davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1902-04-21

Cairo, III. April 2i--one OF the
most awful river disasters that ever
occurred was the burning OF the steam.
CT City Of Pittsburg carly yesterday
morning AZ Turner'S Landing, near
olmstead, H.. eleven miles from
Mound City, Ill, and 90 miles from
this city, the Gre being discovered at
4.0i o'clock
Most OF the passengers were still IN
bed whom Second Ulerk Oliver Phil
lips gave the alarm. The engineers at
once started all the pumpiug engines,
while the crew brought all the hose
into play Amid the streams Of eater
on all sides. the flames from the lover
deck and dense clouds Of smoke, the
passengers rushed from their state
rooms and frighiiul panic cnsued.
The sppeals Of the. officers aud crew
could not appease the terror stricken
crowds that inierfored with the hose
throwing water on the flames, as well
a. with those working with the life.
boats Few could adjust life-pre.
servers or do anything else for them.
selves. The smoke was sitting. Great
clouds Hoated through the blazing
steamer, choking the passengers and
adding TO the terror. Children cried
pitifully, begging that they be saved.
The burning steamer was quickly
headed TO the bank, bot passengers had
TO jump off the stern. and trying to
swim ashore through the swift cur
rent many were drowned Many also
persisted in the flames
Half of the 1850 souls on board per.
ished. How many csunot now be
told, as the passenger list was de.
stroyed, Captain Phillips states that
the loss Of lives will be from so TO 60,
half Of them passengers, and the other
half Of the crew. OF the crew the
following are known TO be''missing:
PARTIAL LIST OF DEAD.
Joe Reddins, Cincinnati, and Fred
Jones, Newport, striker.engineer.
Tom Smith, Memphis, striker.pilot.
william Bollinger, Cincinnati, first
steward
Henry Thomas, colored, Cincinnati,
second steward.
John Bolts. Gin cinnati, cook
Tony Gilfoil, Cincinnati, baker.
The following members Of the crew,
names unknown, are s'so missing
First pantryman, three colored fire.
men, six cabin boys, two chamber
maids, six or eight deokhands.
OF the passengers the following are
known TO be lost;
Captain West Doss, Cincinnati.
Miss Marie Tessim, Cannalton. Ind
Three children OF Mrs. Fannie Nc.
Cullum Of Leavenworth. Ind.
Patrick Burt and eleven members Of
his family Of o wensboro, Ky.
Child of Pilot A. L. Pritchari.
Clay Breeze, wife and son, of Union,
town, Ky.
Child of Archie NJ. Allen Of Pitts.
burg
Mr.. Adams, Ohio, bound for ST.
The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1902-04-21

Cairo, where they were picked up
from the Pittsburg. They are the first
survivors 70 pass through the city
and the ordeal was so great that the
young ladies had never fully recovered
from its effects.
JOE FOWLER TO THE RESCUE.
Captain Joe Fowler, president Of
the Evansville, Paduoah and Cairo
Packet line, ordered the Joe Fowler to
the scene Of the wreck yesterday after
noon to render all possible aid to the
survivors, and Captain Howard pulled
out from the wharf about $3.50 O'Clock
with newspaper representatives. A
large crowd could easily have been
secured for the trip, but the company
decided to take no one except press
representatives.
A small gasoline boat was hailed q
few miles above the wreck and the
captain said the survivors had all been
taken to Cairo ON towboat. ~ 80
The Fowler proceeded on to the
scene Of the disaster, however, reach
ing there about $3.50. The only man
left by the boats officers was Secoad
Mate Chris, OF Evansville, who was
making his first trip on the Inflated
steamer. Quite crowd of sight-seers
from the adjoining country, however,
were there viewing the misshapen
hulk.
MI Chris stated that he was asleep
when the alarm of fire was given ct
4:i0 yesterday morning and was saved
only by jumping and drifting down
stream about mile and . half, until
he could get in to shore.
WHERE THE FIRE STARTED.
The boat caught in the forward
hold, which was full Of hay, and as
soon as the blaze was discovered by
the cub pilot the alarm was given
from the Office by the electric alarm
! bells, the boat was headed for shore,
and run into the bank with terrific
force, tearing a hole in the sand eight
or ten feet deep. The stage plank was
already half consumed, and when she
hit the shore, only a few rousters and
deck officer or two were able to get
off the forward END. The flames en-
veloped the entire boat, and the pas
sengers, nearly all in their night gar
ments, were forced to the rear end and
had to jump into the river or remain
and be burned
ONLY ONE BOAT.
Only one boat was available, a yawI
at the stern end. The flames had
made such progress that no other boats
could be reached, and the oars even of
the one boat could not be secured.
This boat was quickly loaded ard
pushed off, and after landing. had to
be taken back with sticks and branches
of trees, and pick up the drowning
passengers as they could be found.
The heat WAS terrific, and in about
ten minutes the handsome steamer had
----------------
The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1902-04-21
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.


ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
Captain Phillips says the fire caught
in the hold. The night Waterman
claims to have been in the hold five
or ten minutes before the fire was
discovered The pilot headed the
steamer directly into the bank and
the sharp bow struck in the mud,
the boat lying quartering with the
bank.
Captain Phillips and Captain Scott
were both asleep at the time the Iire
broke out, and when they were aroused
the flames were coming up through
the cabin floor. The cabin was then
empty of passengers, who had either
gotten outside or were sufocated in
their berths.
NUMBER OF PEOPLE ABOARD.
Captain Scott says there were &c
passengers aboard. aside from possibly
FIVE or six babies. There were about
as many men in the cabin as women.
The crew numbered about 10, max
ing in ali about $50 souls aboard.
Among Che survivors were W. T.
Daughert wife and baby Of Marion,
Ky.
DR.. ". J. Whitaker and his wife
from Olmstead were early at the scene
and assisted the suffering passengers.
The Pittsburg had good trip Of
business, freight and passengers.
Wesley Medley. fisherman, res
cued two passengers from off the
wheel house. Their names cannot
now be ascertained. One was man
and the other woman. The latter
chung to the boat until her hands were
burned. Her body was submerged in
the water, and that saved her greater
injury.
The Maude Kilgore brought the pas,
sengers down to this city, arriving at
8 O'Clock. They were withert money
and without clothing. Kihd.hearted
people at once ministered to their
wants. The boat then returned to the
scene of the wreck.
HISTORY OF THE PITTsBURG.
The Pittsburg was built at Marietta,
o., in 1899, and was valued at $780,
600. She was 500 feet long and so
feet wide, and owned by John NJ.
Phillips and AL Brahm of Pittsburg
and Dana Scott of GAINESVILLE. Mrs.
Phillips, wife of the commander of the
steamer, and her son, remained at
Cincinnati this trip. The boat was
fully insured, but had valuable cargo
amounting to thousands of dollars.
She is a perfect wreck. Her machin-
cry is doubtless ruined and the hull
can never be used again.
SURVIVORS PASS THROUGH.
Misses Margaret Bridges and Jennie
Bissicss, the former Of Louisville and
tine latter of Lexington, passed through
the city at noon en- route home from
The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1902-04-21

Az CLOCK lhet evening lnftt
bodies haf been recovered. They
were those Of Captain Doss. Miss
Marie Tesnm and the youngest son Of
the McCullum family.
PARTIAL LIST OF SAVED.
A partial list Of these saved is as
follows James Neville, Dayton, KY.
carpenter; Emma Smith, Paducah,
passenger; Ariue II. Allen and wife,
26i Fourth avenue, Pittshurg; In.
Mc3raw. Louisville, Ky. Mrs. Judge
Muikoy OF Metropolis, Ill; Arthur
Shelley, Buokner, Ky, Waterman (;
Mrs. Tunnymyer, Point Pleasant, W
Va. badly burned, and daughter
Margaret Bridges, Louisville, Ky. /;
Jennie Bessick. Lexington, Ky. o.
X. stations and wife, Careysville, KY ;
Head Mate SINNERS and wife; Miss
Leach, badly burned Pilot Pritehard,
wife and child; the captain, clerks and
engineers. two engineers strikers,
two cooks.
The captain and clerk claim in all
eighty persons have been accounted
for, leaving sixty people lost or unao.
counted for.
The experience of the passengers
was very much the same. One of them
was Mrs Mulkey, wife Of Judge Mul.
key OF Metropolis. She said;
A SAMPLE EXPERIENCE.
~ got on the boat at Metropolis to
take passage to Cairo. All of the pas
sengers were asleep when | went
aboard, and I at once went to my
stateroom and lay down with my
clothing on. II must have been an
hour or more when noticed a bright
light shining into my stateroom, and
Immediately got mp and opened the
door, and saw that the front cabin was
on fire. At that moment the electric
light went out, got 8 life preserver
and put 1t on, and managed to grope
my way by the Pickering light of the
flames to door opposite. 1t was the
barber shop. Then | CROPPED farther
down to another door, which opened
out onto the guards. But few of the
passengers were around Mt the time,
and with others climbed out over the
guards and down the railing, hand
over hand, into the lifeboat, which
was right below me. hung suspend
ed by my arms for a while, and was
caught by man who was seated in
the boat,
CROwDING 4 LIFE BOAT.
"By this time others crowded into
the boat, and filled it to overlooking,
but, as If providentially, the flames
reached the ropes that held the life
boat and we dropped into the river be-
fore others could push their way into
the boat. We would have all drown
ed IL others hsa pushed into the boat.
The lifeboat commenced to drift
back toward the burning steamer, and
we thought we were to die after all.
The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1902-04-21
Many Unfortunates Sank Into the Chilly
Waters to Rise No More.
Women and Children Beg Vain Be Saved Flame and
Flood Envelop Them-Most Terrible Catas-
trophe on the River in Many Years.


this was all the people had in the way
of nourishment from O'Clock until
$3.50 p. m.
The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1902-04-21

servers. and crowded aft. The officers:
held them back while the one yawls
was loaded with women and childrenA
The scene was awful. About twenty.
or thirty were taken of in the boat.
and then those in the water were res-<
cued. The water was very cold and !.
the passengers were in their night.
clothing.
"Those who were not burned up in<
the boat drowned in the cold water, {.
and ell persisted except those who.
were able TO swim Twas one Of these.
When we reached shore we were I'M,
able to stand and had to be helped out,
Of the water. II seemed as thoughS
we were oTazed by fright, for we were,
screaming with fright even after we5
were safe ashore"
FIRST REPORT OF HORROR.
The first news OF the disaster was
sent ont from Olmstead, the nearest
telegraph station. The clerk went
three miles down stream to Caledonia
and then inland to Olmstead. Help
was asked for from Paducah, the
hope being that the steamer New
South ccgld be caught there and
would turn back to the assistance Of
the distressed people. The New South
had passed for Pittsburg jrst before
the accident, bat was too far away to
signal. when the news reached Padu-
cab the boat had passed.
TEN HOURS OF WAITING.
II was not until $3.50 O'Clock, ten
hours after the fire was over, that q
passing steamer, the towboat Maudt
Kilgore, passed. She brought the
wrotched people down to Cairo. In
the meantime the people of the sur
rounding country rendered what little
assistance they could.
] At Caledonia, three miles below,
the flames could be plainly seen and
the shouts of the passengers heard
and the people put out in skiffs Il
the wreck. They assisted in saving
the passengers. A little gasoline
boat happened along and took OF
board those who were injured. Amons
these were Mrs. 5. R. Leach Of Bridge
port, o., who was terribly burned
about the head; Mrs. Ellen Fenni
more of Arbuckle, W. Va who va,
burned about the hands and face, and
i Mrs. Fannie McCullom Of Lsaven-
worth, Ind, who was burned about
thc breast. The people on this boat
sssvsd coffee as long as it lasted, and
The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1902-04-21
MOST TERRIBLE STEAMBOAT DISASTER



we had no oars to steer the boat, and
the men used their hands for oars.
There we've people in the river all
about us On every side. after we
managed to get to the shore fires
were lighted, and the poor men,
women aud children, many Of them
in their night dress, shivering with
the cold and from their wet clothing,
huddled about the fires Many Of
them had lost those nearest and dear
est to them, and their cries and means
were heartrending. Some were burn
cd, but more were badly bruised
and cut coming in contact with the
wreckage. Oh. il was a horrible ex-
perience, and one shall never forget.
: People chung to shutters and anythir g
2they could find to float on to shore,
. and few succeeded. A physician
with his wife was among the passen-
gers, aud he managed to quiet the
suiferings Of some by administering
morphine, of which he had a small
quantity"
MOST PITIFUL CASE.
The case of Mrs. sherman McCul.
ION is most pitiful With her three
children she was going to Caruthers-
Vile, No, to join her husband. She
jumped overheard and landed IN the
yawl, but her three children were 10;
20 fortunate, as they landed in tho
water and she saw them sins from
sight. She is nearly franfi' with
grief The youngest Of the litilc cnea
was recovered opposite Mount City
aud its remains were identified By the
poor mother
Another terribly sad circumstance
was the loss Of one Of the children Of
Pilot AL Pritohard The little one
was tossed from the burning steamei
into the arms waiting TO catch it il
the yawl, but its head struck against
the side Of the boat and 1t fell into
the river and was lost The mother IL
nearly wild with grief.
CREW MEMBERS ACCOUNT.
One Of the surviving members Of the
crew gave this account;
THE FIRE was discovered at 4:0i
O'Clock in the forward hold. By Al,
the entire boat was in flames and at
$3.50 the whole boat wasA wreck. The
front stairways burned, cutting of
any avenue Of escape. We slammed
the sleeping passengers, bursting open
their doors to awaken them. They
ran out without putting ON life pre-.
The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1902-04-21
Half Hundred Men, Women and Children
Perish in the Flames.
Tn, Terrible Disaster Oeeurrsd Thirty Miles Below Padu-
cah-Only Few Bodies From the Inflated
Steamer Were Recovered.


Louis.
Mr. Downs, Memphis
At z O'Clock last evening three
bodies hat been recovered. They
were those Of Captain Doss. Miss
Marie Tesnm and the youngest son Of
the McCullum family.
The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1902-04-21
ONLY ONE BOAT.

Continued on fifth page.
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-31
NOTES
OF
SOCIETY.

All Halloween will be observed by the
young society folk of Richmond with al!
the fun and superstitiouS practices, that
hefit the occasion. The Cup of Coia
Water Circle OF Kings Daughters will
give an Halloween entertainment at the
aorne of Mrs. G. T. TalIey and Miss
Frances V. Murray will give phantom,
sall to the members of the Star Club,
AT her home. No. sos east Main street.
Possibly this mystic feast which is
shrou6ed with all the uncanny and weirc
charm that it is understood the witches
revel in is more enjoyed by the maidens
In boarding school than by anybody else
The gay world OF social life week after
week striving TO Guido itself in the gilt
Ter and g!amor of its elaborate ce!ebra
tons and festivities welcomes the feast
OF Ali Halloween as X does the rest of
the days that bring life and pleasures. ii
comes to-day and tomorrow its memory
IS obscu,ed by the announcement OF d
brilliant ball. theatre party or a NUS
eale. Net so with the little lassies at
school still paying court TO their books
or IL Is really the first feast Of the scho.
astic year. The horse show, card parties
.er,nans are to them as Yet pages in the
cook OF life nnturned. so when the 3ls.
u October arrives they are already pre.
pared for H. Weeks before the .'snres,
s way TO learn ones fate has been dis
Smcnssed time and time again. at conyen,s
the sisters are consulted as whether the,
Ican suggest any new methods while a,
other schools the teachers are tmport,nea
/. TO tell all the mysterious "reminiscences
that the!' can recall Books are forgotten,
and the cream of every school CIR, "a
lover" Ia ailowee = -.,tS,.9 that sane.
trm sanetorirm-4 school girls head-for,
tits one occasion One OF the most enjoy.
sble Hasowe'en enter,afnnaen.s that INC
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-31

,a Ct three wears she has lived in Rich
mond. Mr. PalmoreN is the son OF MIR.
and Mrs. w f. Palnore OF this city, ana
is in the dairy business.
The wedding march was played by MISS
Pansv Hanev. while the only attendant,
was Mr.. Herbert Nuckols who acted as
best man.
Mr.. and Mrs. Palmore will be at home
at No Sol6 west Cary street.
Miss Francis Myrtle Smith and Mr..
Harry b. Woodward We're married yester-
day afternoon at $50 O'Clock by the Rev.
DR.. ". r. L. Smith.
The bride an attractive and pretty
blonde wore q tailor suit of blue
hroaiclo1h a blue hat. and carried vio-
lets and lilies of the valley. Miss Ora
minta B. Smith. her sister, was maid of
honor, and will wear white organdie
and carry a sheaf of pink chrysantile-
NUNS After the ceremony AIr. and Mrs.
Woodward left for the North
Among the out-of-town guests We're
Mr. and Mrs Joseph Woodward. Miss
Woodward of Staunton: Mr.. and Mrs.
Y. c. rompkins, Master Clifton Tomp-
kins. OF Raleigh, \. c.: Mr.. and Mrs.
E. S. Woodall, of Washington and Mr.
and Mrs. C. NJ. peasants, of Washing
ton.
A social and tea will be given this
afternoon at 4:S0 O'clock in the lee.
ture-roon OF the Seventh Street Christian
church in honor OF the twenty-sixth an
| niVersary OF the Christian wonan's board
of missions. Mrs. Duke will sing several
solos and Mrs. Neal and Mrs. Carey t..
Morgan will make brief talks Tea viii
be served and an enjoyable time is ex-
pected by the women.
Little Miss Grace May Hughes celebrated
her twelfth birthday Wednesday night in
her home, AIS north Pine street by giving
q donkey party The rooms We're taste
fully decorated with palms. cut flowers
and shaded lamps. and the little hostess
received many pretty presents. During
the evening refreshments We're served
The party was chapcroned by Mrs
Hughes, Mrs. DeSen, Mrs. Ford. Mrs
Funk Mrs. Hill. Mrs. Foster. and Miss
Ida Williams.
The following children were presents
Misses Marie Marion, Maggie King. Lizzie
Pitts. Grace Luck, Katherine Funk
| Esther Hughes, Edith Mitchell. Susie Eos.
ter, Nellie Miller. Fannie Farmer, Mary
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-31
Ladies &c. Natural Col2r Me-

can conceive was given several years ago.
at Mt de Sales Convent near Baltimore.
on the alumni ron Of which can be
found the names OF many Of the pro,n-
nent women in Richmond The entertain
ment took the form of phantom ball.
Imagine the long halls OF the immense
building dimly lit with swinging lamps,
being filled with a procession of these
figures draped in sheets. with heads COW
cred with pillow cases in which We're
clipped holes for eyes and mouth These
uncanny and ghost-lkc people made
merry in the assembly hall by playing
all manner Of games with chestnuts and
apples until the appointed time of u1-
masking arrived and the most Interesting
portion of the evening was watching
the astonished expressions OF the various
girls as each removed the covering from
her face and disclosed her personality. as
many OF the masSers who had appeared
the soul OF merriment turned out to be
perhaps the most dignifieu and Quictest
girl in school. Thus boarding school girls
will join tonight their elder sisters who
have already made their bow to society.
in endeavoring to peer into the far and
eventful future to see what fate has il
store
ne following letter has been received
from Mrs T. .ssnby Blythe president Of
the General abney II. Maury Chapter.
United Daughters o. lae confederacy, OF
Philadelphia:
The General Dabney h Maury Chap
Ter. United Daughters of the Confederacr
of Philadelphia, through the Dispatch
desire TO express their deep and lasting
gratitude TO the ladies and gentlemen OF
Richmond. likewise 10 the Confes.
veterans and military OF the city, for the
many courtesies extended TO them during
their stay in Richmond. and TO whose
noble efforts and assistance is due the
successful unyeiling Of the monument
erected in Hollywood Cemetery TO the
memory of the Confederate soldiers buried
in the nat'onal cemeteries IN Philadelphia
ANNE II. BLYTH-., President
October 29th.
Nr Flanagan Ppl-nore and Miss Mary
II Blue were married Wednesday, ni-ht p
(,S5 O'clock. ri the home of Mrs. NJ T.
WEIGH. No 200 cast Frnnklin street, by
Rev. /. NJ. Mercer Miss Blues home is In
Charlottesville. where her parents, Mr..
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-31
ITS FIRST LECTURE.
EducntionnL Association VIII Begin

EducntionnL Association VIII Begin
Work November 22nd.
The Richmond Educational Assoca ton
has begun another year with plans for
strenuous work, and its first lecture TO
the Richmord people will be on November
ed, at $3.50 P. NJ. at the Young Mems
Christian Association.
Mr. w. II. Baldwin, Jr., a man well
known to Richmond people. will then
speak. His subject will be-: why a Bust
ness Man Should be Interested in Educa-
ton Mr.. Baldwin is now president OF
the Long Island railroad. For a number
of years he was connected with the South
ern railroad, and lived in Atlanta. Ca.
Mr.. Baldwin must know the needs of
business men and recognizes that educa-
ton is all important. His lecture on No
venlber ed will doubtless be largely at
tended by his brothers in active business,
members Of the Educational Associa ton
and students and professors of Richmond
schools and colleges.
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-31
HEROIC sCHOOLBOY.
Thought of His Mother When Hix
Iers. Wore Crt nR

Thought of His Mother When His
Legs We're Cut on.
NEW YORK. October So.--{Speciai.)-
James Rardizzo years old. was run over
and fatally injured by a Long Island rail-
road train this morning. while almost
swoscore of his schoolmates. screaming
with fright. watched the accident. Both
OF the boys legs We're cut off and he was
taken to a hospital, where he died this
afternoon.
When the child was picked UP, after
the accident. he was conscious FOR just
a minute two.
Tell my mother I amt hurt much and
don't scare her the little fellow said
and then added. and save my school
books.
The lad attended the school at the
Church of the Nativity.
With about :orty other children he was
detained by the draw-bridge over The nun
mel work.
AS the bridge remained up the children
became nervous, fearing they would be
late to school. When the bridge was
finally lowered. they could not see the
disappointing train from the east