Year: 1859




thrilling narratives by those on board the ST.
Nicholas, of the terrible explosion of that yes.
sell. There were about forty lives lost, including
e son of Gen. Gideon ]. Pillow. Mr.. Gilman
the second Clerk, was in his berth at the time
of the accident, and when lie awoke to con
seriousness he was on his mattress, floating in the
river, a hundred yards from the boat. He
reached the shore without assistance Though
badly scalded, he has furnished an account of this
affliotive calamity, from which we extract the
leading particulars:


About two hours before the explosion l re-
paired to the Office and pulling off my coat and
vest, laid down on the bed for a nap previous to
arriving at Helena. Being very tired soon fell
asleep. The explosion took myself and bed
bodily up through the roof, dropping me at least
one hundred feet from the boat on the Mississip-
pi side. The transformation was complete my
position on the bed floating down the river was
precisely as when lay down to sleep in fancied
security. My sudden removal was not attended
by the slightest sense of pain, and the shock was
not more than sufficient to bring me to con-
sciousness. At first | supposed | was in the
midst of horrible dream, then that had acci-
dentally fallen into the river, as all was still as
death on the boat called out loudly help !
help! man overheard, but met with no response.


In another moment the means OF the scalded
and wailings of the passengers filled the air, and
the utmost confusion prevailed. | retained my
position on the bed, not knowing how trail my
support might be. For half an hour tioated a.
long. reclining on the bed. | burst not even
turn my head, and looked constantly in the di-
rectiou the current swayed my bed. Sometimes
| was witnessing the horrors attending the burn
ing boat, then for some minutes would be facing
the shore. In about fifteen minutes second
explosion occurred, and Immediately after the
boat seemed on fire in every part. Lying on my
bed heard the terrific cries of the women for
help could see them on the hurricane deck
clinging together; saw them descend and jumpin-
to the river could see them clinging together
there could see and hear them imploring for
rescue; saw them sink and pass from life unto
death. The scene was most horrible, and l
turned my eyes away unable to witness all the
horrors. After floating for half an hour great
splashing in the water attracted my attention.
A lot of cattle hearing human voice, were
swimming wildly toward me; they seemed to
fairly Jump, so eager were they to approach me.
These cattle were blown from the wreck, and
they seemed fastened together some way among
them were two or three bloated carcasses: and,
as saw them approach Inc, with their glisten. :.
ewes glarng demon like at me, l thought all
hope of safety was past. ! uttered the most
feryent PRAYER that ever escaped my lips, and
awaited calmly my fate Just as the cattle aap-
proached my bed, stepladder came floating
past. and with q stick pulled it towards me-
In the meantime the cattle tried to mount the
bed and sunk it. With one hand clung to the
ladder and with the other drove the cattle away
with the stick, when my bed arose and once
more took q seat upon it and so tioated tor an
hour longer. In the meantime boat with four
men passed within hundred yards of me, but
refused to take me in. foated across the bows OF
the Susquehanna, which boat was lying to pick
ing up the sufferers, but could gain no notice
from her. By this time had hoated down two
miles below the mouth of the St. Francis river,
when nv cries for help was responded to from
the shore, and was encouraged to hold out as
long as possible. A skiff put out from the plan
tation, guided by my continual cries, and in a
bout two hours from the time of the explosion
was picked up. On landing l found five others
who had been rescued, one of whom was the
watchman, who was dreadfully burnt. The
others were cabin boys. In an hour the Susque-
hanna came along. The captain sent some of
the crew for US, who carried US In chairs through
cotton patch on board the steamer where our
wounds were dressed. We arrived at Memphis
Monday morning where the whole city turned
out and offered US assistance. My clothes were
cut from me, and in common with the rest was
bathed in lnseed oil, of which fortunately, three
barrels were on board as freight. The sufferers
were lying about on the cabin floor, some of them
in death agonies, others groaniDg and crying out
with pain. 1t was q sickening sight. AS lay
in my berth, | saw three men expire before we
reached Memphis.


STATEMENT OF THE PILOT.


7 fell in on the boilers and when the smoke
cleared, found those in the ladies' cabin in con
sternation, all huddled together. The fire was
raging back towards the ladies' cabin, took them
down on the lower deck, they had to jump a
distance OF about eight feet; caught them as they
jumped. When got down on the lower deck to
secure the yawl for the women, found that the
mate had taken it forward with the intention OF
trying to put the fire out at the bow. The yawl
was thus soon filled with deck hands, hremen, the
head clerk, and two female deck passengers.
The yawl being gone, went back upon the roof
and with the assistance of my partner, Mr.. Ed.
Stephens, we threw the life boat overheard on
the larboard side. Mr.. Stephens went below,
and | saw him no more.


When got back on the lower deck could not
find the life boat The steward had it under the
starboard guard for the purpose, as he said, of
saving the women as they jumped overboard.-
But before any of the ladies could get in, it was
filled by men, all of whom were saved. Finding
could not obtain the life boat, | climbed upon
the ladies' cabin guards, and got lot OF door
blinds and gave one to each of the live ladies
besides this each one had life preserver around
her body. With tears in their eyes they implor-
me to stay with them, jump off and let them
hold on to me. They asked me if they should
Jump overheard told them no; to stay until
the fire drove them off, or the yawl came to
their rescue.


By this time the Susquehanna's yawl had
started from that boat to come to our help; when
it got pretty near to us | was afraid it might
stop at the larboard wheel house to rescue some
men there who were hallOoing for assistance.
: went to the wheel to jump overheard, to swim to
the yawl to have it brought to the assistance OF
the ladies'; and by the time had got into the
river and swan few strokes, saw the yawl
turn back to the Susquehanna, as | afterwards
IS understood. to bail her out. Finding myself in
the river, and not being able to get back to the
r ladies. | swan around the bow of the boat
there found stick of wood with which swan
p back in the direction of the stern, and found
thew had all been forced off the boat by the
8 flames. This is the last that | saw of any OF
them, except Miss Ella Kennedy, who told me
IS that she caught hold OF an iron ring in the hull,
s Just back of the wheel, and that the wind was
Q blowing up stream, and that the current, which
was running faster than the boat forced the re-
mainder under the wheel, where they perlshed.
Miss Kennedy states that Mrs. Ben. CLINE
q hoated up to where she was hanging on. She
g held her for time, but the current was too
K strong and she was forced to let her co. l saw
one woman, with her babe olasped in her arms,
!, Jump off and drown before lett the boat but
u cnnld NOT assist them. Finding the woman had