The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-23

We copy as follows from the Shreveport South
We are Indebted to Mr.. J. Lodwick, one Of the
steersmen. for the following particulars OF tais IN
paralleled catastrophe: /
The Mttie Stephens, Captain Kellogg, George
Remer clerk, left this port for Jefferson on Thurs
day, the 18th, at 4 O'Clock P. M, with over one
hundred souls on board. Nothing worthy OF no.
tee happened until IL O'Clock ct night, the TINS
for changing vstchmen, about two ana nali
miles below Swanson's Landing In Csddo Lake,
when Mr.. Lodwick remarked to Mr. swain, tne
pilot On watch, that be smelt something burning,
and at the same time noticed smoke rising
from the hay forward on the larboard SIDE: Ino
alarm was ct once given, the boat headeo LOT
shore. and all hands put to work 70 extneuish
the flames but without effect. In less than i've
minutes the bow OF the boat was run ashore
near Jeters place, at which time the forward
part Of the boat was completely IN flames, cut
ting of all egress in that direction. Inc pas
seneers then rushed in the stern OF the boat,
driven by the flames and with tbs hope OF making
their escape in that direction. The stern OF the
boat was at least 160 feet from the shore, IN ten
feet water. The yawl was swamped at once py
being overloaded, and the occupants met watery
grave. Here the scene beggars description.
Nearly one hundred frantic, terror-stricken
people-men. women and chlldren-Were COL
lected on the sfterguard, with the flames hlssng
and cracking behind them and watery grave
before them. Every movable thing was thrown
overheard, and many men jumped overpoaIa ana
found vatery graves fighting for something 10
float on. Here fathers could be seen hunting Tor
their wives and children, wives for their husbands
and children for their parents, amid the snriehs
and cries of the excited crowd. As the names
approached, all of the men jumped overheard,
some TO find watery grave, and others to save
themselves by swimming but nos say ceIS "a
n the flames In less than half hoar from the dis
covering OF the fire the vessel was total wreck and
over sixty persons had persisted. The steamer
| Nit N...k Tan nha auaaQ
rendered valuable assistance with her skill IN
picking up persons floating in the water. Messrs.
Swain and Lodwiek staid at the wheel until driven
away by the flames, and were the last persons 10
leave the hurricane roof, at which time the cabin
was entirely deserted. They both jumped over.
board from the stern and swan ashore. In TACT
all who were saved did the same thing. As soon
as the fire was discovered large amount OF pow
der was thrown overload, as well as what else
that could be got at, but the fire made such head
way that every effort proved fruitess. Cap: kel.
loeg and his officers behaved with great GOODNESS,
| and made every effort in their power to save the
passengers.
The last seen of Mr.. George Remer, the first
| clerk, was as he Jumped overheard. He was one
of the oldest clerks the river but not the regu'
lar clerk of the boat. Mr.. G. F. Hayes, who occu-
pied that position, was taken sick just before the
| boat left New Orleans, and stopped on.
| Mr.. j. G. Christian was one Of the Oldest and
most respected citizens of this parish. He got on
| board the Stephens at Moorngsport, where he
| had been waiting two days, and IN less than an
hour met watery grave in sight OF the port from
| which he embarked.
of the other persons lost we had no personal
| acquaintance, but how the eye dims and the cheef
| blanches as we glance over the long list. here
We find father, mother and three children IN one
| place, four Of the same name IN another, TWO II
another, etc., all of whom found their last resting
place at the mid hour Of night by the light OF hi
burning wreck. Great God, how inscrutabie ar
thy waysl
From what we can learn the safe contained a
least 500 900 in gold, which, we presume, can b
recovered.
The last seen of Col. Brosdwell was as h
Jumped overheard at the stern of the boat. ID
was, no doubt, drowned.
The circumstances attending the loss OF Mrs
| Lyon and her son Frank are truly heartrending
They were the last in the cabin to awake, an
then, not until the flames had reached them
They rushed to the aft END OF the cabin, wher
Mr.. Lyon used every effort to get his wife an
child to step over the railing and jump into Ia
river, distance OF eighteen or twenty feet: IN
sight was too much for her, and blinded and sul1c
Gated BY the smoke, she swooned away with be
child clineing to her. Mr.. Lyon staid with theE
until the flames scorched him and compelled MI
10 leap overheard, after all chance Of saving b.
wife and child had gone. He was picked up b
the Dixie's skiff in an insensbe state.
The steamer Dixie, Capt. Thornton Jacof
which arrived here yesterday, brought the charre
remains Of Mrs. Lyon and son. They were foun
| on the lower DECK Oh the Hfech, iuuleuiascy "
low the place where they were last seen. n
J Dixie on her down trip, lay by the wreck all ds
Sunday, and her officers succeeded in recoverin
, the remains Of fourteen persons. Too much prais
cannot be awarded Capt. Jacobs for his nvaluab
services in rescuing the passengers. AT the tim
he first discovered the flames he was six miles OF
with fires out and laid up for the night. he
once dispatched his skif 10 the scene, and folswe
with the Dixie as soon as he could raise stear
A large force is still at the wreck, looking att
the bodies Of the lost, but up to last accounts N
, thing had been seen of the body of Col. Broa
| we'll. Not single lady passenger in the CAB
was saved they one and all refusing to lake TO q
water, the only avenue of escape left.
, The Shreveport Southwestern OF the 10Th say
, , The iron safe belonging to the Mittie stephe
has been recovered, brought to this city oil
! | turned over to the agents Of the insurance COZ
, psnies. Ii is supposed TO contain large amou
: | Of money. Up to yesterday morning thirty-eig
| bodies had been recovered and buried. Nothil
as yet has been seen Of the remains of Col. Broa
4 | we'll.
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