It mentioned my brother, and said he was not hurt.
Further up the river we got a later extra.

My brother was again mentioned; but this time as being hurt beyond help.

We did not get full details of the catastrophe until we reached Memphis.

This is the sorrowful story-- It was six o'clock on a hot summer morning.

The 'Pennsylvania' was creeping along, north of Ship Island, about sixty miles below Memphis on a half-head of steam, towing a wood-flat which was fast being emptied.
George Ealer was in the pilot-house-alone, I think; the second engineer and a striker had the watch in the engine room; the second mate had the watch on deck; George Black, Mr.Wood, and my brother, clerks, were asleep, as were also Brown and the head engineer, the carpenter, the chief mate, and one striker; Captain Klinefelter was in the barber's chair, and the barber was preparing to shave him.