The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-17
HuPnine of q Steamer ON the Missls.
sipnf-A Terrible Rcane

MEaPHIs, Jan. 1.-THE steamer T. L.
McGill, from st. Louis for New Orleans,
was burnedion Shoo-Flv bar last night. The
fire broke out aft. Owing to heavy gale
prevailing the flames spread rapidly, and
the passengers had barely time to rush to
the bow and plunge into the water before
the fire was upon them. To add to the
horrors of the scene, the weather was in.
tensely cold, and many who plunged Into
the river were chilled and sunk to rise no
more. The survivors give imperfect and
conflicting reports.
The boat had been aground for two days,
and had unloaded 200 tons of her freight in
order to get over the bar. She was loaded
with 900 tons Of general merchandise, in
Guiding pork and coal oil. Just as the pas
|sengers were preparing to retire an alarm
Of fire was raised, and general stampede
ensued. The steamers st. Francis and Ann
White, which had passed her, were several
miles above, but seeing the fire, turned
assistance. The II. G. Yerger, lying near
by, also rendered assistance.
The Ann White brought up the following
persons, picked up along the shore Oliver
Cotterel, first engineer, st. Louis; Isaac
Austin, stoker, jerry Larry and C. H.
Crone, cooks; Pat. Collins, deck sweep,
Molines, ILL.,; VIM. O'Brien, rouster, Chi
cago David R. Jones and l.. Sherman,
Ohio Frank Green, Belyidere, Wis.,:
Thos. Rogers, cabin boy, Vicksburg; John
Black, cabin boy, New Orleans; Abe Nc
Fall. Cairo. Passengers w. S. Erill, st.
Louis, Mo-; Peter McGwin, St. Louis, Mo-;
D. A. French, Moscow, KY; Jerry Daily,
st. Louis; A. j. NJ. Caldwell, Hickman
county, KY; Valentine Fox, st. Louis !;
VIM. Johnson, boy, New Orleans; Mr..
Che, oInccoar Mi1v-,,,lyoo. D,,r.,
Bartlett, Iowa; colored rousters Dennis
Lewis, Geo. Malone, Port Jones, Alexander
johnson, Al. Pethow, Chas. Brown, Henry
Hudson, Frame Nelson, Chas. Brown No.
2, Henry Clay, Moses Hill, Richard Hill,
Samuel Whiting.
So confused and contradictory are the re-
ports it is impossible to give an accurate
list of the number lost, but it is probable
that thirty Of those on board the steamer
when the flames were first discovered are
now dead, and that the number includes
four women and three children.
Thomas F. Evans, barber, of st. Louis,
died soon after he was placed on the st.
Francis, from wounds and exposure. In
addition to Capt. Tompkins, and McFar-
land, first clerk, who are missing. there is
carpenter from st. Louis, bound for Green
vile, Miss, two women and three children,
UuC COlOl Co uialIl, anu L uIilp LOCh,
of Philadelphia, Pa.
MIR. Everett, of st. Louis, who came here
on the st. Francis, says that man and his
wife, who were cabin passengers, floated
past them holding on to the stage plank.
AS they went by with the current the wo-
man said to her husband, 81 am freezing !;
let US die together" She then let go the
plank, and her husband grasped her, but
he was too exhausted to maintain her above
the water, and both sank locked in each
others embrace. The engineer thinks that
at least fifteen persons were lost.
The pilots Kelly and Murray were saved,
Kelly badly frozen !; also VIM. Woodruff,
second clerk; John Geonig, steward; and
Geo. J.. Resell, cook. The former was
saved by the exertions of the officers of the
st. Francis, and was badly chilled when
found. Mr.. Woodruff remained with the
freight. Captains Tompkins and McFar-
land were last seen on the boat, using every
exertion to save the passengers, and it is
feared they are lost, though hopes are en-
tertained that they may have reached the
shore.