The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-03-04
Burning of the Steamer Henry "A.
Jones.

On Saturday afternoon, the steamer "Henry 4.
JONES' Captain VIM. Knight, of the Cincinnati
and Marietta packet line, started from Cincinnati
for Parkersburg, having on board twenty-five pas
sengers and a good load Of freight. About 10
o'clock at night, the second steward, John Boyd.
went into the pantry for the purpose of preparing
the usual u O'Clock lunch for the crew, and in
attempting TO fill the burner under Il coffee urn
with alcohol. fire communicated to the tin
caa containing the fluid which burstin instant,
scattering thsukl klcohol over the room, envelopiRg
the whole 9efior in flames. The Gazette says:
The cook of the boat. James Wilson, was sit
ting ia the pantry reading, aud his person, as well
as that of Boyd, the steward, was covered with
fire. the latter being almost developed in flames.
The face, hands, arms, breast and back of both
were very badly burnt, and Boyd is supposed to
have been badly burnt internally.
The watchInan of the beat heard the explosion,
and Immediately gave the alarm to the pilot at
the wheel. john Case, who headed the beat for the
Kentucky shore, about 10 yards distant. and run
the BOW aground about Is yards of the bank of
the river. The passengers had all retired for the
night, but were quickly aroused from their beds,
aud notwithstanding the rapid progress of the
flames. which spread over the entire upper part
the boat in fifteen minutes all were saved by the
small boat. Fortunately the only woman on board
was the chambermaid, who wac rescued from the
water when almost exhausted. Two men Jumped
into the river, and were picked up by the yaw1
and conveyed to the shore.
Capt. Knight with his wife and one child were
asleep in the Texas and made their escape with
difficulty. Two OF the captains children were in
bed in. the cabin, and were rescued by the father
by breaking the window o; their sleeping room,
through which they escaped Capt X. had both
hands badly cut in the effort to the chill
dren.
After the passengers and crew were safely land
ed, an attempt WAS made to scuttle the boat but
the water not being deep enough, il was but par
TALLY successful. In very short time she burn
ed to the waters edge. Nothing whatever was
saved, the baggage OF the passengers as well as
the freight Oh board, being burned. John ponahue
the bir-keeper, saved his trunk, but lost every-,
thing else. The porter of the boat lost $50 in
money,
Soon after the accident the packet Ohio, No, .
came along and took on board the passengers, aud
conveyed them to Parkersburg.
The Henry A. Jones" was built about eighteen
months since, by Captain Pat Rogers aud Captain
knight. and Was owned by them. She was valued
at $4,000. aud WAS insured for $4,000. Her car
go consisted of 262 bales of cotton, received here
from the Glendale, from Memphis 80 bbls. pork;
100 tierces sugar; 01S bbls. -four: $50 boxes of
meats and lot of hams, reshipped from the Dun
leigh and insured at Nashville. There were about
forty packages of assorted articles The cargo
was to be shipped by the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad east. A portion of the freight in the
hold will probably be saved in damaged state
About s. 900 in money aud lot of valuable pa
pers were in the safe Of the boat, and were pre-
served.
The escape of the passengers and crew was very
fortunate indeed When the alarm was given,
the passengers all in their beds, and most oil
them asleep and the rapid spread Of the flames
aud the confusion which followed as the passen-
gers we're aroused aud came rushing on deck crea-
ted scene Of terror that was exciting in the ex'
IRENE.