The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-29
HORRIBLE.

Waters Edge When OF Neeley's Landing
Over Two Hundred Persons DrOwned-Oniy
FOTty-three Passengers Saved-Henrt-rend-
ing Scenes.
ST. LOUIS, Oct. 2S.-A private dispatch to
the Memphis Packet Company says the
steamer Stonewall was burned this morning
near Neely's landing, on the Mississippi,
about forty-five miles above Cairo, and that
forty-three of the passengers and crew out of
one hundred and sixty were saved. The
Stonewall sailed hence on Tuesday for New
Orleans. From the tenor Of dispatches re-
ceived it is inferred that all above the number
mentioned, forty three, were lost.
Evening.-Mr. Phelps, planter of Shreve-
port, La, has arrived from the wreck of the
Stonewall, and furnishes the following particu-
lars of the disaster:
The boat caught fire at $50 on Wednesday
evening, at point little below Neely's land
ing, 125 miles below St. Louis, from a candle,
which the deck passengers had near some hay
while playing cards. The steamer was run on
gravel bar, the pilot supposing that the pas
Sengers could wade ashore on the bar. UntOr-
tunately, at the end of the bar was slough,
and here it was that the larger number were
drowned.
The boat only ran on the bar two feet, and
the shallowest water about her was five or six
feet. The boat being loaded with hay, burned
very quickly, and all efforts to put out the fire
were unavailing. The Belle Of Memphis came
= IT,,
rendered all the assistance possible. Out of
two hundred and fifty-two passengers and
crew, only thirty are known to be saved.
The last seen Of Captain Scott he was float
| ing down stream on log. The people at
| Neely's saw the light, and fastened to assist.
| One man rescued sixteen persons with skiff,
| and had it not been for this help all would
! have been lost. A gentleman from Paducah,
| Ky, swan ashore with lady, and at her en-
| treaty returned to save her child. In swim
ming ashore he was grasped by drowning
man, and was compelled to shake him Off
One man was taken from the wreck so badly
burned that he died on reaching shore. Cap
tain Dondy, Of Shreveport, La, was saved.
| There were thirty nine cabin passengers and
crew. All the ladies on board were lost but
one. Fulkerson, the pilot, and the carpenter
were the only ones Of the crew saved
! The boat was owned by Captain j ohm Shaw
| and Dennis Long, the latter ip Louisville, and
was valued at $45, 600; insured for 100000.
She had on board 800 tons of freight, including
| go head of horses and mules, which were in
sured. Captain Shaw had stopped off this
trip, and Captain Thomas Scott was in COM
| mand.
| ST. LOUIS, Oct. 28.-George w. Fulton, chief en-
gineer of the Stonewa, arrived here on the Belle
Memphis, and gives some further particulars. Six
teen persons were saved by clnging TO plank,
and sixteen more swan ashore, and these are all,
out OF the 200 TO 20O on DOaru, OF whose positive
safety there is any certainty.
A man named Bennett was picked up, but died
soon afterward. The only officers of the boat
known to be saved are George w. Fulton, chief
engineer; Edward FulkIod, pilot, and e. p. Wat
son, carpenter. Monroe Vanderyoort, the stoker,
and Charles Williams and John Churchman, deck
hands, were also saved. OF three ladies ON board
only one, Mrs Gregg, was saved.
The scene on board was heartrendng in the ex-
treme. The flames spread with wonderful rapidity
under the action of a high wind, and the passen-
gers in wild terror, crowded the forecastle until
a
other in desperate struggles to free themselves.
Others would spring overheard, whirl round in the
strong current for an instant, and disappear for
Mr. Fulton jumped overheard and attempted to
swim ashore, but coming in contact with q number
of mules, swan to and clambered upon the wheel
of the boat.
ever, and was finally taken ashore in skiff.
Charles Williams, deck hand, says he tried to
smother the fire when it was first discovered with
blankets, but the wind blew so strongly that he
| failed. An effort made to bring the hose into
play on the fire, but the crowd of frenzied deck
passengers rushed with such irresistible force upon
the men having it in charge that they were obliged
Williams then threw overheard a bale of hay, aud
getting it drifed to the stern OF the boat, where
he found the yaw, containing six men ana a woman;
He was taken in, but having no oars, they could
not stem the current, and Williams ana the woman
were put ashore, and the remaining men MADE an
other ATTEMPT TO reach the steamer using the seats
OF the yawl for paddes but the tue was 700 seIong
more. Williams thinks that not more than thirty
persons saved; but as many were aple 70 reaon
the shore different points down the river iurthel
information may show the loss OF life 20 nave peer
less terrible and appalling than present adVlces IN
dictate. There is no telegraph Office within severa
miles Of the scene of the disaster and no lnloT ma
ton later than eleven o'clock last night mas peei
received.
CHICAGO, Oct. 2S.-A special dispatch from
T. Carbondale, Illinois, says that when the lir'
broke out every effort was made to land, Du
vi.s b.. w@s 81 Lea,ly l~deii tnAy sAe cou!'
o not be brought nearer than one hundred yard
: Of the shore and great confusion and tenO