Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-01-15
Burning of the Josephine SaVage.-BOat
and Cargo a Total Loss.

Burning of the Josephine SaVagea-BOat
and Cargo a Total Loss.
A Atelegraphic dispscth received in this city on tie
9Th announced the burning Of the steamer Joseph
inc Savage. The Memphis Bulletin Of the 18th
learns from Capt. O. W. Davis, master, and Mr. VIM.
Lierer clerk of the steamer the particulars Of the
burning Of that boat, which occurred on Friday
mOruing the 7th at Tunics Island, about two hun
dred miles above New Orleans The Bulletin says:
The Josephine Savage left New Orleans or rather
the salt warehouse opposite, Gu Wednesday morning,
the 5th instant, about o'clock, with cargo con-
sstiug Of 600 sacks of salt 120 tons Of Groceries
and other freight consigaed TO sundry persons at
Nashville Nohpg worthy Of note occurred until
Thursday about 10 O'clock P NJ, when the beat
struck susg which ranged up through the ls board
wheel, smashing il badly and breaking two outside
Haugts The suag also carried away the after wheel
beam and the Ghsmbermaid's wash room, on the
cabin deck, and part of the circle covering the
wheel.
After the accident the boat was with difficulty got
to the shore and the work Of repairing Immediately
set about The fapges were bsdly broken that
it was found necessary to replace them with new
ones. Flanges fastened upon the shaft by driV
ing around wooden wedges aud then driving in,o
these wooden filings iron wedges When the fan
ges are to be taken of it is dOre by burning fires
underneath, and burning the wood filings out. AT
ou the boat had completed an iron fraa e. work. and
covered it with sheet iron, by the aid of which
thought the hanees could be burned loose with
safety to the boat. Fires we're then kept burning
underneath the hanges until about three and half
! o'clock, A. NJ, when 1t was ascertsined that the
weddings bad become sufficiently loosened to be re
moved. The FIRE was then put out aud care taken
| by the first engineer and watehman to dampen the
sides of the wheel. house. This beipg doue, all
haods retired but the wa'chmaD, Who in about half
an hour discovered the hoat to be on fire. lie i'm.
msdately gave the alarm, but the flames spread with
such rapidlty that those on board had barely time
| to escape with their lives, many having to save
! themselves BY climbing down the guard chains to
| the main deck Miss Florence Graves and Miss Ss
rsh Davis from Winchester Academy, were the
only persons on board, with the exceItion Of the
crew They lost their entire wardrobe, and mar
rowly escaped with their lives The crew lost eve
ryihiug The cabin burned off in very short time
but the hull continued to burn for three hours be-
| fore it 6lled and went down.
There was very stroOg wind blowing at the
ii me- but for which the FIRE might have been ar
! rested The watehmah reports that when he first
| discovered the flames they were not far adyaneed
but tie wind tanning them they spread almost with
the rapidly Of thought. when the water rushed in
| ON the red bot salt stored 10 the hold il caused
three tremendous explosions, which threwihe engines
| end heavy irons from their beds. The boat went
down close beside the bank but pulling |, ose her
fasteungs, she rolled out Into deep water So ends
the Josephine Savage, and nothing now remains to
mark the spot but the scOrched and SCARED trees
upon the bank Of the river near where she had her
| last mosrings
! All the books and papers, and three hundred DOL
lars In coin belonging to the boat, were lost, and
several hundred dollars belonging 10 the crew.
The Savage Was g new boat, having been on the
stocks at Padueah something over a year
ago. She was valued il Nashville Offices at
SSI 500 and il sured in Louisville for $4,000 She
was owned BY Messrs. o. W. and ]. Davis, aud Mr..
Martin, Of Nashville, and engaged in the NsshylIl