Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-04-17
Additional Particulars Of the
Burning.
From Seventeen 20 Twenty Lives
Lost.


day we compile the following additional
particulars of the burning of the steamer
G. a. Thomson obtained from her pas
sengers;
Mr.. DAVID ALIENS STATEMENT.
The boat struck q snag just below
Twins Landing, at two O'clock, Sstur-
day morning. He was In the ladies'
cabin at the time-and came to the front
of the boat, where the captain wss
standing, who seemed to be quite cool,
and said there was no danger-all could
get out without any loss. Just at that
time the carpenter ascendsd the stairs
from the deck of the steamer and told
the captain the boat was on fire, but the
latter did not heed the remark, until the
carpenter had 8 second time brought the
neWs, and then took the captain below
to show him that l. WAS SO. Ths esp ain
then had two ysWls launched and ordered
the women and children to be placed in
them. TIE captain, his wife, Mr.. Al
lens wife and child, tbs captains dog,
his servant, and one or two otbers, got of
10 them, the captain promising to return
for the others, out after getting about
twenty-five yards from the steamer, she
wSs enveloped ia flames, and the only
chance for safety lett ior those on board
the burning steamer, was to jump
overheard. About that time the car
peDter got another skiff and lookout
the balance OF the women and children.
lie bsiDg dark, il was hard to tell which
shore was the nearest, and some landed
on either side. One nan was saved
on a hogshead Of tobacco, same OF
doors snd plank. Anything that could
b9 picked up was used. MIR. Allen pu5
on a life preserver and swan ashore,
landing about thres-fourths Of q mile
from the wreck, on tie oppCsite side
from bis vile. Next morning those who
had landed on the same shore we're set
across the river. All OF his %ett-cts, save
what himself, wife and child mad on at
the tine, were lost. AceOrdiSg to his
estimate, aud thoss o. other passengers, |
JTenty-One persons were DISTINGUISHING
both the clerks, George Ely, of Cincn
matt, john Perkins, the deck sweeper,
4 of the cooks, n wsiter, one pSssea
ger from Pine Bluff, named Wilson. and
the ehsmbermsid, Mary Field, (colored)
OF Cincinnati, and nine c0lored deck
hands. The chambermaid was the only
woman lost. No children lost. All
three OF the pilots saved. The captain
and crew returned on the Thomss II
Allen. The captain said The frat clerk
had all the money.
O1Es AtACH k2NcS Wuth HEAlsG 10 Izl5 |
carpenter. He says but fer him, not q
oma or child would have been saved.
We could not learn bis name. The largest
life boat WAS not cut down and used, but
allowed to hang to the spars. There was
no tffJrt whatever or the part Of the
captain to saw anybody. The last he
saw OF the chambermaid she was on the
deck, crying for help. Did not know
whether che was drowned or burned to
death. The boat was loaded with an as
sortment Of general merchandise, pork,
whisky, dry goods, furniture, stoneware,
farming utensils, etc There was no
lime ia the hold, as stated in our former
report. A number of barrels were on
deck, and the fire originated among
them. The boat was heavily loaded.
MIR. Allen relates it as o remarkable fact
that the captain, mate, carpenter and
two pilots were all together IN the pilot
hOuss az the late hour CT the occurrence.
The wife of the captain remarked t. his
wife, afterwards, that they were expect
log the boat would be sunk. He saw but
one trunk and yalise that were saved
they were supposed to belong TO the
captains wife. Mr.. Lilliard, another
passenger, coneurred in the above state
ment.
CAPT. JAMES BURCH'S STATEMENT.
Capt. James Burch, who resides al Red
Fork, on the Arkansas river, reports thai
ne knows of but seventeen persons being
Lost. The boat was not in the regular
at the time she struck the snag.
He agrees to most of the statements
made by Mr.. Allen. The first yawls
out the women and children and
the captain. Toe second was entered by
the two clerks, Mr.. Jacob Trundle, Mr..
D. ]. Dasnoines, and one or two others, !
but it was upset by the deck hands 10 {
their struggles to get in, and all save Mr.. ,
and the carpenter found wa.
graves. The captain requested the
passengers to go below and throw the !
line overheard, and that they remain on !
the front of the boat, and ne would take
care of the women, and send back for ]
the balance, but the flames spread so
he was prevented from doing 80.
Capt. Burch remained on the boat with
Mr.. TTundie, who wSs unable to swim,
Until the boat WAS envelOped in flames,
and until he had seen him safely em-
bark in the yswl which was caps'zsd by
The deek hands. He then SWAN ashore,
landing about three-qaarters Of a mile :
rom the wreck. 5
Mr.. F. r WILCOX STATEMENT. c
Mr.. F. r. Wilcox, another passenger, 4
states that the boat was not only out Of 5
me regular channel, but she was run 4
ling with $50 pounds OF steam, and con- /
.urs in the statements above. :
The boat was about $50 yards from I
Ihore when the accident occurred. The /
water was about nine feet deep. She had :
IN board about 800. 900 worth ofmer- /
,handise, mostly for our business men a
md Fort Smith merchants, which was g
generally insured. The boat was quite U
u old craft, and was fully insured. Il
HOW PASSENGERS WERE TREATED. :
MIR. Wilcox, Mr.. Ltlliard, Mr.. Allen,
md others, desire to publish the follow ,
card of thanks TO those citizens who
.eslsted them after they had gotten 9
shore /: =
A CARD. =
Editors Gazette = Desiring to express e
ur most heartfelt thanks for the kind
less that was shown US during our COM
stay amorg the people OF PEN
lington's settlement, PAw-Paw landing, =
We take this method OF doing so.
After getting ashore, Se found that the v
'erson st whose place we stopped could 1
accommodate us, Is be was out of Q
rovisions. We went elsewhere, to :.
-. Core, Gilkeson aud Penning-