New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-29

PRICE FOUR CENTS.
TERRIBLE CALAMITY.
BURNING OF THE STEAMER sToNEwAIL ON rHs
MIssIssIPPf-OVRR TWO HUNDRED LIVES
IosT-sCFNRg AND INCIDENTS.

supposed over 300 lives we're lost. The steamer
Stonewall, Capt Scott, which left here on Tuesday
last for New-0reans, when about 40 miles ABOVE
Cairo was discovered 20 be on fire. The boat mad
deck lead of hay. and the fire spread 80 rapidly thas
all attempts TO extinguish the flames proved unayali-
ing The Stonewall was then run aground, but ow-
ing 10 the depth Of water between the boat ana tno
shore only about 80 passengers succeeded in reach
ing It, The announcement Of the disaster has caused
great excitement here many OF the passengers being
residents Of this city, and further particulars AFRO
awaited with great anxiety.
SECOND DIsPATcH-sTATEMENr OF ONE OF NE
PASSENGERS.
ST. LOUIS Oct 2s.-Mr. Phelps, planter of shreve-
port La has arrived here from the wreck of tho
steamer Stonewal and furnishes the following brief
particulars Of the terrible disaster 10 that boat
The boat caught Ore at 81 o'clock on wednesday even
ing at point little below Neelys Landing, and i21
miles below St. LOUIS from candle which the deck
sengers had placed hay while they were en-
gagged playing cards The stonewal was run on a
gravel bar pilot supposng that the passengers could
wade ashore Unfortunately at tho end OF the bar hera
slough, and here 1t that the larger number
were drowned The boat was run on the bar buttWs
feet the shaowest point about her had nVe or SIX
feet of water She had much hay board that shs
burned very quickly and ali attempts TO e1tngush the
fire were without avail The Belle Of Memphis came up ~
81 o'clock three after the accideup and rendered
all the assistance possible Out Of 2S2 passengers and
crew only 30 are known be saved. The last seen %
Capt Scott he was floating down stream on log.
Tie people at Neeys Landing the light, and has
tened 10 the unfortunate passengers one man
rescued Is persons with sk Had NOS bean Tor their
help all would have been lost gentleman from Padu
cah Ky swan ashore with lady on his back, and al
her entreaty returned TO her child. While swim
ming ashore he grasped by drowning man. ahd
was compelled shake him of In order 70 save himself
One man was taken from the wreck badly burned thar
"A ehn ahRr
shreveport La was saved. Tlioro 80 cabin pas
sengers so Of the There were quito number
OF ladies board and Sill supposed TO be lost ehceps
one. Futkerson. the pilot and the carpenter were the
only members OF the crew saved.
| The stonewan was owned by Capt. John Shaw AMI
Dennis Long latter of Louisville and was valued al
sOOo and insured for 10000 She had about 500 tune or
freight including 40 cattle, horses aud mules They
we're insured Capt Shaw had stopped on this mp sho
Capt Tom Scott In command OF the Doa1
| STATEMENT OF THE CHIEF ENGINEER.
ST.. LOUIS, Oct 28.-MIpNIGHT-George w
Fulton Chief Engineer OF the Steamer stonewa sriyea
here on the Belle OF Memphis and gives some forthen
partieuiars Sixteen persons saved by eiDgng tn
planks and 10 swan ashore These are al outo'
between $50 and 26O souls on board OF whose posu's
safety there any certainty. One man named bennes
WAS picked up and brought ashore but ne dled soon
after The only officers OF the boat known 70 De saves
are George W. Fulton Chief Engineers Edward fah
kerson Pilot, and L. p. Watson, Carpenter hohi
roe Vanderyoert. the stoker and Charles VIZ
nams and John Churchman, deck hanas, arc esn
among thu saved OF the three ladies on boani
ouly one Mira Gregg. was Sayed Capt Scott was last
seen floating ON a spar. Men shore rode seven miles
down the stream IN hopes Of finding him. but he was nos
found The Oh board was heartrendlng the eA
IRENE. The hames spread with wonderful rAp'aiJ I'M
der the action OF strong wind, and the passengers IN
wild terror the fOreease unt forced overheard
I'm mass and drowned other in desperate struggles
70 free Themselves Others would jump into the water
yhirl around IN the strong current Tor an
instant, and disappear forever. MI fWon
Jumped overheard and ATTEMPTED 70 SWIM
ashOre but coming In contact with NUMBER
OF mules he 20 and climbed on the wheel OF tSe
boat While there the steampipe burst and the Wheel
reyoyed three times He eluDg TO It, however aud was
finally taken ashore in skn Charles williams deck
hand says he tried 70 smother the fire. when 10 was hss
discovered with blankets, but the wind blew 20 strongly
lac failed An effort was made 10 bring tse hose TO play
on the fire. but the crowd Of the frenEed deck passen
gers rushed with such irresistible force upon the men
having IL charge that they were obliged 70 give ny.
Williams then threw overheard bale OF hay, and getHna
on II dred to stern Of the boat where he encountered
boats yawl, containing six men and woman lie was
taken on board but having they could not stem
the current Williams aud the woman were pus 90 shore,
and the remaining men made another attemptto raoh
the steamer using the seats OF the yawl for paddles bui
the tide was strong and they were carried down TIE
stream and were more. Williams thinks there
many were able TO reach the shore at different points
down the river that further Information vii show
the loss OF life has not beeu So terrible ara appahg
within several mites Of the scene disaster aud In
ormation later than II o'clock last night has been re-
ceiyed
CHICAGO, Oct. PA special dispatch from
Carbondale H.. says that the sOnewal which
left ST. Louis Tuesday evening FOR Seworlcans heavily
| laden with passengers, aud horses mules, hay, AMI
other freight generally took ro last night when neat
Neey's Landing and despite all efforts TO save her. wa
burned TO the water's edge. When the fire hohe Ou
every effort was made to land but the steamer so
heavily laden could not De brought nearer than
100 yards OF the shore Great confusion and terror pre-
vailed There about 200 cabin ana deck passengers
on board quite a number OF when were women AMI
children The flames spread with great rapdity Scores
OF men sprang the water aud attempted to reach the
shore by swimming, nearly all of whom were lost Every
conceivable object that could be obtained thrown
into the water, and 10 these the passengers olanS
with all the tenacity OF life The steamer Belle
OF Memphis, Capt. Crane, on her way TO 81 LOUIS
reached the during the o and picked up from the
water all that known to be saved Tue pilot eh
gnser stoker carpenter and forty passengers are
saved The captain. clerks aud other officers, the
deck hands, and OF the passengers were lost The
books and papers OF the boat were also lost number
of persons died after reaching the shore from exposure In
the water There was no explosion. All OF the
and children we're lost nearly ~ not ALL being burned a.
death The conduct OF the officers aud passengers b said
70 have been heroic SHfn an Spsa@s scene n IT,,
saved we're kindly cared for By the officers OF the Belle "
Memphis, and were carried TO St. Louis.
STATEMENT OF THE ASSISTANT ENGINEER.
The Assistant Engineer of the ill-fated steamer
makes the following statement: The alarm OF hro was
given at q o'clock, and In ten minutes the boat
in sheet Of fame and person had deserted
her All that lost drowned: were burned.
OF eleven women board, hut three were saved. But