William W. Hanley

William W. Hanley[1]

Male 1836 - Aft 1868  (> 33 years)

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  • Name William W. Hanley 
    Born 1836  West Virginia, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Newspaper 10 Dec 1868  [2
    Gallipolis Journal (Gallipolis, Ohio), 10 December 1868-p2 

    • TERRIBLE STEAMBOAT DISASTER
      GREAT LOSS OF LIFE
      TWO STEAMERS BURNT
      —We copy from the Cincinnati Commercial of Monday:
      —Between the hours of 11 and 11:30 o'clock, Friday night, the large splendid three-deck Louisville and Cincinnati United States Mail Line steamer United States, descending, and her consort the queenly America, ascending from Louisville, collided when opposite Rayl's Landing, in the Ohio River, one mile above Warsaw, Kentucky, causing the sinking of the former in a few minutes. The United States was immediately enveloped in flames, which were instantly communicated to the America, both steamers being completely destroyed in less than five minutes. Fortunately there were only seventy-five cabin passengers on the United States, more than half of whom, we fear, are lost. The reports of officers and passengers on the United States are conflicting, but as near as we can ascertain forty-five passengers, including eighteen or nineteen ladies, and in addition seven of the officers and cabin crew, while out of twenty-two of the deck only four, are known to be saved. The accident is attributed to mistake in the whistles. The wind was blowing hard upstream at the time, and it is claimed that the America's pilot could not hear the whistle of the United States descending. Captain Jacob Reemelin and his striker, Wm. Turpin, were at the wheel of the United States, while Napoleon Jenkins was at the wheel of the America. It is proper to add that the pilots on both steamers are old and reliable officers. Captain Reemelin has been piloting for thirty years, twenty-five of which were in the service of the Louisville Mail Line, while Mr. Jenkins has been employed exclusively in the same trade during the past fifteen years.
      —Mr. W. W. Hanly, of Cincinnati, and son-in-law of Mr. James Riggs, of this county, was a passenger on the United States. He makes the following statement:
      —We left Cincinnati at half-past six o'clock, Friday evening. The night was a cold and raw one, and most of the passengers remained in the saloon. After supper quite a number of us engaged in serenading two couples who were on board— one an old married pair, the other a young bride and groom. --These festivities were kept up till a pretty late hour, and it is to this serenade that I have to attribute my life, and so too, have many of those who were saved. It was about half past eleven, I suppose, when Captain Wade came down to tell us that it was time to stop. We began at once to prepare for our state rooms, and in ten minutes more we should all of us have been in bed. Just then there came a terrible crash— came upon us in an instant, without any warning. No signal had been heard, neither from our own boat, or any other. I thought, however, at once that we had collided with some other boat, and started at once for the stern of the "States." But before I could reach it, I heard some cries and a shout of "fire" from the forward cabin. As I looked I saw the flames already bursting out. I knew in a moment what had happened, for I had noticed on the lower deck a large lot of petroleum—some two hundred barrels, I suppose. This had taken fire, I thought— thought of it, sir, much quicker than it takes me to tell you.
      —I ran at once to the lower deck and jumped into the water. We were then, I should think, about fifty yards from the shore. Many of those who were in the ladies' cabin also plunged in with me. The heat from the burning vessel was so great that as I floated along by its side, I suffered much, and was a good deal singed. But I managed at last to reach the shore. Some of those around me sank and were drowned. Others were swept by the current into the midst of the petroleum which had spread over the river for, I should think, two hundred yards or more, and were burned to death.— These deaths I saw while I was myself in the water. A minute or two later I reached the shore. This was not more than two minutes after the first alarm had been given. But in even this short time all shouts and shriekings had died away. One could only hear the crackling of the flames as they fairly licked up the great boats, and occasional splashings as a chance swimmer would buffet the waves.
      —But one calamity I saw Which I shall never forget. The yawl of the United States was lying just by our spars, litterally crowded with human beings.— The pilot of the America could not see them, and went right over the yawl.— Every one of her, sir, must have been drowned or crushed to death. I don't believe that one was left to tell the story of the death of the others.
      —A Correspondent of the Gazette says:―
      Warsaw, Ky, December 5.
      —Your correspondent last night witnessed the most terrible and destructive steamboat disaster that ever occurred, within his knowledged, on the Ohio river, or on any of the waters of the United States. At about 11 0'clock P. M., yesterday (4th inst.,) the steamer United States, from Cincinnati, and the America, from Louisville, collided about one mile above this place. At the moment of collision both steamers took fire on their bows, from the bursting of some barrels of cmbustible fluids―coal oil and whisky―which was instantly ignited in some way The flames spread rapidly till the conflagration could be seen for many miles around. In the meantime, both steamers made for the Indiana shore, which was successfully reached by the America, but not by the United States. The latter sunk to the depth of about ten feet, at a distance of about one hundred feet from land. Here both steamers were burned to the water's edge, all the freight being lost. The very river seemed to be on fire for many hundred feet around, the oil thrown upon the water having taken fire, perhaps preventing many of the passengers and crew from jumping overboard and making their way to shore. Thus, doubtless, a greater number of lives were lost on the burning boats than otherwise would have been.
    Died Aft 1868 
    Person ID I6886  TangledRoots
    Last Modified 27 Mar 2021 

    Family Elizabeth Susan Riggs,   b. 1 May 1837, Ohio, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 23 Feb 1904  (Age 66 years) 
    Married 16 Feb 1861  Gallia County, Ohio, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [3, 4
    Last Modified 16 Jan 2022 
    Family ID F2778  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart