M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-04-13
From the yicksburg Sentinel Extra.
BURNING OFTHE BULLETIN!
Great Loss of Life!!
sEnr.sEL orrlcr, vieksburgh. March .:

SESrlEEL OFFICE, yieksburgh. March 25.
The Memphis and New Orleans pack.
ct Bulletin, Capt. c. B. Church, willis;
on her downward trip, aud near islands
96 and 81. took FIRE on Saturday after.
noon, about 4o'clock, snd was totally
consumed. In addition to the destruc-
tion of the boat, we regret to have 20
record great loss of life. The FIRE was
first discovered, in the third or fourth
tier of cotton from above ami ia less
than five minutes, so rapidly did it eX'
tend. that the boat was almost entirely
developed in flames.
Below will be found the proceedings
of "a meeting OF the passengers, which
contain full account o: this sad casual
~. The books and greater part Of the
papers belonging to the boat, were des-
troyed, together with the baggage of the
passengers.
FULL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF THE PAS
sENGERs,
At meeting Of the surviving passsu-
gers Of the i'll. fated Buleien, Gen. VIM.
Wick, Of Bolivar county, Miss, was ca
led to the Chair. and J. NJ. Craig. Of Chi.
cot county, Arkansas, and was chosen
Secretary, whereupon the following pro.
ceedinss and statements were had: The
boat was found TO be on FIRE when near
the Islands 9G and 81, about four and a
half o'clock, p. NJ, the wind at the
time blowing hard. Capt. c. B. Church
gave the order TO make the shore as soon
as possible. Mr.. w. J. Miller. Ghe pi
lot at the wheel, stood firmly at his post
until the boat struck the shore, and then
made his pc from the flames by
Jumping off the hurricane loof at The
stern of the boat into the river. He ex.
ercised as we'll fine judgment in the Sc
lection of point at which to reach the
land, at or before which The beat wsi
encompas,ed in flames. having on board
about 500 bales Of cotton.
Some Of the passengers succeeded in
Jumping on shore from the forecastle
but the large majority were cut OF from
their escape forward. by the flames, be
ing in the river part of the boat. apt
G. b Church, together with Messrs
Freleigh, Porter and Robinson, clerks
Mr. Brown, the mate,as we'll as all the
other officers of the boat, worked viii
faithful fidelity in saving the passen
gers from watery grave. Capt. ChurcI
with Mr.. James Howard. the steward
were the last to leave the wreck, nd
after rendering every assistance possibl,
in his power to others, jumped into tht
river at a distance of some two or thre,
hundred yards from the shOre, and but
for the timely aid rendered him by
skitf going to his rescue. was in grea
danger OF losing his own life.
This i'll fated accident occurred nea
the landing Of DR.. Keene, some l2 mile
below Lake Providence, at whose hous,
as well as that of Judge Morgan, ever,
comfort was rendered 10 the passenger,
under their hospitabIe roofs. Durinl
the scene Of danger, very great assis
tauCe was rendered by the timely aid o
the officers of the steamer Falcon, b,
picking up, by means Of her small boat
many persons who were struggling in tn,
river, but for which the number of live
lost would have been much larger
Great assistance vas also rendered Il
the sufferers by the captain and crew
of coal boat, which was floating in tn,
river near by, whose names we have no