Steamboat Scioto Wrecks
Article taken from The Daily Miner, Butte, Montana, July 7, 1882
Inspectors' Report
Wheeling, W.Va., Sept. 27-The local inspectors to-day signed
the report of their decision in the matter of the collision between
the John Lomas and the Scioto on the Ohio river, near Mingo, on the night of
July 4th, by which over 50 lives were lost.
They recommend that the license of Keller, pilot of the Scioto, be revoked;
and as to that of Long, of the Lomas, they disagree.
The matter was referred to the Supervising Inspector.
Recovering the Scioto's Dead
Wheeling. W. Va., July 5.-The scene at the wreck of the Scioto today almost beggats description; the anguish of those looking for lost ones adding to the wails and sobs of those bending over the inanimate forms of dead loved ones recovered from the water.
The associated press reporter arrived at the scene at noon, at which
time only nine bodies had been recovered.
Both banks of the river are lined with people, making a crowd of perhaps
2,000 persons, and the work of dragging in the
vicinity for bodies is still going on. William Mulholland, of Wellsville,
Ohio, under whose auspicis the excursion on the ill-fated
Scioto was given, said the boat took on about 200 passengers at East Liverpool,
and 250 at Wellsville. The boat was very much crowded and the Captain
refused to stop at other points where tickets had been sold. Taking his
statements with others, it is safe to say that 500 souls were on
board at the time of the collision. Captain Smith, of Martin's Ferry,
who was on the John Loinas, says:
When some distance from the Scioto, I noticed the boats would come together
and make preparations for the shock.
Both steamers had on a full head of steam, the Lumas going down the stream
at a rate of fifteen miles an hour, and
the ascending Scioto at the rate of twelve miles. It seems to be the prevaling
opinion that the collision resulted from
a misunderstanding or confusion of signals.