Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-03-20
BURNING OF THE ORL1sE ST. JoHN-We
,onv from tho Mobile REGISTER of FRIDAY. the

BURNING OF THE ORL1sE ST. JoHN.-We
copy from the Mobile Register of Friday, the
following account Of the terrible disaster:
The painful intelligence of the burning of the
Orline St. John and the loss of a number of
valuable lives, including among them several of
our esteemed friends and fs3low-citizens, was
fully confirmed Yesterday. by the arrival of the
Daniel Pratt. The st. John was on her up
ward trip with some sixty passengers, severalo of
whom were females. On the afternoon Of
Tuesday, the 5th instant, as the boat was turn
ing a bend in the river about five miles above
Bridgeport, near Hurricane Bluff, in Wilcox
county. . fire was discovered to have broken out
forward in the wood rack, and although the
alarm was instantly given, 80 rapid was the
progreas ofthe flames, that all egress from the
cabin on the upper deck was cut of: The bow
of the boat was rpm ashore, but the t'lIer rope
being burnt, the stern swung into the stream
Means were found to lower the passengers m
to the main deck aft, but the yawl, which might
have been brought to their rellef, was taken
possession Of BY the carpenter ana tWo or
three Of the hands, who sprang into IT, without
oars and set it adrift, thus Totally destroying all
hopes ofescape from that quarter. They who
could swim leaped at once into current, but the
women and children and the men unt.ught in
the swimmers art, were left to perish by one
or the other ofthe hostile elements.
We learn that of the women and children on
board, not one escaped. Among them were
Mrs. and Miss Vaughn, who had spent some
time in this city, and Mrs. Mckain, Of South
Carolina. Of our resident citizens we have to
lament the death Of 6. F. Lindsay. Esq, who, it
is said, could not swim, and Mr.. +. H.. Brooks,
a bookseller on Water street. There may have
been others, but as all the records and papers
of the boat were destroyed, we are without the
means at present Of ascertaining the extent OF
the calamity. There. are said to have been nine
woman and three children on board. though
some accounts make the number less. We have
many interesting particulars connected with
this sad catastrophe, but they do not come to
ms In such a connected from as TO authorize their
publication. It is estimated that about forty
persons pe.ished by the disaster. There wasa
very large amount of property in money and
goods on board the boat, and but a small part
Of it covered by insurance. The boat, we I'M
derstand, was insured to the amount OF sixteen
thousand dollars, in three of the city Offices
After writing the above, q friend who was HIM
self apassenger on the boat, and whose escape
was almost miraculous, kindly furnished US
with the following %accountof the disaster:
At your request l will relate to you as many
Of the circumstances attending the recent loss
Of the steamboat Orline st. John, as just now
occur to my recollection. About half-past four
or FIVE o'clock on Tuesday evening, March 5th,
the alarm of fire was given, the boat being then
about three miles above Bridgeport on her pas
sage Ep the river. Some thirty or forty cords
of pitch pine had been taken on board a short
time before, between the piles of which doubt
less some sparks found their way and 'gniteo
before it was discovered. So rapid was the
spread Of the fire that Notwithstanding the
steady presence of mind on the part OF tne
pilot in steering the boat towards the shore the
moment he became aware of the disa stsr, there
were but few persons able to make their escape
over the bows of the boat. The forward stair
case was soon enyeloped in flames and the "lnd
drove the flames and smoke. in suffocating vol
umes aft. Thus It was that 80 many persons
found themselves compelled to leap from the
stern into the current ofthe river where perhaps
it runs with IS great rapidity as in any portion
Of its career. From the information can gather
and nv own recollection, / suppose there were
seven ladies' in the cabin and four OF 8 children,
not one ofwhom was saved. Their agonizing
prayers and shrieks are yetringing in the ears OF
al who heard them. One mother placed her
child upon a mattrass and vainly endeavored to
boast with the resistless stream, but though
aided eventually by the praiseworthy exertlons
Of the chief mate She and the object Of her 6lial
struggles were soon buried beneath the waters.
A father (Mr. Thos. CARSON was drowned in
his fruitless efHofts 10 save his son, though en-
nn,,sn~o4 IN his 3.s1snp nvopksouo hu tho hornJn
boy. A woman, the wife of adeck passenger,
it is said, was seen on her knees enyeloped in
flames, but was observed subsequently to cast
herself from the burning wreck. -Four persons
were saved by a skiff, after having f0zted down
to Bridgeport on boards and barrels, and five
others, two or three miles below-the last after
the shades Of night hadgathered over them, and
exhausted, numbed and cramped, they had given
npall hopes Of a rescue.
sho uld suppose from what I have heard,
that at least from twenty-five to forty per
sons have persisted. A large quantity Of Cali
fornia gold dust, ingotsaDdcoin. waslost in the
trunks Of the passengstssana. q large amount
of money and treasuEsN Nas deposited in the
strong box Of which latter there are some
reasonable hopes Of recovery. So delightful
and absorbing in the consideration Of raseued
existence, that those who have in this fatal
accident lost all the rewards of q life Of toll,
have received with cheerfnlness the congratula-
|tions of their friends, and deprived even Of
necessaryclothing, have proceeded with thank
fnlness to their families and friends. That
model Of American gentleman, Col. Preston, of
South Carolina, will perhaps not pardon my OBJ
tsuding his name before the public in recording
bis noble prefsrs Of his princely, purse to the
destitute sufferers The neighbors, Jutlge
Bridges and Mr.. Pathway, also deserve the