The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-11-04
THE --LATEST HORROR.
BURNING OF A MISSISSIPPI STEAMBOAT AND
LOSS OF OVER TWO HUNDRED LIVES.

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 28.-At an early hour this
morning vague rumors were ahoat on the
streets and along the levees ef the disaster to
the steamer Stonewall, which left this city
Tuesday night Then came an additional
report that she had been burned to the wa
ter's edge; and, lastly, came the direful in
formation that, of the two hundred and if-
ty passengers with which she left this port,
only fifty have been saved. As horror piled
upon horror, faces which at first but showed
the natural anxiety to hear from an accident
thought to be attended with little or no loss
of life, became afright-stricken. Conversa-
ton was carried on in whispers. Every adj
ditional particular but added to the fright
fulness of the disaster. There was no exag
Grafton possible. 1t was calamity unpar-
aleled in the history of river navigation.
The Stonewall was a magnificent river
steamer of about nine hundred tons; was
valued at $4,000; was owned by Captain
John Shaw, her commander, and by Dennis
Long. of Louisville. She left this city Oh
Tuesday evening for New Orleans, loaded
down to her guards with about eight hun
dred tons of freight and two hundred and
seventy head Of cattle. She took forty cab
in passengers, and had crew of about six
ty Captain Thomas Scott had command.
She swung out into the dark muddy wa
ters on Tuesday night and proceeded quiet
ly on her journey until about half past six
O'Clock Wedeneday night, when suddenly
from the forward deck clear, shril voice
pealed out the dreadful cry of" Fire
Contrary to special orders. some of the
deck passengers, wishing to enjoy game of
cards, had hidden behind some bales of hay
with candle. Accounts conflict as to the
particular manner of ignitian. Some assert
that the candle was left behind the hay by
the players after they had finished their
game, that the candle burned down and SCI
the hay on FIRE while other accounts state
that the FIRE got under headway while they
were playing. Any way, "quiet game of
cards has been played on a Mississippi stea-
mer at a cost of two hundred human lives
When the dreadful cry rang through the
steamer, and was taken up and repeated
from mouth to mouth, a scene of the widest
excitement ensued, which probably lasted
for minute. Then camo reflection, cool
ness, and presence Of mind, which under the
circumstances, were most remarkable. Cap
tain Scott Immediately, upon ascertaiping
that the steamer was on fire, ordered the
pilot to head her for the shore. But the
pilot was nervous and excited. Instead Of
running near the shore Ee grounded the yes
sci on bar which did not reach to the shore.
When the boat struck the bar and became
fast it was found that there was six feet of
water on each side of the steamer, the bow
only projecting ON the bar for a few feet. A
number were assisted to gain the bar, which
was two or three feet deep, and they pro-
ceeded along the bar toward the shore, when
the first suddenly sank, when but a slight
distance from the steamer, and 1t was found
that the bar only ran short distance, and
that considerable interval still separated
them from the shore.
Whan thoca facfS bAcapoa sco0a
of the widest confusion and terror snsued.
Strong men. who mp to this time had remain
cd cool, collected, and calm, now became
pale, nervous, and excited. The women
and children. fear-stricken before, were now
doubly SO. Death stared them in the face
Before them was glowing furnace; behind
them the cold, dark waters of the Missis-
sippi.
The flames spread with great rapidity.
Scores of men sprang into the water and at
tempted to reach the shore by swimming
Nearly all of these were lost. Every con-
ceivable object that could be obtained was
thrown into the water, and to these the pas
sengers clung with all the tsuacity Of life.
At o'clock, the steamer Belle Memphis,
Captain Crane. on her way to st. Louis,
reached the scene during the fire, and picked
up number from the water. The pilot,
engineer, stoker, carpenter. and forty-four
passenger arc known to be saved.
The captain, the clerks, and other officers,
the deck hands, and about one hundred and
! fifty passengers were lost, and also the cattle
| and other freight on board. A number Of
persons died after making the shore from
exposure in the water. There was no ex-
| plosion.
Nearly all the women and children were
lost, most Of them being burned to death,
though this is denied by some and affirmed
by others.
The engineer states that all the lost were
| drowned none were burned.
| But one yawl was seen and that was taken
possession of by some deck passengers. No
other life boat or life preservers were on
board.
The conduct of the officers and passenger
is said to have been heroic. Such an appal-
ling scene has not been witnessed on the
Mississippi for many years. The saved were
kindly cared for by the Belle Memphis, and
were carried to St. Louis
Captain Scott was last seen floating down
on spar.
Charles Williams. a deck hand, threw
overheard bale of hay and drifted on it to
stern of the boat, where he encountered the
boats yawl and six men and a woman in it.
! He was taken on board, but having no oars
my NOAAO AOh obCtA4 IAlC SNllOHIs w
and the woman were then put ashore, after
which the yawl was carried away down
/ stream and seen no more.
The con6agration being seen at Neely's
Landing, an effort was made to render as
sistance. Ore man with skiff rescued six
teen persons.
A gallant gentleman from Paducah, Ky,
swan ashore with lady on his back, and
then returned for her child, being nearly
drowned on returning by drowning man
. whose grasp he was compelled to shake off.
George w. Fulton, the chief engineer, at
tempted to swim ashore but coming in
contact with a number of mules, he swan
to and climbed on the wheel of the boat,
While there the steam pipe burst and the
wheel revolved three times. He clung to it,
however, and was finally taken ashore in a
Ii Il