The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-01-11
FEARFUL DISASTER.
Burning OF tha Steamer Fashion -FJAy
TO SKY Lives Known to be Lo5t-Sad
Details OF the Disaster.

The steamer Magenta. which arrived this
morning, brought down Capt Pratt. of the
lost steamer Fashion. Thomas Hastings.
the mate, and Mr. Dinwiddic, the clerk
From the mate We have the following par
tlcnars
The Fashion caught FIRE about half past
three yesterday afternoon. She was then
afout seven miles gboye Baton Rouge. The
fire caught By sparks from the chimney. 1t
was first discovered on The starboard side,
midway between the buffers, and spread
with amazing rapidly.
The Fashion had OIL board Zoo bales of
cotton, and over l00 cabin passengers, be-
sides some l50 on deck, making 250 pas
sensers in ALL Mr. Hastings thinks this q
low estimate About fifty or sixty pas,en-
gers came on hoard at Nicksbnrg, hut they
were coming on and going off all the way
down. and we have no list of the lost or
saved The principal landings after leav-
ing Ficksi4urg, were Carthage, A>hwooa,
Grand @ elf, S.. Joe. Rodney, NatcheZ, Ft.
Adams, Red River. and Bayou sara. Two
elegant ladies came on board at Rayou
Sara, but the nate does not know their
names They We're undoubtedly lost.
Among the cabin passengers was party
Of emiemnts u. Texas. Thev were from
North Alabama. Fully one-third vi them
were lost. Thee had horses, wagons, etc.
With them. All OF them were consumed IN
the fumes. Bat one hurse. went overheard
The passengers on deck were principally
uegroes. They leaped iuto thc water--
Hastings saw fifty or sixty OF them Strng
Cling IN the waves AZ the same time. Very
few. If ANY, were saved The two chamber
bermaid> Mrs Clark and assistant, jumped
overheard and are believed to he lost. The
clerks We're able Ia save the money and
valuable letter, Of the officc, and probably
Also the books. Mr. Shaw certainty saved
some OF the books, but how many is not ye,
known. The number of cabin passengers
lost was fifteen to twenty. OF decl.
passengers, principally negroes, probably
fifty. The boat was landed tlom seven 10
ten minutes after she took fire. To escape
the flames the people ran both ways to-
wards the bow and towards the stern.
acre they hutldled toge her, till pressed by
the flames, they jumped overheard. Mr.
Hastings let himself d5wn into the water
and swan ashore.
The pilot Of the Fashion. Thomas Mon:
tague, remained at his post until he landed
the boa and was driven from II by tht
smoke and hdmes, when he walked to The
stern and not seen or heard Of afterwards.
Mr.. Oliver Fairchild, fir-t engineer, 10
mained at the engine til too late 70 escrpe,
and peri>hcd or the steamer hlr. j. liar-
desty, the steward, is lost. Mr. Richard
Costello, the second mate, Is lost. Air,
McMu?rcn. planter tg0M near Natclez.
jumped Of an eight tier Of cotton. on the
1ank, and broke his thigh. lie va brought
down ou the Magenta. DIS Stone au,t
Chopin were in attend ance upon him. 4
lady, name unknown, threw three children
overheard, when pressed ty the fire, and
leapcd in after them. She saved oae Of the
children, but the other tvn were lost An
other lady, bound to Galveston, jumped
overheard wIfh her chIsd, inu Wa. l,tchtd
up by the yawi. and finding herself sate,
called For assistance TO others, before SLu
had scarcely been haulc,i orer he side.
| The mate first GOT into tie water two
| boats. The first filed anI the other went
! adritt. He had the window blinds and
! doors Of the state rooms thrown overheard,
! but few OF the people k:,ew their value or
! tried to save them selves thereby. There
was Il great deal Of confusion and excite
! nent and finally a perfect panic There
! were some forty OF fifty person, struggling
! in the water at the same time, ana q most
! APPALLING sight. When the cotton lnrnrd
! off forward the unfortun4te steamer foateG
! off to the lead OF the Reach above Baton
/ Rouge, where she was slIil burning when
/ the Magenta left There were three fires
! on the Magenta during the passage down
one at Morville Landing, one below Baton
Rouge, and ole below Catroi:on. The ist-
ter was about Daylight. Daring the alarns
the ladies state !oruI> We're many OF theui
entered and glupdered by river pirates AMI
thieves Uae Of thc Aloryiie thieves was
arrested, another jumped overheard.
Later advlces State that the Fashion had
400 passengers on board, ot whom only 50
are ku0wu 20 have ben siyrd
l a I 4.