumped overheard from the upper decks
Within ten minutes after the discovery of
nre. at 4 am, survivors say the upper
decks were swept by flames and passengers
Were penned in on all sides. even the life
preservers being cut off by the flames,
Panic Adds Its Horrors.
The panic that followed caused a greater
loss of life than would have ensued if the
officers could have controlled the terror
stricken people. Some rushed through the
flames and perished; others tainted and
sank down to be cremated. Many in their
night robes, some of them afire jumped
overheard and were drowned. Those that
got into the boats saw others drowning as
their overcrowded craft pulled to shore.
The barely clad survivors on the shore not
only witnessed horrifying scenes around the
charred hull, but also suffered from early
morning till relief came in the afternoon.
The captain there SiYty-Siy
passengers, not including dozen babies
There We're as many women as men in the
cabin and the indications are that the
greater percentage of losses was among
the women and children. AS the register
with all other records was burned and the
survivors scattered in every direction there
is great difficulty in getting a list of the
survivors. 1t is conceded that many bodies
will never be recovered. so that there will
never be a complete list of the victims. 1t
IS thought that many charred bodies will be
found in the hull of the burned steamer
when the mass of embers ceases burning
so that the search for the remains can be
made
The following partial lists were revised
up to midnight. far possible with the
measer information Obtainable:
Passengers Known to Have Been Lost.
Capt. Wes. Doss. retired river pilot. Gin
cinnati; Miss Marie Tessim, Cannelton,
Ind. three children of Mrs. Fannie Nc
Cullom. Leavenworth Ind, Patrick Burke,
and seven members of his family, Owens
boro'. KY; child of Pilot Pritchard, Mem
phis, Tenn; Clay Breese, wife and son.
Uniontown. Ky: child of Archie NJ Allen
Pittshu-g Pa; Miss Mary Lister. Carroll
ton. Ohio; Mr. Adams of Ohio. Mr.. Downs
of Memphis. Miss Sweeney of Owensboro'
Ky. l. l. Hunter, Litinti, Pa.
Members of the Crew Missing.
Probably dead: Joe Reding, Cincinnati.
striker. engineer: Fred Jones, Newport,
Ky, striker. engineer; Tom Smith, Mem
phis, steersman; William r. Bollinger, Gin
cinnati. first steward: Henry Thomas, col
ored. Cincinnati, second steward; John
Bolts. Cincinnati. cook; Tony Gilfoyle, Gin
cinnati. baker
These members of the crew, names un-
known. are missing: First pantryman,
three COlored firemen, six cabin bows two
chambermaids. six deck hands, two cooks.
Capt Phillips says twenty or twenty-five
OF the passengers are missing and the same
number OF the crew Two women passeu-
gers were severely burned, but will re-
cover They are Mrs $. r. Leach of
Bridgeport. Ohio, burned about the hands,
and Miss Ellen Kenmore, Arbuckle, W. Va.
severely burned about face.
Mrs. Fannie McCullum OF Leavensworth
Ind, lost three children. Pat Burke of
Owensboro. KY, wife and six children.
were ali lost. The body of a child dressed
In night clothes, was taken from the river
at Mound City.
Among the first bodies recovered were
lHOSt Oh O0pt- w eSIey DOSS of Cincinnati
and Miss Marie Tessim of Cannelton Ind.
The fire was discovered at 4:O5 a. m
There We're sixty passengers and seventy,
all told. in the crew.
Partial List of Survivors.
partial list of those saved is as follows:
James Neville. Dayton. Ky. boat carpen-
ter: Emma Smith, Paducah, passenger;
Adue NJ Mellon and wife, 25I 4th ayenue.
Pittsburg: l.. NJ McGraw. Louisville Ky;
Mrs Judge Mulkey, Metropolis. Ill: Arthur
Sheley, Bucker, ky-, watchman: Mrs. Tun-
ny Myer. Point Pleasant, w. Va, badly
burned, and her daughter; Margaret
Bridges, Louisville. Ky: Jennie Bessick
Louisville. Ky; e. X. Stations and Wife
Careysville, Ky: Headmate Schmers and
wife; Mrs Leech, badly burned: Pilot
Prttchett. wife and child: Miss Marie Lisler
Carrollton. Ohio tdied after being brought
on shore3. Sylvester Doss also died after
getting on shore. The captain. clerks and
engineers strikers and two cooks
Among the Known Dead
The following is partial list of those
lost: Mrs. Adams. Ohio. bound for St
Louis; Mr.. Downs, Memphis: Tom Smith.
steersman. Memphis: Patrick Burk. wife
and six children. Owensboro. Ky bound
for Moorehouse. Mo: Joe Kidding and I,ud
Jones. strikers engineers CINCINNATI; Will
lam BOllinger. steward. Cincinnati; a little
girl named Sweeney of Owensboro XIV. f
l. Hunter, Litinti. Pa: two cooks and two
chanlbermaidS and most of the deck hands