The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1871-11-11
Accident on the River.
OF THE WADE HAMPTON,
No Lives Lost

ditioD, having sprung u leak near
Plaquemine, and run down from
there with the water gradually deep
ening in her hold despite the efforts
of the pumps to prevent it. The
Hampton was very heavily loaded
with about 1900 bales of cotton, $500
sacks of cotton seed, large lot of oil
cake, besides twenty-five hogsheads
of sugar and a number of barrels OF
molasses. When she had reached
this place, Capt. Goddin perceived
| that it would be useless to attempt to
run to the city, and that it would be
necessary to unload some of the
freight to keep the boat above water.
Accordingly he landed and offered the
steamer Lizzie Hopkins, which was
| lying at the mouth of Bayou Lafourche,
! $50 bales of cotton, but the captain of
the Hopkins being absent, the clerk
1 refused TO assume the responsibility
of taking it. Capt. GoddiR then ran
his boat over to the opposite shore
with the intention of landing and un-
loading as much of the freight as
would be necessary to keep her float
ing, but the news soon spread among
the passengers that the boat was.
sinking, and o panic ensued which
completely demoralized the deck
hands, and the hustle and confusion
caused by each individual searching
for his personal effects and rushing
ashore with them, rendered it simply
impossible to accomplish anything in
the way of unloading the freight.
Consequently, the boat gradually
sank, and when we first saw her about
half past six o'clock Monday morning,
the water was within two feet of her
cabin flooring.
The steamer ST. John was lying
alongside, having arrived at the scene
at an early hour in the morning, and
was picking up the cotton and other
freight which was in the water around
the Hampton. The river for two
miles or more below was strewn with
floating cotton bales, and numerous
skffs were moving among them, the
occupants intent upon taking the cot
ton ashore, and thereby earning the
customary salvage. About 2 o'clock
| the stern wheel steamer Big Horn
came along and took all the passen-
gers and their baggage to the city
| No lives are known to be lost, and
the personal property of the officers,
passengers and attaches was all saved,
as, were also the books, papers aud
contents of the boats safe. The cabin
furniture and all the movable articles
on the boat were taken off and ship
ped aboard the st. John, Henry Tete
and Bart Able. The latter boat picked
up some 500 bales of floating cotton
Tuesday.
| Since Monday morning the Hamp.
ton has been gradually sinking into
deeper water, and Wednesday night
| the large chain which held her to the
bank broke, and she slid away from
the shore, her bow resting on the
bottom and the water reaching to the
texas, while her stern end, from some
six feet below the cabin floor, was
standing clear out of water. Wednes-
day night submarine or diving
bell boat arrived from New Orleans
and win do everything that can be
done to raise the Hampton, or, if that
is impossible, to save the machinery
Capt. Goddin remained by the
sunken boat until Thursday, when he
left for New Orleans on the cars
: The Hampton, we are informed, was
owned by Capt. Tobin, G. P. Work
and Capt, Goddin, all well known
and popular river men, and they will
be generally sympathized with fol
the loss Of their fine steamer just a
the commencement of the business
! season. What the amount of insur.
ance on the Hampton is, we have
been unable to learn. The cargo, o.
course, was fully insured.
In our opinion, too much blame
cannot be attached to the Lizzie Hop
kins for refusing to succor a fellow
steamer in distress. If she had taker
J a part of the Hampton's freight it il
| very probable that the latter boa
= could have been kent floating. TIL.