The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-06-16
TERRIRIE CALAMITY.

II ~~@-@~~~~A@&>
The Galveston iTexa<) papers of the 1st
instant, contain accounts of the burning of
the steamer Louisiana within eight miles of
that city, and the supposed loss of SIS lives.
| The Louisiana sailed from New Orleans for
Galveston with 184 passengers, of whom
but 40 are accounted for. The statement
of Andrew Smith, the second mate of the
steamer, is as follows:
WAS his watch on deck at the time of the
disaster About 123 o'clock, A. NJ, discov-
cred the lighthouse ; changing the course of
the ship norteast by east, in seven fathom
water in the time then called up the cap
tain. Shortly after he came on deck. Mr.
/ Brown, the Waterman. reported the ship on
of pine wood. I was heaving the lead
abreast of the pilot house. We all three,
(the captain. Waterman and MYSELF went
down on the main deck looked down the
forward hatch. and saw smoke between
decks, but no fire. The captain ordered
me to screw on the hose to the fire engine.
attempted to do so. but was prevented by
the flames which burst suddenly from the
fire room and rapidly assembled the COM
panion way abandoned the attempt. and
started to see to the boats; went first to
the port quarter boat, cut away the LASH
ings and made arrangements to lower it
MIR CLARK, the chief officer. ordered me to
hold on the boat to the last minute. About
twenty persons then rushed from the sa-
loon into the boat. then ran to the star
board side, to clear away the starboard boat.
The smoke was so dense had to feel my
way to the lashngs, which I Immediately cut;
| took charge of the forward lashings, and
asked if there was any one i'll charge of the
after lashings. Mr. Clark replied that there
was. We then lowered the boat even to the
guard. Clark insisted that we should hold
on to the last minute. and save all we could.
Some twelve passengers then got into the
boat, (three white and two black females, a
child, and six men, making with myself thir-
teen.) CLARK then left and went to another
part of the ship. l told the passengers in
the boat, to await my return, and started to
see what they were doing with the port boat:
it was gone. Ithen attempted to go forward.
but was prevented by the flames. Returned
to the starboard boat, and called for every
one to come, but no others came. 1t being
impossible to remain any longer, ordered
the after fall to be cut away, at the same
time letting so the forward fall. The per-
son who cut away the fall fell or was acct
| Al n A.
ladies said it was her brother. At the time
we let 60, the engine was at work, and the
ship running at full speed. The fire was
forward and aft, and the rigging was in
blaze to the masthead. We landed on the
beach, near the point, about sunrise, all
safe"
Captain John E. Wheeler, passenger,
made the following statement:
Mr. Wheeler did not awake till about the
time the larhoard quarter boat was being
lowered down with some twenty persons in
her. and among them several ladies. He
saw the boat capsize as she struck the wa
ter. He saw the ladies go under the boat,
with some of the men and thinks most, if
not all of them. were drowned. He then
made an exertion and passed the fire amid
ship, and reached the forward part of the
boat, where he found large number of
passengers and others, none appearing to
know what to do to save themselves. The
captain was then alone in the pilot house.
At first he told them not to leave the boat.
as he thought they would be saved. as he
was then heading the boat in shore. But
soon after the tiler rope broke, when he
came down and advised all to save them
selves the best way they could. They then
began to leave the boat, some taking chairs.
benches. &c, and others the hatchway door,
or what ever they could get. Mr. Wheeler
threw over two chairs tied together, and
then let himself down by a rope, and saved
himself by holding on to the chairs with his
hands and swimming with his feet. There
were five or six others floating near him or
) in sight, in like manner. He saw the Gal
weston come i'll sight just at daylight, and
in some half an hour after he and the others
near him were taken on board.
| Among the passengers saved were DR..
Arnold of Missouri, A E Frisbee of New
York, and Captain Sheppard of the Louisi-
ana.
| Among those lost are Col. cambridge, U.
S. A. whose body has been recovered; Lacy
Jones and wife; Mr. Fuchland, Aaron
Clark. and Joseph Hamilton.
Capt. John E.. Wheeler lost 81 900 in
specie. ]. NJ. Foster $4,000, Mr. Cleveland,
of Lavaca. $4,000; Mr. WE'LL, of Goliad,
| $3,UOO. and many others lost smaller
amounts.
! THE ''PLUG UGLIEs."-The Washing
ton Intelligencer of the 4th inst, says:
''In evidence of the degree of humanity
and decency possessed by the thirty plug
uglies' who SO pracipi;ately decamped by
the 3 O'Clock train on Mondyy afternoon,
| bo c%.+o hot h..