The Yazoo Democrat. [volume] (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1858-18??, 1859-03-05
From the N. 0. Picayune, Est inst.
THE DISASTER TO THE PRINCESS.

AANAN'0A-'I0'
The terrible disaster to the Princess was
naturally the theme Of conversation through
out the city yesterday, and additional details
of the catastrophe were eagerly waited for.
Every boat that rounded to at the levee, after
the news was given out, was speedily be-
sieged by earnest applicants for information
from the scene of the lamentablc event
We give such information as we have been
able to procure from officers of steamboats,
chat arrived yesterday up to late hour :
from officers, crew aud passengers on the
Princess, injured and unipiured, and from
the agents of the i'll fated steamer. The
most contradictory rumors were ahoat-
which we pay no heed to-one, among others,
that a dispatch had been received from Baton
Rouge. from Mr. John NJ. Bell, announcing
his safe return there; another, that this la
mcnted gentleman's body had been found
with the head blown off We are compelled
to believe, however, that we shall never
again take John A. Bell by the hand, at
least as live man.
The steamboat Princess was about four
years old She was built specially for the
long established packet line between this
city, Vicksburg and the intermediate land
ings, and was necessarily, from the character
of the patronage incidental to this trade, a
first class packet, complete in all her APP
pointments, spacious, strong, swift, with all
the appliances for comfort that have so won
derfully changed the character of steamboat
building in the last ten years, and which
made her indeed Il moving palace.
We have from many quarters of unloubt
ed authority in the matter, that her officers
we're counted among the most experienced
and reliable on the river They had been
on the boat ever since she was built, even
the majority Of the crew being old hands on
her for several seasons. No one Of the offs
GERS or crew or passengers arrived here can
assign any cause for the explosion. Tho
boat had been put in thorough repair last
summer, some $4,000; having been spent
on her, and her boilers having been entirely
ovcrhauled
There appears to.have been not the slight
est warning of the tremendous explosion,
which took place about 10 o'clock on Sunday
morning whilst the packet was on her way
to this city, and but short time after she
had left Baton Rouge.
Several passengers got off at Baton Rouge;
among. them was our old friend, Mr. Thos.
Afieck, of Washington, Miss, who went on
board the steamer Natchez after she had left
the wreck, and sends us list Of the dead.
Wounded missing and saved, as far as he
was able to ascertain the facts. He no
doubt had much difficulty in doing so, as
persons who have gone througha steamboat
explosion, whether inbred! or not, seem to
be mentally affected in a peculiar way.
They cannot fix dates or Identities with any
precision. Some of the passengers informed
us, positively, the explosion took place on
Saturday night, at IL O'clock others, Sum-
day morning. another, who arrived here
yesterday about two O'clock, that it took
place on Sunday night Aud SO With other
facts of the catastrophe.
Four Of the large, powerful boilers cxrlo,
ded at once, driving aft clearing all before
them, aud the whole upper cabin, state
rooms, hurricane deck, texas and all, fell in
almost Immediately and in few moments
the flames burst forth. The shock was SO
sudden and 50 tremendous, so utterly I'M.
looked for, as apparently to have bcwidcred
the bravest and most experienced men.
The pilot, George u. Case, who was at
the wheel, was thrown into the water. He
arrived here last evening on the steamer
VIM NJ. Morrison, and from what we could
learn, knew nothing more of the catastrophe
than that he suddenly found himself flying
through the air, and moment after in the
water, without having the remotest idea Of
what was the matter.
The chief engineer, Andy Swecny, had
ended his watch at s A NJ; when the second
engineer, Peter Hersey, went on, and was
attending to his duty when the explosion
occurred, be being the first victim. lie was
cut in two. He is reported by the superior
officers and employers to be a steady, reliable
man, no wise incorporate, and first rate
engineer. He was well known here.
We could not ascertain whether Captaia
Jackson was on duty or not at the time of
the explosion. He was formerly pilot of the
boat, and had been acting as captain for
several trips. lie is reported as among the
missing. Mr. Aflecks letter says be was
understood to be across the river, badly hurt.
The first clerk, Mr. James Izod, was in
his office at the time, and was found after
the explosion, in space on the deck below
left vacant by the bursted boilers.
The force of the explosion, or some other
lucky accident, gave the boat turn towards
the bank. She soon struck on a sand bar
that jutted out into the river from the shore,
and where she grounded. The mate on duty
with several of the crew, jumped on the bar
aud succeeded in making the boat fast, In
the mean while, those who were uniDjured
busted themselves in endeavoring to rescue
their unfortunate companions buried in the
burning ruins of the cabin, and gathered in
which were many ladies and children. All
who could be moved, wounded or not, were
taken on the sand bank, there to await, in a
state of agony and horror that can family be
imagined, the hand Of rescue from some
passing vessel. av
The companion packet to the Princess,
| Tho etao,oboat -kfatoha1 which loft hara IN