Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-02-05
The Explosion of the Miami--Further Particulars

The Explosion OF the Miami--turther far'tuiaTs'
CAIRO, February l.-Memphis papers furnish
further particulars of the explosion OF the
steamer Miami. The total numbcrDt lives lost
Illprubably reach one hundred and fifty. Only
| seven OF the crew were known to have been
saved. Fifty bodies were pickedup and buried
at the place of the disaster Fifty persons are
in the hospital at Helena, most of whom are ia
tally injured.
A Memphis despatch of January 3Oth has
some interesting particulars Of the loss Of the
steamer Miami
MEMPHIS, January 3O.-Thc steamer Miami,
which LETT this port on Saturday night, heavily
/ loaded with freight and crowded with paSSen-
gcrs, in addition TO ninety-one soldiers Of COM
| pany b, Sd United States regulars, on the hur-
| ricane roof, exploded on Sunday night, The
| accident occurred seven miles above Napoleon,
| on the Arkansas river, at O'CLOCK In the even
| ing, lust AZ the passengers had taken supper.
Consequently both passengers and officers were
| assembled in conversation around the stoves IN
the hall.
The explosion was of such terrible force as
| to rend the cabin floor asuudcs, and let every
living soul in the front part of the cabin down
| into The dreadful mass of fire and steam below.
| The boat took fro Immediately. The pasSen-
GERS were frantic with fear. They snatched
doors, life preServerS, and everything light
/ enough TO float, and plunged with dealening,
| nnearthly screams of woe into the river III
their attempts to escape the devouring flames
AS they rapidly destroyed the boat. Captain
! Levi immOrtalized himself by his daring and
| HEROIC deeds, coolly walking about, trying to
| keen ths pcoplp from jumping overheard, as
the boat was fast drifting toward the north shore
where il touched Il few moments after the dis
aster. But now, to those In the beck part OF
the cabin, it was as bad as being in the middle
| of the river, as the boat was 4 vast flame IN the
middle, and all in the back part were com
| pellrd to perish in the flames or bury them
| selves in the raging flood below.
| Mr.. John Lusk, SECOND clerk of the boat
! along with Charles J. Johnson, his assistant
who were sitting in the hall, were either killed
hv the explosion, or burned or scalded te
death. Mr.. Lusk's wife and child, his sister
in-law, and German lady just from her ma
! tive land, were in the lady'S cabin. Ihe Tor
mer three were lost and the latter saved. over
thirty of the soldiers were lost. Two had been
| lied up for disOrderly conduct, anu IN the
| agoni.iag excitement OF the trying ordeal, they
were forgotten, and there lett to burn to death
Two men were seen 10 bloY out their Drains
with revolyerS.
Z After the survivors got ashore the negro wo,
men and soldiers came to their assistance, the
negro women stripping themselves Of their un-
der-clothes, and rending them in shreds tor
bandageS 10 sOothe the keen pam OF the
wounded aud dying, the negro soldiers like
wise sharing their coats and pants with those
who had none.
The total loss is calculated at from l25 to
| 15O souls. She had about 50 cabin passengers,
besides the soldiers and the boats crew, sum
ming the whole number up to 25O souls Cen
Ashley's band, Of Little Rock, were on board