Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1857-06-26
TERRIBLE CALAMITY!
Burning of the Steamship LOuisi-
ana i'm the Gulf of Mexico.
THIRTY NINE LIVES LOST.

THIRTY-NINE LIVES LOST.
An extra of the Galveston .News, of th,
3lst ult., furnishes full details of the sat
catastrophe, from which we make the follow.
ing extracts:
| 'sWe have to record one OF the mos
dreadful calamities that has ever happened
N this country. The Steamship Louisiana
Captain Sheppard, is now total wreck
having been burnt some six or eight miles
southeast Of tkis city, in the Gulf, about
o'clock, A.. M.
Our citizens were aroused by the unusual
hre alarm, as the FIRE was in full sight. The
first intelligence was the arrival of boat
from the unfortunate steamer, about sun rise
bringing ssme dozen passengers, our fellow
citizen, NJ Grover, being among the num-
Der.
Mr.. GrVer says that he bad berth on
the starboad upper deck--that the first
alarm Saspersons asking where the Are was,
about oneo'clock; be stepped out of his
room aud discovered smoke, but no fire
passed rond the stern to the larboard side.
where ne saw from twelve to twenty persons
preparingto launch the quarter-boat. A
moment ater the flames burst up amidships;
returned the starboard side, saw a few
lowering own the quarter-boat on that side
went to hiaroom, picked up his shoes and
coat, and eturned and slid down with
others intethe boat on the larboard side.
The engles were still running. but
fortunately tlp boat was lowered down with
out filling.
After getting adrift they looked to dis
cover if they cDuld fnd any person to take
on beard, but could see nobody. There
we're twelve nthe boat. Mr.. G. learned
from one 'n tle boat that the tiller-rope was
brOkeu-Fas probably burnt off, in con-
sequence Of wAich the steamer was unman-
ageable a. the commencement of the FIRE.
The first 'Forts Of the Captain and officers
appeared Z be to reach the freengine but
did not succeed. All the communication
between tb-forward aud after part of the
L--4 ~ s------ r,-,---.L.-,
broken ott near the furnace.
The lapoard boat was being launched |
when wegeutinto the other. He saw persons
on the toward part of the steamer throwing
things osr-the hatch doors, &c., for the
purpose saving themselves. The working
of the ensnes caused the steamer to leave
the boat rAdly, SO that those on the boat
were unatt to see or hear distinctly. Tue
boat landa on the beach, near the point,
about sutsr.
The spuship Galveston, reached her
wharf abt Z / A. NJ, and among others,
brough, J. Chas. II. Hughes, the Purser
Oh the lIlSiauh.
Mr.. Hhes confirms Mr.. Growers state
ment as cards the origin of the FIRE, which
broke oun the fre-room, twenty minutes
past He states that the passengers
were all 'eep when the fire broke out. that
the larbd boat capsized, and thinks some
six or eli persons were lost at that time.
Mr.. Fl. the engineer, Mr.. Finn, jumped
overboanpon the hatch door, which they
had thro over. He says, at that time.
there We some thirty around him on
boards sfurnitnre they had thrown over.
The CASTOR and other vessels subse-
quently xed up a number of other persons
Several sells were then employed to ply :
through Gulf in hope of picking up
others tlinight be floating about. {
There's large mail on board, and We
hear of lral large sums of money also ,
lost, being to passengers, together with !
one huul and Fifty beeves that we're on +,
board. :