The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1851-05-19

Dno Aoi WV OIiednS, LOOK nre yesterday,
Friday, the I'd instantly at o'clock. P. M.
at the head Of Island No. Sc, and despite ali
exertions to arrest the flames, was burned 70
the waters edge. She had taken in n large
quantity OF wood about an hour previous to
the discovery of the fire, in which II or;e;,,a. !.
ted. The confusion, say the survivors, beg.
gars description. The flames spread with
such fearful rapidity, that most of the nas-
sengers and crew were panic-stricken. The
boat could not be run ashore, and she soon
aoated down the stream merciless, burning
wreck. We have heard, as yet, no censure
pronounced on the Captain and crew, but on
the other hand, are said to have labored
against the progress of the flames with unit
ring energy.
The following is list Of the missing, SUP.
posed to be drowned:
Capt. Samuel Reno, wife and child;
Mrs. Henry Harrison and child, wife Of
pilot;
Child of Mr.. Ruckman, pilot;
George Bloss, chief clerk;
John Campbell, second clerk; !,
Child of Mr.. Rodima, of New Orleans:
Mary Buckner, colored chambermaid
Chambermaid, name unknown,
Henry -, bar-keeper
J. A. Byrne, Cincinnati;
J. A. McCabe, and negro girl, Lynchburg
Va. O
Several others, names unknown, are miss.
ing.
LIST OF PASSENGERS SAvED.-Mrs. Dill;
Mr.. Rodima, wife and 2 children, N. o.; ],
L. Alcorn, Coahoma, Miss; J. A. Fraetas
N. Y; Seba French, Painville, Ohio; G. w,
McCabe, lady and 3 negroes, Lynchburg, Va.
E. A. Brown, Orleans county, N. Y; D.
Frazee, Done, KY; c. d. Ohian, IF. Mil.
Ter, Cincinnati; Adam Simpson, Vicksburg
d. B. Maynard, Friar's Point; L. c. Hecht
w. L. Townsend, Philadelphia; Miss Brook.
house, Cincinnati; J. d. Cranky, Mississip
pi; A. Simpson, Newport, KY; G. Wart
man, Cincinnati; 5. K. Easton, P. Morton
Friars Point; J. M. Miller, Aurora, Iowa
Shepherd Ruckman and wife, Cincinnati; p
o. Donnell, carpenter; Chas. Green, mate
S. Treat, I'd mate, Carl Hutliff, watchman
John Homer, engineer; Samuel Bickerstaff
I'd engineer; H. Harrison, pilot; S. G.. Wor
thington, Cincinnati; Anthony Julian, cabir
boy; J. Lally, porter; Jos. Shoul, cabin bow
J. E. Hukill, steward; J. Miller, A. Smith
deck hands; M. Fisher, ]. T. Parker; G. Hu.
lings, cook; N. D. Ward; l.. S. Stevens, S
Sinclair; A. Bickerstaff, engineer; |. Doug.
lass, r. Blakely, t. Wooden, J. Carper, 4
Darby, 0. Clark, ]. Fox, c. Jacobs, III. En-.
mis-, J. Conner, w. Morry, S. Holly, J. Stew
art, pastry-cook; V. Leban, J. H. Sherman,
P. Lexenborough.
The books, papers and money belonging to
the boat were all lost
Some of the passengers remained on the
wreck to the very last extremity, when the
lire touched even their persons and forced
them to the only alternative of risking their
lives by plunging in the river. The intense
heat of the fire and the great distance from
shore on either side, made it altogether an
emergency appalling to contemplate.
The hour the fire occurred was propitious.
for had it happened during the night, the
loss of life would have been terrible; but.
as it is, the calamity is dire enough, and will
rend many hearts.
Our iellow-townsman, Mr.. Adam Simp
son, was among the passengers, and we re-
Joice to say was most miraculol,sly saved
from watery grave. He clung to the side
of the boat with one hand by continually
changing his grasp, and bathing his head and
shoulders. The flames finally forced him to
seek the water, he caught charred fragment
of wood and fioated with it down the stream
for distance of two or three miles, when he
was most epportunely picked up. The
steamer New Orleans hove in sight about an
hour after the disaster. bound down, and
took on board the survivors, kindly render
ing such assistance as their situation deman-
ded.
The following account was furnished by a
passenger, Mr.. ]. A. Freatas, of New York.
A merciful Providence, 10 which we bend
our hearts, directed that the terrible calamity
should take place in the broad hours Of day,
and to this we owe many of our lives. The
night before, the wind had been high and
piercing, and the sky very dark. Had we to
contend against these in connection with
what many of us so manfully braved, the
destruction would have been very great. The
spot on which the confagration took place,
learn is fatal, doomed spot, on the Missis-
sippi. 1t is called Kentucky Bend, island SO
and 81 in the chart, and it is here some two
or three steamers have been DESTROYED by a
similar casualty. Not one minute, seeming
ly elapsed between the alarm, ere the flames,
beaten up by the wind, clung to, and envel-
|oped the whole boat. Some of those who
escaped had to cling for hours to snag--
among whom was the writer of this account
with, unfortunately no power to render as
sistance; but doomed to be sad spectators to
the terrible scene. Gracefully the burning
boat, now completely at her own course, bore
away with her load of agitated victims. the
flames bursting from her in every part, and
into which, titfully, with a despaifing scream,
passenger after passenger plunged or were
precipitated into the river. n
Among the many heroic acts saw, par
ticularly noted the conduct of Miss G. Dill,
Of Dalton, Pa. Not seeming to regard her
own safety, in the moment when ali Others
were flying one way and another, she seized
two little girls, children of q Frenchman. a
passenger, and with them plunged into the
water, and by her intrepidity saved them. -
10 such noble conduct be forever praise =
Another lady, Miss Margaret Brookhouse
jumped from the hurricane deck at the sug.
Igestion Of her friend and was saved--thus
daring an element scarcely less terrible thar
the one she was fleeing from. Capt. Case, o.
I the storeboat Grey Eagle, deserves the iighesl
lgrattutde Of thesuffereTs. He literally clothef
( the naked" gave them shelter, distributed
shoes among the barefooied freely, refusin,
- 4snv, st,Y.4o.... -. -.