New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-01-19
THEFT. L.. Mc(:n.L HORROR.
Details 0S the Disaster.


+ nt before published here. Of the disaster |
:, the steamer.T. l.. McGiLl. by which about !
sXty lives were lost. We copy as follCsye, !
the narrative commencing at the time tie |
steamer strssk the bar
The spars were immesi sate!y got ont and |
:n attempt made to spar her across the |
bar, and, had the deck hands worked with |
y will, it Is confidently stated that this |
might have been accomplished in Iess.tIran |
an hour. s,ile was. however. soon hard and |
fast and as the wind was blowing Is perfect |
hurricane. and the atmosphere tlletz: with
drifting s.0w, sleet and rain. the deck
hands refused to work. and the attempt to
get the steamer OFF was abandOnetl ia the
meant me. and tho crew retired to the deck
room.
The wind was blown. from the southeast
toward the Arkansas shore. and s1ept the
deck from stern to bow The night was, bit
terly cold, and Large fires were burning in
all the stoves on board Betweea nine and
ten O'clock at Ligh:. while the captain. anE
the pilot, Mr.. M,array, were sitting togethe,
in the room of TIE former, the alarm of tii-s
WAS sounded, a-ad both rushed cat on to the
deck. At this time dense voIu.aes of smoke
were rolling forward on the deck. followed
by flames. apparently issuing from the
room between the lower Geek and s1e
cabin OH the starboard quarter. In an N
stiat the greatest excitement. and confusson
prevailed.
Orders were given 20 the leclS HANDS to
tArow the stages over board. but this they
refused to do, notwithstanding. the r-Mon-
strances Of the captain and the officers. and
half a dozen of the rousta5outs took posses
sion Of the yaMl. leaped into it and rOwed
ashore. leaving the craft at the bank, and
refusing to return 20 the suceor of their
less fortunate fellow-voyagers. Their con-
duet was dcspicable. cruel AID repre-
hensible in the extreme. and but for their
inhunIan act nearly every person on board
might have been saved from !: dreadful
death. Captain TolAplSins acted during the
terrible scene with cOolneSs and deilbera-
ton. and was ably assisted by his officers.
The chief engineer. Mr.. Oliver Cottrill.
displayed the very greatest presence Of
mind. and Immediately on the alarm of fire
being given he attached the hose to the
steam doctor, and soon brought stream of
water to bear Oh the flames. Mr.. Cottrill
finding that his efforts in respect to check
ing the fire We're totally unavailing. rushed
into the engine room, which was all ablase.
opened the throttle valves to allow the
steam to escape from the boilers in order to
prevent adding an explosion 70 the horrors
of the night.
Before this eonld be accomplished ilis
"
and hi, hands badly burned. The whole
after portion of the steamer was one mass
OF flame. roaring with the greatest fury.
and envelOping everything i'll its 1iery grasp
as il marched onward toward the crouc;linc .
group. on the decks. On the foreCastle
were gat ,ercd a group Of helpless human
beings. the ana ority OF whom were negroes.
shouting and shreking at the top OF their
voices. While some lay prostratc On the
Il frC,,
and r,.,cntls resigned to their dreadful
fate.
Itw,S indeed terrible sight and those
who witncs-c.. Il and survived it will not
forge. i. III the last day of :hei: existence.
No human hel? seemed 20 be near. and
! boxes, bales o. cotton stateroom doors,
and every thing Else Of Il portable character
ou which hands could be laid were thrown
overheard to act as lie yrrseryers In this
naune: NJ. Cottriii. chief engineer, Mr..
Woodruff second clerk. Mr.. Murray pilot,
and many others. escaped from the burnin.
vessel and managed 70 make their way TO
:he Arkansas shore. Many seemed to make
I! 40 attempt 20 save themselves. but simply
| stood on the forward Leci. and shrieAcd,
| ana PRAYED. and wrun. their hands.
, The shrieks ot these poor NnfortUnatcs
mingled with the a.oMzed neighing OF the
| horses o., the lover deck and the beliowin .
a.
| them ON every side. was narrowing and
! heart-GenIn. III TIN. extreme.
! The river seemed on :irs: il was lighted
+; up on every side. and. u the language OF
| tl. pilot. i. wa> a> tight rs day. and
dozens Of persons were t. be seen in the
| stream clngina in desperation to cotton
| bales and blanks. enueavorin. to Eeach the
! shore
, From tini,. 20 time these irail supports
would turn over. il faint shrek would
| follow. and several human beings would
| become .ng.iited in The dark waters. Many
| became st benumbcd as 70 be unable to
| hold on 20 the cotton bales and other arti-
c,es floating IA the river and met watery
| graves. while others. to escape the devO,n'-
| ing element. .caped into the water. and
we-cyarried cut of sight by the swift cur
! rent Other. cluny 70 the guards until
:hey became exhausted from cold and want
of strength then dropped into the river and
| were drowned.
| The noble captain Of the Inflated steamer.
although repeatedly urged to endeavor to
save lis life by means OF a cotton bale or
box. ste-nly refused to leave the deck OF
| his vessel while one soul remained on board
As the flame, were rag ing with fury, and
| RAPIDLY enveiOping the unfortunate steamer
i, one mass OF fire. Captain Tompkins was
seen standing near the torecastle. amid the
smoke and flame. urging his men and pas
sencers " use every effort to save their Aves
! The deyouring element pursued its relent
;ess course and Captain Tompkins was eli
velope,. IN flames. and nobly died at his
| post of ditv The crew of raft of cypress
wood which was aground short distance
| below where the terrible catastrophe Oc
cured. hastelled to the rescue without de
lay. in :. couple Of skitis and with the great
! EST activity succeeded in rescuing about
| evenly persons from the burning steamer
and u watery CARVE.
The steamers st. Francis. A. j. White
and Henry G. laeger were also nearly at
| the snot and, as will be seen from the na l.
| rat;ve below. rendered most effective ser
vice. and their officers and crews lent every
aid IN saving life, and were very successful
! Ate. the unfortunate individuals were
rescued they were taken on board the sew
eral steamers. where they received every
attention. We're provided with dry, warm
clothing. and the inner man properly pro
| yiied ior. They. one and all, speak i'll the
very highest terms of the kindness they re
| Ce;ved. and wish the same to be suitably
| acknowledged through these columns.
| None of the 1elnales were saved. All
we-c lost; and it i, supposed that the lad y
passenger in tne cabin pcrished i'll hel
| stateroonl before she could be rescued
| Two other females were em!grants, and one
was seen to leap overheard with her child
| in her arms when the fire approached the
forward deck. AS she leaped from the
guards she piteouslv exclaimed, "God hell
U.s. and ciasping her little babe to hcl
bosom she sprang into the dark. sur2inc
tide, and the waters passed over her hcaG
| and that OF her babe forever.
| The other female was also IL mother, and
| she was 70 be seen covering on the deck
! with her little ones held firmly to her breast