Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-04-26
OHIO RIVER HORROR.
SCORES LOSE LIFE IN FIRE OR
WATER.
Between Fifty and Seyenty-hve Per-
sons Are Killed in Steamboat Disas-
ter-Panic Increases the Horror-De-
struction of the City of PittsburE.

Sufocated as they slept, entrapped in
their berths and burned or forced panic
stricken into the river and drowned, over
three score persons lost their lives Sun
day morning in the destruction by fire of
the steamer City of Pittsburg, near Tur-
ner's Landing, not far from Cairo, III.
Those on board the steamer numbered
about 80 and the death list may reach
seventy-five Captain Phillips estimates
the loss of life at between fifty and six
ty. Accurate information probably new
er can be secured, for the steamers pas
senger list, the only record of the human
lives she carried, was destroyed.
Large Crew and Many Passengers.
The steamer, big side-wheeler plying
between Cincinnati and Memphis, left
the former city Wednesday night with
thirty-one passengers and took on many
others on the voyage down the river. She
carried crew of seventy. So far only
few bodies have been recovered.
The work of death in this disaster, one
of the most shocking in the history of
river navigation, was a matter of but
few minutes. The fire was discovered
few minutes after o'clock in the for
ward hold of the steamer. All the pas
sengers were sleeping, as were all the
members Of the crew except few
watchmen and the men at the engines.
AS quickly as possible runners were
sent through the narrow passages in the
cabin shouting an alarm to the endan-
gered sleepers. Within a few seconds
the whole steamer was alive with fright
ened passengers in the midst of rush
for life which began in panic and ended
in horror.
None took time to put on more than
night clothes or to save any yaluables
from their staterooms. The supply of
life-preservers was soon exhausted after
scenes Of awful struggling, and there
was a rush for windows and ratings in
the hope that leap into the water
might avert death in the flames.
Meanwhile the members of the crew
had launched one boat, and into this
were put the women and children who
had been able to reach the deck before
the burning of the stairways cut off that
means of escape. Force was necessary
to check the rush for the yawl, and in
spite Of heroism shown by the officers
their work might have gone for naught
if the ropes that bound the yawl to the
steamer had not been severed by the
flames just as the small craft was filled
to the danger point About twenty or
thirty persons were taken off in this
way.
Struggle in Water.
Those who were left on the boat and
were still alive then jumped into the
water, joining their struggling fellows,
who at the first alarm had sought there
a refuge from the flames.
Screams and pitiful appeals for help
were heard on every hand as those of the
unfortunates who could not swim felt in
their lessening strength a warning Of
their fate.
Many passengers chung by finger tips
to the burning boat with bodies submerg-
ed until, overcome by fire or water, they
sank to death. Wesley Neeley, fisher
man, rescued two from the wheelhouse.
One was a man and the other a woman.
The latter chung to the boat until her
hands were burned.
The boat was insured for $4,000, most
of the policies being held by Pittsburg
agents.