Steamship Redstone
Covington Journal, Saturday, April 10, 1852, page 1
TERRIBLE CALAMITY
Particulars of the Explosion of the Steamer
Redstone
DEATH OF REV PERRY C SCOTT
We lay before our readers such such particulars of this dreadful
calamity as are furnished by extras of the Carrollton Mirror
and the Aurora Standard, together with information
derived from other reliable sources.
From the Carrollton Mirror Extra-Carrollton, Ky. 5 o'clock P.M. April 3d, 1852.
About half past two o'clock the Madison and Cincinnati packet, Redstone, passed this place. When about three miles above, it seems that she landed at the Kentucky side, and as she was backing out, her boilers exploded with a tremendous noise, tearing the boat to atoms and causing her to sink in less than three minutes in 20 feet water.
Several gentlemen here whose attention had been attracted to the boat's racing and the great quantity of steam she was working, saw the explosion. Her chimneys were blown half way across the river. It is said that all on board have perished.
LATER
We have returned from the scene which is entirely indescribable. Comparatively but few if any of her passengers were saved. The only officers saved are the Captain and First Clerk. The former will in all probability die. There were from 80 to 100 passengers, 60 to 75 of whom must be lost. The force of the explosion may be judged from the fact that two bodies and a part of the boiler was blown more than a 1000 yards from the wreck.
The boat was just backing out from Scott's Landing. Mr. R C Scanland, who got on at this place, was on the forecastle, and seeing the danger, went to the stern of the hurricane deck, and was by this timely forecast saved. Rev Perry C Scott, who was on a visit to his Parents, had just gone on board, and his Parents and Sisters standing on shore only to see him blown into eternity.
All the ladies on board thought to be saved. None of the eight persons who got on at this place were lost although several of them are badly hurt. We are indebted to our young friend, B Fraser, for an extra from the office of the Aurora Standard, dated yesterday afternoon, from which we extract the following.
Never was it our unfortunate lot to record a more melancholy circumstance than the explosion and burning of the Steamer Redstone yesterday, at Scott's Landing, Ky. The Steamers Hoosier State and Telegraph, which brought the sad news to our city last night, bore with them quite a number of the dead and wounded. The explosion took place at half past 2 o'clock P.M.
Those killed of the Redstone's crew were Lewis Berry, first Engineer, Brownsville Pa. Joseph R Berry, do; David Chamberlain, second Engineer, Madison Ind. 5 cabin boys, names unknown. Badly hurt-Captain T W Pate; Sidney Langley and Charles M Jackson, Pilots; Geo Bick, Pastry Cook; Samuel Fritz, first Cook; Henry Doyce, Fireman; four deck hands, names unknown. Slightly hurt-Geo Collard, Mate; Jno Wilson, Carpenter; Thomas Bates, Barkeeper.
Passengers killed-E J Durbin, James E Goble, and Mr. Crissman, Lawrenceburg; Rev Perry C Scott, Scott's Landing, Ky; Mr. Synder, Petersburg; and three or four others, names unknown. Escaped unhurt of the crew-O M Soper, first Clerk; Geo Segenget. Stewart; Mary Jackson, Chambermaid; and three deck hands.
Mr. O M Soren, first Clerk was blown some distance in the air, struck in the middle of the river and swam to shore, and then swam back and rescued Captain Pate, who was badly wounded from a watery grave. Mr. A Jones, 2d Clerk, had fortunately gone ashore a few moments before the disaster occurred. Every thing of her material and freight was destroyed. The Redstone had been recently place in the Madison trade in opposition to the regular packets. At the time of the explosion she was racing against time.
The tidings of the death of the Rev Perry C Scott, of this city will carry sorrow to thousands of hearts. With talents of a high order, respected for his manly bearing and beloved for his piety and cheerful, confiding disposition, he was but just entering upon the active duties of life. And rarely has anyone started out with fairer prospects for a long life of happiness and usefulness. But alas.
"What shadows we are---"
In the twinkling of an eye, in the act of
bidding adieu to his best loved friends, he is hurried from time to eternity by
a dreadful death. The explosion was terrible almost beyond precedent.
Language fails when it attempts to describe a scene made up of such devastation,
suffering and death.
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The Covington Journal, Saturday, April 10, 1852, page 2
Further Particulars of the Explosion of the Redstone
The Redstone landed to take in the Rev P C Scott, who had been on a visit to his father, and was going to Warsaw, where he had an appointment to preach on the following day. Mr. Scott was in the act of waving his hand in adieu to his mothers and sisters, who were standing on the bank, when the explosion occurred. Spectators on the shore saw him and others, with fragments of the boat, actually blown up in the air!
The books and papers were all burned and it will therefore be impossible to ascertain the exact number of lives lost. The second and fourth engineers were on watch when the explosion took place. Three of the engineers were killed. The first clerk was blown in the air and fell in the river, but swam ashore and escaped with some severe bruises. One of the pilots was killed and the other had an ankle broken. Some of the bodies were thrown on shore, several hundred yards distant. On the trees on the neighborhood were hung the tattered garments of the unfortunate beings.
Two little girls were sitting at the dinner table when the boat landed, but unable to drink their tea, on account of the shaking of the boat, became somewhat frightened and returned to the ladies cabin to read the Bible to drive away their fears. They were thus engaged when the Redstone blew up and were saved by a gentleman who had retreated also to the ladies cabin, fearing such a catastrophe.
We have just learned that the upper part of the body of Mr. Scott was found in the woods, nearly a half mile from the place of the explosion. It is pretty well ascertained that at least thirty-five persons were killed.