The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-01

beck passengers ...................... l55
Dhlcefs ..'...' ~
SaDh cIew..'.''... ~
Total 2I5
CARGO.
As cargo tho Stonewal had when 1t lett st. Louis
about 5000 barrels Of four 500 SACKS OF oats, ABOUT
I50 bales OF hay and large quantity OF bacon ana
pork There was also some petroleum on board.
There 500 TO 1000 tons OF freight Ihe boat
was not freighted It's full capacity. There were
TnE TRIP DOWN.
On the trip down the boat stopped at Cnester'
where 500 barrels of hour received on board.
1t reached this point at between nine ana ten
o'clock on Wednesday morning, and started after as
bushels OF coal were taken No passengers were
received on board at either place. The boat reached
Neeley's Landing at a quarter past six O'Clock on
THE DISASTER.
At this time the warning cry OF "fren was given
by OF the deck passengers VINO ran TO the engine
room and shouted 10 George w. Fulton, the first en-
glneer, VINO was then on duty. Darkness had set In
and the alarm came with a dreadful significance.
Here the boat was at point whore the river is one
ana half miles wide, with much that MAS COM
bustible on board, and with means Of escape ex-
cept what might be obtained by running the vessel
against the bank. The alarm was gwen Immediate
y upon the origin OF the fire, and 1t was not unheed-
ed. Fulton rushed out and saw bale OF hay IN the
aft portion OF the boat burning SO small was the
IRE that 1t could have been extlngushed with one
or two buckets OF water Ii they had been at hand,
but these were not there.
SPREAD OF THF FLAMES
The hay was piled up to the boiler deck ana the
space occupied by freight was well filled. The
flames spread with great rapidity danced from bale
to bale or hay, communicated to the dry wood.
work Of the boat, and 1t was seen at
glance that the Stonewa was doomed. The
majority of the deck passengers were at the
time copgreya ed ar, ana panic which rendered
pending destruction ensued among them. Euston
lett his engines and, unaided except by one or two
vourng element. lie got the section hose end went
over to the donkey engine 10 attach IT,. His EFFORTS
were. however, fruitess. The people had become
frantic, and moved rapidly IN dense stream for
ward. Fulton found that he could not advance ait
one step aud he gave 1t up In despair Previous 10
this he had shouted through the speaking trumpet TO
Fukerson the pilot To land the boat as soon as pos
sible. When he could do nothing With the hose he
went back TO his engines and spoke AGAIN 70 the
pilot through the trumpet telling him to run AGAINST
the bank Immediately. The boat was rounding
towards the Missouri bank when 1t grounded on
reef called Tea Table bar, ana remained lmmovable
some two hundred yards from the shore with deep
water intervening. In live minutes after the alarm
the danes had extended over all the ait portion ana
consideral part OF the forward portion OF the boat
The deck passengers rushed towards the orecastle,
and dreadfully afrrighted mass Of humanity. TO
complete the conservation the mules DASHED among
the people, tlampilng on and crushing them 10
death.
While this scene was TRANSPORTING on the main
deck, what were the cabin passengers doings They
had just sat down to SUPPER when terrible turmoil
arose. ana they learned at that the boat was on
fire. In that awful moment they vainly looked for
a loophole to escape from the late which threatened
thenl Below aft ana forward, there was furnace
OF untold herceness, and on each SIDE there was
waste OF waters, which indeed offered preferable
fate to the other. Ihei cabin passengers chtse TO
accept the risk OF the mder tate, and they Jumped
from the boiler deck into the watery cias between
land and land, below.
rhe deck passengers also leaped into The
pressed by the flames III ten minutes from
the first alarm the Stonewall was enveoped in
flames from stem to stern from NJ main am qGs s to
who could had jumped on the boat ana were strug-
Cling for lie in the rapid current. Very few we're
able TO save themselves The great majority were,
it Is feared, drowned almost Immediately.
ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE.
While the deck passengers and crew were hudded
together on the forecastle f. +. Watson tue carpeG
ter of the boat endeavored to get some one TO assist
him in putting the stage plank overheard. IL would
have foated Il was believed, loo persons to the ano.
but the passengers were struck helpless by the
prospect OF the horrible fate staring them In the
il was pushed over the SIDE About twenty persons
got on IL. some were pushed OF, and ABOUT sixteen
managed to cling to II until they We're taken on Ia
sAln which sent from shore by Mr.. Harris.
Fulton, the engineer stayed Al his post until he
was driven from IL by the flames, and jumped
overheard. He started to swim toward the land but
found the mules so numerous In the water that he
could make no progress and so swan into the wheel
house lie clung mere in ialcied security until the
lines holding tile levers burned OF ana the wheel
commenced 10 Tevoye. IL made three revolutions
and ne was caught by 1t and considerably bruised.
BURSTING OF A STEAM PIPE.
Fulton was in the wheel when steam pipe, seven
inches IN diameter, connecting the engines VITA
the boilers, burst and stopped the engines. IhS
quckened the destruction OF the boat and the
OF steam and the terrific shock placed those c!ngng
to the stage plank In greater danger although GER
tainly they had but little hope
ONLY ONE SkIFF.
There was only ono skin available TO take passen-
gers IRON tie burning wreck. It made several trips
from TIC boat 10 the land. Besides being the means
OF escape for those the stage plank II was used to
take Fulton from his perilous position. He was the
t tns' boat II was reared that some hemmed in bs
the flames, were burned 10 death and rumor had IL
that some met with such terrible tate In the cabin
How many Will never be known. Ii can only be
hoped that they ali succeeded IN jumping into the
river ana got 10 SHORE.
The coal OIL fortunately not large quantity and
the bacon burned very hercely.
The Stone wall was burned TO the waters edge in
about one hour and haf after the fre was dlscov.
ered but long before this there was no living soul
In II.
The scene was terrible one one never to be for
gotten by the survivors The lamentations, groans
ana shreks OF the dying men ana women mingled
with the noise OF the cracking tlmbers, and TO
tenders aud beams fell over into the water, where
nearly 200 human beings were trying 10 save them
selves from the Jaws OF death.
PDWERLESS To HELP.
There were numbers OF people on the shore who
had locked from the houses in the neighborhood Of
the landing but they were unable to give any assls.
lance except what q few could renuer with the tiny
SKIN before mentioned.
Tney saw many an unfortunate passenger taking
his last leap and as some who had managed 10 get
hod OF spar or piece or timber drited IRON the
wreck. they eagerly sought TO give helping hand
10 some poor fellow as he neared the shore.
Tue people did ali tney possibly could to mitigate
the horrors or the night and at different points Of
the river for mile below assisted persons TO get on
shore The number so saved, 1t 10 regretted, was
but small.
INCIDENTS OF THE DISASTER.
The brlef struggles OF many passengers IN tho
water among the frightened mules are described
as appalling. one after another were stricken down
10y the hoofs OF these animals. one Ittle grOap OF
four or ave, apparently deck hands, was seen togo
down clinging to each other IN this chaotic mass,
literally trodGcn 10 watery grave.
m. a ~ UNA laa aQta
earnestly struggling ashore, cnging TO plank or
door, and when IN a fair way to make IL another
swimmer seized his irail support and botn sank 10
the bottom.
DIED FROM COLD AND EXHAUSTION.
ar. Brennan who was one OF the cabin passen-
gers, leaped into the river anu succeeded IN keeping
anoat until rescued When he was pulled out no
mad been so long the water that he dd not survive
the shock TO his system. lie was taken 10 house |
ana uied soon afer The remains were left NJ the |
house OF Mr. Bedard, and Will be brought away by I
his friends. lie had. besides gold watch and chain,