New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-03-14
Wreck Of the Princess.
From the Baton Rouge Gazette Of Friday last, we
extract the following;

/
From the Baton Rouge Gazette Of Friday last, we
extract the following:
The diving bell boat, under command Of Capt. D.
Tighe, has been at work the past two days endeav
oripR TO recover bodies from the wreck Of the Prin
cess. Their labors, up to yesterday morning, were
confined to the spot, where after The explosion the
boat foated and burned to the waters edge the hull
sinking when the fire touched the water. This spot
10 in bend Of the river, near mile from where the
explosion occurred. From statements OF persons on
shore who Witnessed the explosion, as well - the
survivors Of the wreck, the Princess must have bean
nearly midway the river, where, in the channel ne
water will measure from ninety TO one hundred feet.
Bodies mutilated by the falling timbers, and thrown
OF from the boat there, will never be recovered
whilst those wounded, or unable TO get on when the
wreck.
From Capt. Tighe, we have the following state |
ment, made by Hugh Harkins, who was Waterman
on the Princess, and escaped unipjured:
mad gone on watch when the explosion occurred,
and va. in my room on the hurricane deck, known
as the Texas The room was on the larboard side Of
the boat, and the second, aft Of the hall Think
must have fallen asaeep-heard nothing like IN ex-
the hurricane deck and cabin on the larboard side
was sinking down then came the rush OF steam, |
which rendered the nearest object invisible terrible
cries OF the wounded and dying followed-then the
alarm Of fire! got out Of the room and waited . |
moment until the steam went off, Icond see that all
the forward part Of the boat was gone. hurried |
back to get my pantaloons (having taken them off be-
aGfe ng cow ior ny morning. lsap2 Iran down
social hall had all sunk down)-the woodpile on the
starboard side was all on fre-the ladies and children
were crowded together on portion Of the deck left
4tandng-the boat had neared the shore, and some
persons were trying to push out the stage. As l
could swim, ran to the end Of the plank, thinking
to get the stage rope and swim ashore with it whilst
others would try TO get out the line to fasten up,
which, through the aid Of . negro man who SWAN
out from shore, they did but the boat soon broke
away again, and foated ont in the stream. SWAN
ashore uninjured As the boat broke away, saw one
man burn TO death in his state.room-he seemed to
be wounded so that he could not open the door"
The following is list Of some Of the crew known
to Mr.. Harkins: VIM. Coltil, first mate A. Snjeny,
first engineer Charles Gates, first pilot large Gaze
second pilot Geo. Price, carpenter; W. Campbell,
first steward; John Cotter John Johns, Bob Stewart,
Bob Bayl, John Murray, Sylvin Aonchan,- Stew
ards.
Every effort has been made by Capt. Tighe, Col.
Pierce, ]. A. Mediation, W. N. Boswell, Mr.. Sees
and others at Conrads plantation to recover bodies
| from the wreck; friends and relatives Of the lost
have been here and there in pursuit OF information
that might lead to the recovery Of bodies, but all 30
far, to no purpose. The diving bell has been sent
down, and under the direction Of Capt. Tighe, pow
erul submarine batteries have been used to blow up
the wreck. So far, they have only succeeded in get
| ting chimney and some OF the iron work Of the
machinery.
The Gazette publishes the following report Of the
operations Of Capt. Pierce and his assistants
REPORT of Capt. II. NJ Pierce and men under
Chairman Of Gomm,ttee House of Representatives.,
State of Louisiana.
BATON ROUGE, March 3, 1859.
Sir-We arrived at Camp Rescue, Conrad's Point
the scene of disaster Of the i'll fated Princess
4th. We proceeded to fire the cannon fred 30
rounds, and had two boats manned and dragged the
river with two drags in each boat, one mile up ant
down diligently, without success. One drag caught
some substance that appeared and proved very
heavy, and after applying ten men on shore and twt
boats the line was parted and the drag lost withou
success.
9Th. We arrived at the wreck this morning. fou
miles below Camp Rescue for the purpose Of dragging
the wreck, and found the Diving Bell boat at work
cleaning away the wreck and preparing to proceed t
business We crossed the river at that point for th
purpose of recovering lost property, trunks ETC.,
we found in possession Of j. H. Hebert heavy chain
probably 200 feet long, belonging to the Princess, ant
in possession of Jos. Braud, eight bales of cotton
one marked NJ. Brock, No. 81, one bale marked Aid
rich, and one marked n Lee No. 1872; and in posses
sion of Ellie Perie four bales Of cotton and about q
feet Of large iron chan one lot of iron wagon tire
and axletrees, and three plough shares. In posses
sion Of B. Robesho four bales Of cotton. two sonnt
1874, do. No. 556, iron hoops; and in possession
j. D. Coillonit one lot of iron bolts nine in number
from five to six feet inlength.
e 5th. Report came to camp that a body was foun
with boat to Monchac Landing, returned with stat
g ment of false report. No success. =
9Th. Commenced the day by firing cannon ov
the hull of Princess weather very bad and storm
raining necessarily, heavy Winds
It'll. Very hard wind from the west-impossible
do anything than to watch the drift. IL o'coe
A. NJ, arrested two men by names of Joseph Shout
and Conrad Schafer, who robbed the arsenal at Bait
Rouge. They had in their possession Colts Revol
h ers and Colts Revolving Rifles proceeded to Bait
i Rouge with them, in charge of my men Nephler al
Chenett with the property stolen, and Shoultz maj
y his escape and was left 10 the swamp after beiI
q fired at three times by Chenett. They surrender
" Conrad Scatter, with the effects, to Justice Duroc
who committed him to Jail to await his trial at o
term of court now holding session in this parish.
n 9Th. We return to Camp Rescue-we recover
gold watch slightly injured which is now in poss,
sion of Dan. Tighe.
j. 9th. Crossed the river above for the purpose of
covering trunks and baggage belonging to didere
| persons Of the wreck found In West Baton Roug
IN the possession Of W. Ra-ay, one trunk with LADY
9 apparel, marked G. L. Marry, Natchez, with son
If jewelry; one trunk, mems clothing, marked D
Fallon, with Colts Revolver and patent leather bel
One trunk marked 7. Mcvey, mems clothing,
q singlebarrel pistol. X
s. Surrendered by Mr.. Frank White, ]. p: l trun
mems clothing, marked J. R., La; trunk with men
It clothing, marked Worsnam House, Tenn clothiI
marked James Ashly, with silver faro-bank box al
r for 81 Ooo signed by j. H. F. Chapman and Edmor
e Wilson, payable to James Ashly, dated Sacramen
City, Jan. 20, 1854 with small credit on back of Il
20 same. E--
y Delivered by Dan. Hicky ! trunk, ladies appar,
ID marked Mrs. Eliza Mailer, Vicksburg; carpet ba
i, with old coat and book, Mr.. Brewer, Bayou Sara.
u Delivered by Mrs. Rosamond Herbert T: cover
4 trunk, marked W. r. G. Vernon, La, mems cothin
= ! large leather trunk with ladies apparel, mark
L. Mrs. Ann Stewart, Fayette Mississippi.
j. Received Of Charles Rive, Brnsle Landing-t5
!, trunks with mems clothing; one large trunk mark
~ 7. T. Blackerby, Ky, and the other small pate
J" leather trunk or valise with mems clothing, shr
l., handkerchiefs, ETC., marked W. A. Walker and FL
y ME Walker
= 10th. Proceed to Baton Rouge this morning
y o'clock, A. NJ. The bell boat left this morning for
wreck miles below. There has been up to this time
T. recovery of any bodies at all and as deem it imprt
able after consultation to any bodies at Il
" point, herewith tender my report of proceedn
III in the matter.
s. The property recovered is now at the office of il
R. Dufrocq., ]. p, OF this city.
With respect. - -
e. CAPT. q. N. PIERCE
al Per F. 4. NEPHLsR, Sec'y.
of HATS AND CAPs.-The assortment of hats and ca
kept Johnston Turner under The ST. Charles Hotel is
for Its great variety and universal exceen