The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-11-27
Toes Of the Steamboat Cuba.
{, s,,rryrsr OF CAPTAIN BoARDyAN.

-, - New Orleans on the night ri the
Le ;nst about s o'clock, with lighter IN
isn 'D fnr the purpose of tightening over
. low, nIaces in Red River-whlch lshtner
s ras at the time of the accident the salya,
was "I every soul on board. We proceeded
tloh -, y. liver without the slightest accident
up a Unable; arrived at Alexandria on the
ilna Ea;ng Of the 18th inst, transferred about
hJ III If our freight to the lighter for the
nan no o Of crossing the falls, which are very
Pu JUL and impossible to cross without dan
~" ". whieh finished we started; crossed the
gs nor mart without any trouble whatever
ios s;ved at the upper falls, and there be-
aln IN make preparations for crossing
s sSam: shlch preparations being completed
s a;ih Inc lighter dashed to the side OF the
WIZ .,aamhoat, we began to ascend the falls at
s sant balfpast nine o'clock; that right,
mon rhen nearly over, I was CONCENTRATING
WHO upon getting over so easily when
my lls's starboard boiler exploded with great
s @,ce: tearing away the front part Of the
n Ill and hurricane roof, Immediately IN
e.nnt If the Texas. In moment the en-
i l;Ua font of the boat was in flames, | my
s tf barely escaping by cliDging to one Of
i sa.r;cL ouys, upon which Twas leaning at
. .Sa time Of the crash, when ] reached the
1 lD deck by sliding down the guy. All
w. confusion and disorder among the pas
ooncers but with the assistance Of my mate
s ssa onoineer on watch and other officers
,rho ESCAPED unhurt; I soon succeeded in
,laoino all the survivors on the lighter,
pThich was, as / stated before, secured by
w al wise and kind Providence to be our
ON on, y means of safety. When every one
w.; on the lighter-and delay would be
dangerous, as there was large lot OF pow
DOR in the magazine, in the after part OF the
hull Of the boat, and there was no earthly
chance of saving her, ordered the Lighter
ant hose. and she soon drifted away from
tba buning boat, which was well mooreo
n The middle of the falls by three lines
After drifting about for some time, we II
nallv reached the Alexandria shore, abou
mile above The town, and made the l,.sht
A. fast with a hawser, and then Immediate
,tely placed all The passengers and woun
led q safe distance from the burning wrecl
n a short time after the explosion OF pow
lar took place. The Steamer Lizzie Tat
was laying above the falls at the time tn
aptain cut the lines Of the burning boat
nd she drifted in under the falls, where SD
low lies a total loss. ~ ~
The following passengers on the Cupa a
i he time Of the explosion were saved;
McGill aud lady, Parr and lady. Ms
parr 9. B. Fleming. lady and child, Mrs
ow and child, Mrs. Gardner, A. Flemn
rank Clark and J Cabot. }gj3
J Hoban was wounded in the back, nc
vigorously; R. Gordon, wounded sllshti;!
str9ass was burned and scalded severel!
Beck was burned and scalded danSerou
J. Cronin, from Jefferson was Killed;
Henarie Kay was killed; one whiteldeck pa
senger was killed; also colored deck pa
senger. a.
Five deck passengers were saved. va
Sadler was scalded, not dangerously; M.
Hill was scalded, but not dangerously al
one negro hand was killed. /, :.
Can't. Boardman and lady, and all
other officers and crew OF the boat we
saved. -. ~.
take this method in behalf OF the 3
gering passengers and crew OF the lll-fat
steamer Cuba to tender 70 tfe }. ctllz zen
general Of Alexandria and particularly
Drs Fish, Price, Casson, French and Cot
Grille. Messrs Z. f. Flannery, j. A. w
Iiams. II. A.. Biossat, D. D Arden a
Saml. Fellows, Superintendent OF Tue
House. and to the Merchants in genel
,ur sincere thanks and heartfelt gratltu
n their indefatisable exertions and ass
,ous attention to the wounded, for tn
kindness in assisting the wounded from
scene of disaster to the town OF Alex
dria, and for heirkindness in extending
all the survivors the hospitality of the
House. and for their generosity in rush
forward with clothing to all, partlcula
the ladies', who escaped only in their MI
clothes
All seemed to strive to do the utmost
their power for the necessities OF the
yivors. The citizens of Alexandria !
long be remembered by US all. God bl
and give prosperity to all citizens Alex
dria.
/ take this method in behalf of my
GERS and crew, to tender to Capt. b.
Kouns, and the officers of the Fannie
bert, our sincere thanks for their kindn
in forwarding us to our homes; their XII
ness to us this trip down, extending to
all the comforts of the boat, and their
ceasing attention to our wounded.
Too much praise cannot be accorded
the Captain and his gentlemanly oile
Long may the gallant Captain and his b
ME little craft live to pillow the waters OF
mighty Red.
w. Il. BoARDMAN,
Capt. ofthe ill-fated"Cut
1oo.o-o.o~~a9s--~oo~~oIe~