The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-22
FIRE BROKE OUT AT NIGHT
Men, Women and Children Aroused to
Meet Their Doom.
THE HEROIC PILOT STOOD AT HIS POST
Surrounded by Flames He Would Not Move Un.
til the Steamer Struck The Bank. A
Number Rescued in Boats,
MANY Drown,
Many Drown.
(By the Associated Press.

Cairo, Ills, April 21.-Although no
complete list of either the victims or the
survivors is yet obtainable, investigation
today indicates that almost one-half of
the $50 people On the city of Pittsburg
were lost when the ill-fated steamer was
burned yesterday at Ogden's Landing. be-
tween this city and Paducah. Many of
those who were brought to this city are
suering from injuries, exposure and
fright. The number aboard was about
equally divided between passengers and
crew, the latter suering the greater loss
in casualties. The names of many Of the
roustaouts were not known and the num-
Der drowned or burned is not likely to be
ascertained s
c. M. Ellis and Fred Connell. two
newspaper men of this place, who were
the lrst on the scene from Cairo yester-
day and sent to Mayor Wright for aid
have been Investigating the disaster and
report as follows:
The City of Pittsburg with a crew Of
~ and passenger list which included
90 men, women and children, was on her
way from Cincinnati TO Memphis. At
4:06 a. m, at point three miles above
Turner's Landing, fire was discovered in
the forward matches. This was appar-.
emily seen about the same instant by the
engineer on watch and the first mate
Arthur Shriver. The former directed a
deck hand to open valve which would
turn on the water for the purpose of
flooding the hold. The deck hand ex-
claimed that the valve was red hot, in
dioating that it's connection below was in
contact with the flames.
Mate Shriver was just going on watch.
Seeting the flames he rushed to the roof
and shouted to Pilot Harry Doss that the
boat was on fire and TO run to shore with
all speed Then he hurried back to the
cabin and aided in arousing the sleeping
passengers. The big bell was rung four
times in quick succession and then with
one continuous clang
BY this time, brief though it was. the
forward port of the boat was in flames.
Pilot Doss remained bravely at his post
until the bow of the boat struck the bank.
Then he rang the bells for the engines
to STOP The timbers beneath were was
blazing and he was enveloped in smoke.
He leaped into the river and swan,
and an old time pilot, who was making
trip for pleasure, also sprang into the
river and, despite his 67 years, swan
ashore in safety but died a few minutes
later from exhaustion and excitement.
His body was brought to Cairo
''The flames spread with such rapidity
that passengers had no time to dress, but
they rushed to the guards and while many
sprang overheard to take their chances
between death by drowning, or death by
burning, others were assisted inta yawl
by Mate Shriver and Sailor Ed. B. Holly.
The latter had climbed one of the sup
ports that kept the yawl suspended. cut
the ropes and dropped the boat into the
river when it was filled with women and
children and hurriedly taken ashore, four
teen persons at a time. Several trips
were made but finally 1t became impossi-
BILE to approach the burning steamer and
the two men set themselves to saving
those who were afioat Quite a humber
were rescued a mile or two below the
wreck
Capt. j. NJ Phillips, master of the
boat, cannot give any explanation of the
fire, but thinks it possible the insulation
Of one of the electric wires may have
been cut and the wire exposed Captain
Phillips fioated ashore on feed trough,
his limbs having become cramped. rem
dering swimming impossible.
DR.. W. IT, Daugherty. with his wife and
baby. were en- route from Marion. KY,
to Charleston. Mo- He placed a life pre-
server around his wife, another on him
self and taking his baby in his arms,
lowered himself to the water by a rome
Then he held on until his wife followed
With their baby clinging with her arms
aobut his neck, they started to swim to
the shore, but the swift current carried
then down nearly two miles before they
were rescued by people on the bank
The child had in the meantime become
exhausted with cold and was unconscious
Her grasp relaxed, but her father grasped
her night dress in his teeth and held her
head out of the water When they were
rescued, he, too, was nearly exhausted.
The child was resuscitated and will live.