, 1866-02-27

Burning OF Tho Steamer Winchester
Fifteen Lives Loss-Partttulars OF IL c
Calamity.

From the Pittsburgh Commercial, al
At an early honr yesterday morning intel
1igenee reached the city TINT the fine new
PASSENGER steamer Winchester, Captain Asa
head OF Babb's Island, two miles above Liver
pool, Qhio. Latcr In the day Captain Dauiel
Moore, clerk Of the ill-latcd steamer, arrived
IN tue city, and confirmed the news Of .thc
obstruction Of tho bout The Winchester
LETT Pit.tsursn on Tuesday 1ast for rarkefs. =:
be run Us regular packet. She left
Parkersburg on Wednesday, ut two
O'Clock. on her return trip, and ut the
time Of the catastrophe had on board
about one hundred persons. About ha}Epast
three o'clock yesterday morning, while under
fremcn discovered that somo bales of hay,
which were forward OF the boilers some ten or
twelve feet, were on fire. They attempted to
| eytlngulsh the flames, but their efforts were
unavaiiing, owing to the inability ofgcttins 4
| sufficient supply Of wafer. In few seconds,
and empty oil barrels, which added to their
fury, and in less time than It requires In telling
the boat was one eheet OF famc. The fsrmen
gave the alarm, when the second clerk, Mr..
O. G. Bunting, proceeded to the staterooms pf
| the passengers and officers. and warned them
Of thcir dapser. In brief time all was con,
1 fusion, but 50 rapidly did the annles spread
| over the boat, that no time WAS given the PAS.
/ scngers FOR refectlon* Officers and passenger
were compelled to jump overheard and en-
dearor to escape BY swimming ashore, or re-
naming on board to perish.
When the officers on the hurricane deck
were notified Of the fire, the hont was tmlnedi-
atcly headed for the Virginia shore, upon
which she wa5 run under fill head OF steam.
The tirstt clerk on being awakened md in
formed Of the IRE, endtayored to save the
money and books in the safe, but the fire gave
M $S,3 of4 TIn n1.1,r
eighty dollars that were in one apartment Of
the safe, Il, 200 being left In it. There was no
time given for the saTing Of personal effects or
property, and a1l were concerned for tile safely
Of life. On being run ashore, tho stern
OF the burning boat was thrown ont In
the river, consequently the water was
quite deep where the unfortunate passengers
scene was one Of horror. Men, women and
children, in their night clothes, stood on the
guards frreso1ute, until driven oil by tie
names. Of the ioitr lady passengers on board,
but one was saved, and she was saved By Mr.
Sheets, who mlstook her Tor his wife, wlllc
the rescued woman's husband fell prey TO
| tic flames. 9len, women and children we're
seen to fall into the water, rise and sink few
times, and then disappear entirely. The
cries Of the helpless were most pitiable, and
| the officers and some Of the crew Of the boat
labo1cd energetically in attempting to save
| lie.
Capt. D. Moore gives the names Of the fol-
loving persons known to be lost:
Cabin PasscnJer*-9ir James A1geo and
vie, of Matanoras, Ohio, who, it Is supposed,
were burned to death In their stateroom.
Mrs: Sheets, wife Of one Of the owners Of the
boat.
Deck Passengers-Nr. Van Meter md four
| Mercer county. where Mrs. Van Meter, who
was saved, has brother residing, named
Petit L. Walter, wife and two children,
destination Pittsburgh. Mr.. FaEgaSt, q Ger,
man, whose residence was near Haysrille, be-
low the city.
George Young, bazkeepe. Of the boat, res
iGent Of Rochester, aud son-in-law Of Capt:
and was drowned
Mrs. RidseIy, colored, who was chamber
maid on the boat, WIS among the last to
Jump into the water. She was drowned. Her
husband is the steward Of the steamer 3liu,
nic, Capt. Shaw.
Tbe pilots, William Abrams and William
Gordon, were saved, but made Q narrow e.
cape, as did also Washington Dunbar, the en
gineer.
r. Il. Gardner, Esq, resident of the Viz
ginia shore, worked nobly In hts skid, and
succeeded IN saving i number Of persons who
were struggling IN the water. Hugh Newell
also threw open Ills house, and ministered tc
extent Of his mems.
AS soon as boats could be procured, the
survivors wcre ferrfed over to Elst LIVER.
mol, Ohio, which they reached fu thctr night
Clothing and without shoes or stockings.
Here some noble-hearted people, among
| thrm I. Thompson & Co., Jackman E Alien,
md others, furnished the sufferers With
The Winchester was sp!endldly fitted up
boat, and cost $4,000. ner owners refused
40 advance Of slO, 900 On her bills last week.
| Her hull was built BY Crlssinger & son, Of
MeKeesport, and was :sso feet in length, With
S2.feet beam, and so feet floor. Her bold vas
| feet, six inches deep In the clear. Her
wheels were 23 feet In diameter, with II feet
5 inch buckets: Is inches broad Her engines
were built by 3Iessrs- Watson Il Munroe, aud
! wc,c in number, 10 inches In diameter, by
| ii ieet in length, having but two lines each.
She Vas the most beautiful boat built heEa lu
many months, and was owned by Andrew
| AckIey, 4. 5. Shepherd, George D. Moore,
| Nj. Sheets and others. She was Insured for
dlty thousand dollars in the following COM
aIftcheny.. nOo Peoples. ,G0N
] Piftshurrh. -... G0CD Ctti1ens... ....... G,CAl
Meschanis s Man. 6,oJ0 Moronsahc1a -. a,uO
Cash-............. G,0oo Western ...-..-.. SOU