The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-21
Grnnt md Summers Speech.
Is A S T E R.
The burning eft the steamer G.. A. Thompson
TMcnLy.One Lives SmppOsed 10 be Lost.

The Burning eft the Steamer G.. A. Thompson
Twenty-One Lives supposed tO be Lost.
In THE EVENING TELEGRAPH Of the 10Th instant,
was printed telegram announcing the burning of
the steamer G. A. Thompson, on the Red river. Mr..
David Allen, who had taken passage the boat for
Ozark, Ark, gives the following statement:-
The boat struck a snag just below Twins Landing,
at O'Clock on Saturday morning; he was in the
ladies' cabin at the time, and came to the front of
the boat, where the captain was standing, who
seemed to be quite cool and said there was no danger;
and could get out without any loss. just at that
time the carpenter ascended the stairs from the deck
OF the steamer and told the captain the boat was
fire, but the latter did not heed the remark until the
carpenter had second time brought the news, and
then took the captain below to show him that 1t
was so.
The captain then had two yawls launched. and
ordered the women and children to he placed in
them. The captain, his wife, Mr. Aliens wife and
child the captains dog, his servant and or two
Others, got OH in them the captain promising to re-
turn for the Others, but after getting about twenty
I'VE yards from the steamer, che was enVelOped in
names and the only chance for safety left for those
on board the burning steamer was to jump overheard
About that time the carpenter got another Skif and
took out the balance of the women and children.
1t being dark it hard to tell which shore was the
nearest, and some landed on either side. One man
was saved on hOgshead of tobacco, some doors
ana pianks. Anythlng that could be picked up was
used. Mr.. Allen put on life-prescrvCr and swan
ashore, landing about three-lOurths of mile from
the wreck, on the opposite side of his wife. Next
morning those who had landed on the same shore
Were set across the river. All of his effects save
what himself, wife. and child had on at the time.
were lost
According to his estimate and that Of other pas
sengers, twenty-one persons were lost including
both the clerks George Ely, OF Cincinnati and John
Perkins, the deck-sweeper, one of the cooks, one
waiter, one passenger from Pine Blum, named Viii
son, and the chambermaid, Mary Field (colored). OF
Cincinnati, and nine colored deck hands. The
chambermaid was the only woman lost. No children
lost All three OF the pilots saved The :captan and
tain said the first clerk had all the money.
Mr.. Allen gives much praise to the carpenter. He
says but for him not a woman or child would have
been saved We could not learn his name. The
largest life boat was not cut down and used,
effort whatever on the part of the captain to
save anybody. The last he saw of the chamber
not know whether she was drowned or burned
to death. The boat was loaded with an
assSrment Hco Gener" nrIGre MERCHANDISE pork
farming utensils etc. There was no lime
in the hold, as stated in our former report num-
ber of barrels were on deck and the fire originated
among them. The boat was heavily loaded. Mr.
Allen relates It as remarkable fact that the cap
tain, mate carpenter, and two pilots were all
together in the plot-house at the late hour of the
occurrence The wife of the captain remarked to
his wife afterwards, that they were expecting the
valise that were saved-they were supposed to belong
TO the captains wife Mr. Lilard, another passen.
ger, concurred in the above statement.
Captain James Burch who resides at Red Fork
on the Arkansas river reports that he knows of but
the regular channel at the time she struck the
snag. He agrees TO most of the statements made by
Mr.. Allen. The first yaWl carried out the ladies'
and children and the captain The second was
entered by the two clerks, Mr.. Jacob Trundc, Mr.
ID. j. DeSInOine, ana one or TWO others; but IL
was upset by the deck hands in their strug-
| giles to get in, and all save Mr.. Des
moine and the carpenter found watery
graves. The captain requested the passengers to 90
| below and throw the line overheard and that they
remain on the front OF the boat, and he would take
| care OF the women and children and send back for
the balance, but the flames spread randy he was
| prevented from doing so. Captain Burch remained
on the boat with young 1Tunde, who was unable to
| swim. until the boat was enyelopcd in flames, and
until he had seen him safely embark in the yawl
| which was capsized 10y the deck hands. He then
swan ashore landing about three-fourths of mile
| from the wreck.
Mr. T. b. Wilcox, another passenger, states that
| the boat was not only ont Of the regular channel
| but she was running with 1870 pounds Of steam He
| cOnCurs in the statement above
The boat was about 1870 yards from shore when the
| accident occurred The water about nine feet
| deep She had on board about 100000 worth of
merchandise, mostly for business men and Fort
| sumter merchants, which was generally insured
| The boat was quite old craft, aud was fully in
| sured. Mr.. Turnell, who resides at New York, is
1 among the missing,