The Horrendous "Reindeer" Disaster
Cannelton, Indiana
On Monday, March 13th, 1854, the peaceful quiet of Cannelton, IN was rudely rocked by a huge explosion, drawing startled residents down to the waterfront. The tremendous boom reached across the flowing waters to arouse citizens of Hawesville, KY. The steamer "Reindeer" was bound for St. Louis when both flues of her starboard boiler exploded as she was rounding out into the river from Boyd's wharf-boat about ten o'clock at night. The report of the explosion scattered misery and death in all directions and caused a general rush of citizens to the scene, which was at once frightful and heartrending.
Forty to fifty persons were killed and wounded. Many other deceased were blown into the river and drowned. Little hope was entertained of the recovery of many victims. None of the officers except the first mate and second engineer, were injured. Despite the cries for help and the harrowing screams of the scalded sufferers, immediate assistance could not be rendered, as the high stage of flooding of the Ohio made it hazardous to approach the crippled steamer in small boats. Everything possible was done to alleviate the agony of the wounded, but all were fearfully injured, some having arms or legs broken, besides terrible burns, and the flesh of some was so scalded that it literally fell from the bones in attempting to remove their clothing.
It seems the boat became entangled in some coal boats lying at the Cannelton wharf. These boats made her careen very much to one side, upon which the water spilled out of two of her boilers, causing the overheated power plant boiler to blow up causing the flues to collapse. Nearly everyone on board suffered the unexpected eruption of scalding steam and hot water, and many expired during the agonizing misery of the next few hours. The "Europa" and "Magnolia" however, chanced to be coming up and succeeded in getting the "Reindeer" under control, landing her some distance below. The dead and injured were moved to a large salon on shore and placed on mattresses.
Father Bede O'Connor, Roman Catholic pastor at St. Patrick's Church at Cannelton heard the explosion and hurried to the site taking along his holy oils. He had someone with a small boat take him out to the wreck. The mourning, weeping and screams filled the air. The bodies were horribly scorched and mangled. Limbs and body parts lay on the deck. Most were badly scalded with flesh dropping off their bones. Father Bede passed from victim to victim giving the sacramental absolution, the sacrament of extreme unction and words of Christian consolation.
The following are excepts of Father Bede's detailed and touching thread account of the tragedy. "I first visited the wreck by a small boat. It was a gruesome sight. I attended some of the victims and then returned to the shore. I went to the salon where a man tried to persuade me not to enter. He said the site was too gruesome that he himself could not endure it. I assured him that a Catholic priest does not visit such scenes out of curiosity, but out of love of God and of man. I worked with love and Christian consolation. The room was filled with pleas for help, the moaning and weeping of children, and death was a blessing to many.
I returned to the ship to help console the many victims. I knelt by an Irish girl about 18 and 19 years whose whole body was scorched and burned. In great pain she was screaming constantly. I spoke to her, 'you are suffering in great pain?' she did not answer nor look at me, her eyelids being swollen shut from the burns. 'I am a Catholic priest.' Her hips moved with great effort. 'You are?' And with super human effort she opened her eyes and for joy began to sob and weep and sing. She stretched forth her bloated hand. She said 'Oh Father give me your hand.' 'It would hurt you if I were to press your hand: It is burnt.' 'Oh God! Oh God!' She continued. 'How shall I thank Thee O Father dear Father, now that God has sent you to me I shall gladly die.' I gave her the sacraments. She became quiet and calm.
I passed two small boys, their screams of pain stilled in death. The skin and flesh hung in shreds from their hands. I moved onto an athletically built Irish lad who, dying, was filling the room with the continued, loud potential cry, 'O my poor naked soul!' To him my visit was the appearance of an angel from heaven. It was impossible to describe the visible joy that pervaded his whole body at the hearing of the words 'I am a Catholic Priest.' On death his voice was stilled, his soul safe with God.
I was greatly touched by an Italian. I first addressed him in English. He answered mournfully in Italian 'Io non capisco' (I don't understand). Father Bede answered 'Io sono sacredote Catholic.' (I am a Catholic priest). He extended his quivering, bandaged hand toward me and looked into my face with tender affection as though wanting to embrace me. I gave him the sacraments.
The angel of death spared no one taking complete families. One boy about 6 years of age felt death coming closer and closer to him He knew that his parents and two brothers, and a sister, all little ones, were among the wounded. As I one time gave the little fella a drink of water he said 'Good man take me to Momma and Papa. I'd like to say goodbye to them, and I want to kiss my two little brothers and Nanette, and I want to die at their side. You know mama, I must see her once more and oh I am dying, take me please.'
The words spoken in great pain and love, touched us! We took the boy and placed his mattress alongside that of his mother, and despite his pain the little one felt so well at being again with his mother, and being able in his childlike manner to encourage her.
The suffering both of body and mind of his mother was in her eyes and voice. By her lay her family awaiting death. Papa, Billy, Johnny and Nanny. Soon they would be in heaven, and oh, the mother! She suffered in body all that is possible for a human being to suffer, yet she cried not out in pain, she did not want to frighten her children.
She could not lift her body to comfort them. She could only comfort her little one with words of love, 'My child. My dearest child. My dear Josie.' As the morning came the family died. In death they will be together forever."
Toward morning the steamer "Magnolia" took the "Reindeer" across to Hawesville, where on the following day the bodies of the deceased were given reverent interment in one huge grave in the Hawesville cemetery. It was the final resting place for thirty-eight lifeless bodies of the ill-fated passengers. A gravestone on the northeast edge marks the location where the victims were buried which is still pointed out in the Hawesville cemetery.
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