Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-04-21

take passage to Cairo. All of the pas
sengers were asleep when went
abroard, and 1 went mt once to my
stateroom and lay down with my
clothes on. 1t must have been an hour
or more before noticed a bright light
shining into my stateroom. ] imme-
diately got up and opened the door and
saw that the front cabin was on fire.
At that moment the electric light went
out. l got a life preserver and put it
ON, and managed to grope my way by
the light of the flames to a door op-
posite. 1t was II barber shop. Then
groped farther down to another door,
which opened onto the guards. But
few passengers were aroused at this
time and l, with others, climbed out
over the guards and down the railing,
hand over hand, over the life boat,
which was below me.
Il hung suspended by my arms for
Il while, and was caught by a man who
was seated in the boat. BY this time
others crowded into the boat, and filled
it to overhowing, but, as II providen-
tally, the flames reached the ropes that
held the ifeboat, and we dropped into
the river before others could push
their way into the boat"
II. Il. Gardner Of Tobinsport, Ind. re.
lates his experience as follows
about o'clock was awakened by
the electric bells and the screams OF
passengers. | put on life preserver
and my clothes and went out and
jumped overheard. was almost
caught under the wheel and saw one
man drown, who was carried under the
boat by the current. | was badly
bruised about the limbs, but | am Il
Soou SN iihii'i anu uiuHuStu W Se'
ashore"
Mrs. Sherman McCullom, with hel
three children, was going to Caruth
ersville, Mo-, to join her husband Sh,
| jumped overheard and landed in IN,
yawl, but her three children landed II
the water and she saw them sink from
sight. She is nearly frantic with grief
The body of the youngest of the little
ones was recovered at Mound Gu,
and its remains were identified by th,
mother.
Another sad circumstance was thu
loss of one of the children OF Pilot A,
Orchard. The little one was tossed
from the burning steamer to arms
waiting to catch 1t in the yawl. but it,
head struck against the side of th,
boat and 1t fell into the river and was
lost.
Although no complete list of eithel
the victims or the survivors Is OBJ
tainable, investigation today indicates
that almost one;half of the 100 peopl,
on the City of Plttsburg were los
when that ill-fated steamer was burn
ed yesterday, ut Ogdens Landing.
Many of those who We're brought (,
this city are suffering from injuries
exposure and fright. The numbe
aboard were about equally divided be
tween passengers and crew, the latte
suffering the greater loss in casualties
The names of many of the "rousta
bouts" were not known and the mum
Der drowned or burned is not likel,
ever to he ascertained. The fire starte,
In the lower part Of the steamer, il
the freight material, on possibly, in th
engineroom and shut off the means O
escape there while passengers jumpe,
overheard from the upper decks. With
in 10 minutes after the discovery o
hre at A a. m, survivors say, the uppe
decks were swept by flames and pas
sengers We're penned In on all sides
even the life preservers being cut OF
by the flames. The panic that followe,
caused greater loss Of life than woul
have ensued IL the officers could hay
controlled the terror'strlcken peopl,
Some rushed through the flames an
persisted; others tainted aud sank dow