Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-11-04

'fo"' ~'eP"soh w 'u0 S"aC"SV Nv
ening Journal gives the following account
Of another Of those appalling steamboat
disasters OF the Mississippi, which oc-
Cured Wednesday evening Of last week:
CARBoNDALE, ILL., Oct. 20, 1869
Early this morning our city was cleo,
trifed by Intelligence from Grand Tower
that the st Louis and New Orleans
steamer StoRewall, John s. Shaw, mas
ter, was burned to the waters edge last
night, about 8 clock, at Neeley's land
ing, ten miles below Grand Tower. All
that was known had been sent by tele-
graph, and was of course liable to errors.
Your correspondent made every possible
effort to Obtain the facts in the case, but
as the survivors were supposed to have
been sent to st Louis, we had but little
hope of obtaining particulars until their
arrival at that point A 8 o'clock this
morning, however, it was reported that
one Of the passengers on board the lost
boat, had arrived in cur city. Making
q ii ent search we found the party re-
erred to. who pro ed to be the assistant
engineer. From his statement we gather
tho following:
The steamer Stonewall, heavily laden
with horses, mules, hay and other freight
lett st Louis on the evening OF the 27th
inst for New Orleans and intermediate
ports. She had On board IS registered
cabin passengers, guests, about l50
deck passengers, and the officers and
crew 60 in number, making all told $50
persons. Among the passengers were | |
women and some children. On yester.
day afternoon she touched at Grand Tow.
err, and took aboard about 1000 bushels
of coal Moving down the river at about
half past clock, while the crew were
at supper, the alarm Of fire was given
The fire originated about ten feet for
ward the deck stov from sparks from
match in lighting pipe, by one Of the
deck passengers, quite a quantity Of hay
being slowed in the room AS soon as
the alarm was given, confusion worse
COMPOUNDED reigned A number of deck
passengers instantly seized the only
yawl that my informant knew anything
of, and casting loose, hoated off will out
oars. The pilot headed the boat for the
shore, while an effort was being made to
subdue the fire. In few moments the
boat grounded in water SIX feet deep, and
200 yards from the Missouri shore. A
few seconds suficed to show that there
was do hope OF saving the boat In the
meatime everything available - doors,
shutters, blinds, planks, mattresses, fur
niture, etc, were thrown into the river,
passengers springng in after and cling
ing to them for safety, About this time
one of the steam-pipes blew of, adding
to the alarm. At this those who were
not already struggling in the water im-
medlately plunged in regardless of con-
sequences. My inIorman. does not think
a single soul remained on the steamer
All except those in the yawl, nearly $50
in number, were battling for life in the
current of the Mississippi Night had
gathered round them Above the screams
OF the dying passengers and cracking Of
the flames was heard the shrill neighng
Of the burning horses With no boats
or llie'preseryerS clinging only to frail
supports, scores were dying from the in
tense cold of the water. Chilled through,
with no he'll in s ght, and with no hope
before them, one by one they sank to rise
no more, Those who did reach the shore
were not only exhausted but nearly fro
zen, one man, Mr.. Benner. from Gal
weston Texas, dying after reaching land.
The assistant engineer states that af-
ter nearly all had left the boat, he went
into the state rooms to try to find life
preseryer, but finding none ran out and
plunged into the water and swan ashore
with no clothing on save shirt and
pants. lie saw but little and remembers
nothing of consequence while IT, the
water. He did not tell me, but | have
understood that he doubted whether there
were any Iile.preservers on board
Of the eleven women, three were saw
ed, one a lady aged sixty years, saved by
devoted and faithful son.
Soon after the fire broke out the en-
sineer attempted to launch the stage, but
the passengers crowded on it in such
numbers that he could do nothing. He
junped overheard, they following. One
little glrl still remaining clinging to II
rope, let herself down from the second
deck on to the projecting part of the
stase, and remained there until it burns
ed at, and she hoaed OF On the piece
aud Was saved, This is certainly re-
m rkable instance of seli-contrvl in
child,
The steamer Belle Memphis, Captain
j. L. Crane, on her way TO St Louis
reached the scene about ten clock, and
gathered up from the shu,e all the survi>
vors that could be ound, thirty. ,hrec in
number Fifteen or twenty are supposed
to have reached the shore some distance
below, making about fifty or sixty, all
told, that were saved They We're kind
ly cared for by the cgicers of the Belle
Memphis, which carried the greater part
" them to st Louis, where they will ar.