The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-02-07
Terrible Disasters.

The United States steamer Narcis-
sus, from Pensacola for New York,
was lost during a storm on Egmont
Key, (entrauce to Tampa Bay, Flori-
da,) with all on board, about thirty
souls. The United States tug Althea
left Pensacola in company with the
Narcissus, and arrived safely at Key
West. One body was washed ashore
from the Narcissus, but could not be
recognized.
A despatch from Louisville says
The steamer Missouri left New Or
leans last Tuesday week, with light
freight but full Of passengers, most
of whom were landed at Cairo. On
arriving at Evansville she received
about dozen passengers, all of whom
were reported lost. The officers of
the Dictator brought off one hundred
and twenty people from the wreck.
1t is thought by the officers of the
Missouri that the total list of casual
ties will not exceed seventy, and
probably be less than sixty.
But the most heart-rending calami-
ty is related in the following despatch
from Memphis
The steamer Miami, which left this
port on Saturday night, heavily loaded
with freight and crowded with pas
sengers, in addition to ninety-one
soldiers of Company B, Third United
States Regulars, on the hurricane
root, exploded on Sunday night. The
accident occurred seven miles above
Napoleon, on the Arkansas River, at
Z o'clock in the evening, just as the
passengers had taken supper. Con-
sequently both passengers and officers
were assembled in conversation around
the stove in the hall The explosion
was of such terrible force as to rend
the cabin floor asunder, 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
fire Immediately. The passengers
were frantic with fear. They snatched
doors, ife-preservers and everything
light enough to float, and plunged
with deafening, unearthly and piteous
screams OF woe, into the river, in
their attempts to escape the devouring
flames as they rapidly destroyed the
boat. Capt. Levi immortalized him
self by his daring and heroic deeds,<
coolly walking about, trying to keep
the people from jumping overheard,
as the boat was fast drifting toward
the North shore, where it touched n
few moments after the disaster. But
now, to those in the back part of the
cabin, it was as bad as being in the
middle of the river, as the boat was
vast flame in the middle, and all in the
back part were compelled to perish in
the flames or bury themselves in the
raging food below. Mr.. John Lusk.
second clerk in the boat, along with
Charles j. johnson, his assistant, who
We're sitting in the hall, were either
killed by the explosion or burned or
scalded to death. Mr.. Lusk's wife AMI
child, his sister-in-law and o German
lady just from her native land, were
in the ladies' cabin. The former three
were lost and the latter saved. Miss
j. j.. Rankin last saw her with her
child, on q state-room door, which he
had given her Over thirty Of the
soldiers were lost. Two had been tied
up for disorderly conduct, and in the
agoniZing excitement of the trying
ordeal they were forgotten, and there
left to burn to death. Two men were
seen to blow out their brains with re-
volvers