The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-04-08

inst, about five miles above Ste. Geneyieye. Mo-
mention of which had been made briefly in tele
graphic dispatches. The boat had on board about
niteen passengers one thousand tons of valuable
freight, and a full crew, destined for New Orleans
\ esterday we received the ST. Louis RepuIIican of
sunday morning, with corrected and fuller ac-
what follows:
At three and half o'clock on Friday mornino
flames were discovered issuing from the watchman's
locker, by the engineer on watch, which soon en-
| Ieloped the whole boat. The fire is supposed to
have originated from the accidental combustion of
camphene, which the watchman was using at tbe
time, probably in filling a lamp. The alarm was
given, and the engineer Immediately commenced un-
coiling the hose used for washing decks &C., for
the purpose ofturning stream of water on the fire:
but before he succeeded in arranging the hose the
| flames had spread through the whole deck and en-
| gihe room, and were communicating to the freight
| slowed there.
| ACTION OF THE OFFICERS.
The boat was under way at the time she took
| fire, and when the alarm became general was a
| short distance above the head of Ste. Genevieve
Island.
William Gray, the pilot on watch, Immediately
rounded her to for the shore, which she reached
and was made fast to a fallen tree. A stage plank
was launched, but before any of the passenuers or
crew could get ashore the line parted and the burn
ing boat drited down with the current. Another
report says thatby mistake, in the excitement
one of the engines was not stopped, but backing,
and this, together with the force of the current
tore up the boats fastening. We also learn that
the plank out and the boat at shore long enough
for many to have escaped had it not been for the
general desire to save baggage.
THE ONLY MEANS OF ESCAPE.
In this dilemma the only chance left the passen-
gers and crew for escape was to jump overheard
from the burning wreck. All except the officers on
watch were fast asleep at the time of the alarm and
the confusion and CONSERVATION which ensued was
indescribable.
The boats yawl, being at the stern, was inacces-
sibe, from the raging of the flames mid-ships, and
could not be brought to the rescue. Accordingly,
stages life-foats, planks and other light articles
were thrown overheard, and carried away their
burdens of living freight.
THE PASSENGERS.
There were about fifteen passengers in all--six
ladies and nine gentlemen-and they all rushed for
ward and jumped overheard; some on the life
floats and planks, and Others into the water. Of
the fifteen passengers only two ladies certainly
known to have been saved. Others NAV have
reached the shore in safety, and not since have been
heard from. The Falls City, which came up about
three hours after the disaster and while the wreck
was still burning brought up eighteen of the crew.
but not single passenger. Two of the ladies had
been seen by one of the crew who came up on the
Falls City.
The boat foated to the head of Ste Genevieve
Island and there lodged and burnt to the waters
edge. The Democrat of Saturday gave the follow
ing as the statement of Geo. Howard, the colored
porter:
q | was in the hall very early in the morning
and was thinking to proceed to do some scrubbinp
when the watchman came up stairs and into the
hall, and sat down by the stove. | requested him
to move, so that could attend to my task, but he
paid no attention, and by and by the engineer came
IN, and seeing the watchman there, when he should
have been either above below the cabin sked him
very angrily why he hadn't his lamps lighted, and
requested him to go about it at once instead of sit
ting where he was He obeyed by leaving at once
and going down stairs. Shortly after this | OBJ
served remarkable fitting kind of light through
the stained glass in the of the cabin which at
once reused my curiosity; although did not sus-
pect any thing wrong, and proceeded through the
ladies cabin and opened the door. but had to re-
treat instanty y-after however, shutting it-a blaze
OF fire having rushed in and almost scorched and
blinded me.
| sprang through the ladies' and gentlemen's
cabins, shouting fire fire and saw the ladies-of
whom there were six or seven, as passengers-ap-
pearing from their rooms, and rushing hurriediy
toward the forward part of the boat, and showed
some of them forward
When [ passed through the hall the clerk, Mr.
Moore, was in the office, apparently getting the
money from the SAFE The chambermad Deany
assisted through the hall and down the stairs and
would not allow her to put on her shoes, time be-
ing so precious. went down stairs and staid few
moments, then went up again, and met Moore COM
ing down. When went down again number of
men showing Il stage plank overheard | GOT
on to one, and dragged two ladies also upon it. one
OF them having child clasped in her arms. Their
names do not know, but they are now safe. We
foated down some distance, and a skiif made for u.s.
into which the ladies and child went and kept on
knowing L could easily get ashore from the plank.
The engineer, was told, jumped overheard with
a table in his hands. When was in the water, be-
hind the burning boat, | saw two ladies and the
chambermaid, Delany, borne by the current to
ward the wheel, and they were undoubtedly lost
The captain and mate ioated off together on a
plank.
Of the lost, so fas as known last evening, we give
the following names
James Pogue, Albert Pogue, Mrs Julius Pogue,
Lagrange, Mo-; Mrs. F. A. Cheatham, Baton
Rouge La; S. B. Voolfolk, Scottville, Illinois,
Henry Ely, Captain d. ID. Moore, Joseph Black
burn, St Louis; barkeeper, name unknown; Dennis
Callaghan, st: Louis; Patrick Donnell, cabin boy;
two other cabin boys, names unknown; the barber
three fremen and four deck passengers
The saved, as far as known,
Captain p. i. Hannum, Mr.. Barnes, L. T. Corr
Ira NJ. Blessing, H. w. Fairfont H. p. Blessing
St Louis; William Gray, pilot; Fred. Dove, mate,
Frank Harman, engineer; d. A. Mahoney, carpen-
ter; Martin Foy, steward James Wood, Henry
Parish and Henry Myers, cooks; Martin Dixon, sec
ond steward; Thomas Cannon, pantryman.
This we believe, is complete list of the lost and
saved, so far as known. There are several of the
gentlemen passengers, of whom there were eight or
nine to hear from.
STATEMENT OF CAPTAIN HANNuM
/ am, or rather was, the captain of the steamer
Sultan. | left st. Louis Thursday evening. and
when opposite Brickey's Landing it being about
halfpast three o'clock in the morning, being asleep
was aroused up by the watchman, who informed
me that the boat was on fire. | Immediately out
and discovered the fire to be in the watchman's
Toom captain brey, the pllOt, was at the wheel,
and rounded the boat to, and she was up to the
bank by the time | got to the fire. / saw that it
was useless to try and put the fire out and instantly
gave orders to stop the larboard engine-she was
then going ahead on both engines.
A line was got out, and some fifteen of the crew
jumped out to make it fast. | then started for the
cabin to see that everybody out, but the flames
had spread with such fearful rapdty that could
only get to the clerks office, and, in my efforts to
reach even that far, the heat of the flames was so
hot as to scorch my face, and the smoke thick
nearly to sufocate me- | started back for the fore
castle and found the boat swinging into the cur
rent. 1t seems, Immediately after | started for the
cabin, the line which held the boat fast had either
parted or torn up the sapng to which attached.
While up stairs the ladies and other passengers
on board had crowded upon the forecastle, and
then gave orders to launch overheard the "stages'
for the safety of their lives The ladies all got
on one of the stages and other passengers jumped
also, some jumping into the river and swimming
to the stages. | should have made use of the yawl,
but the flames cut off all communication to it, al
though it was in the water untouched. Mr.. Barnes,
the second clerk one of the assistant engineers
and three other persons and myself were the only
ones left on board after the stages drifted Off
L again started up stairs, and managed to make
my way up to the hurricane deck, and found the
larboard wheel was still going ahead, and tried to
if the engineer could not stop it. but the pilot
was gone. then returned to the forecastle, and
the flames were spreading fearfully; but the boat
was then burning clear to her boilers. As could
not swim and knew my chances to be rather slim to
reach shore without something to bear me up, the
assistant engineer and an Irishman assisted Inc to
launch the skid, which we all three got on.
There were two other persons on board, and they
refused to leave. Captain Moore, the first clerk,
jumped overheard with two sticks of wood. | did
not hear or see anything of him until l had been
about fifteen minutes in the water; he was then
swimming down with the current, and cried out to
me, Captain, is that you ?" 1 answered, "Yes,"
and he then wanted to know how he could get to
me- told him there possible way for him
to do so unless he would swim to me, and that /
That was the last | saw of him. Mr. Henry Ely, the
pilot, jumped overheard with table, and | saw
him about the time that Captain Moore
spoke to me. He also cried out to me and said
''keep in good spirits, Captain, we shall drift
ashore" asked him what part of the river we
were in, and he could not tell me, hut wanted to