The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-29
MEMPHIS, Jan. %, 1871.

MEMPHIS, Jan. %, 1871.
The steamer II. r. Arthur, from New Orleans for
LOUISVILLE, which left here late last night, exploded
her 0olers fourteen miles above this city, at half
past one O'Clock this morning, tearing away the
forward part of the cabin and texas. The boat then
took fire and burned until the bow SUNK The night
was very dark and after the explosion most OF the
passengers rushed down to the lower deck, many in
the confusion jumping into the river
When the bow sunk the waves swept from the
lower deck all who had gathered there. Captain
Henry Brolaski, the commander, says he had retired
half hour before the explosion and felt himself
lifted up and knocked down by the stairs OF the
texas which fell upon him. He extricated himself
got an axe and cut his way out saving himself, wife
and cnid, whom he took to the ladies' cabin and
lett in charge OF Alexander Frazer.
The boat took fire several times, but the Captain,
with the assistance OF several others, succeeded In
extinguishlng It, Had the cabin passengers re-
NAMED IN the cabin all would have been saved, but
owing TO the fright nearly all rushed down stairs.
The Captains leg was badly twisted and he had
several Commissions on the head. His wife and her
sister were seriously hurt.
Captain J. A. Frazier, OF Cincinnati, who was
passenger, says he and his wife In bed but not
asleep, and when the explosion took place he ran
out on the guard, and, seeing the state Of affairs
excepting his wife and Mrs. Brolaski, had left He
ascertaiDed that the llfeboat had been taken away
and then turned his attention to putting out the
fre Ills feet were badly frozen. but beyond that he
and his wife were unlnjured.
About five O'Clock this morning Captain DaDeke,
OF the tug Report, heard man shouting on the
river. skiif was sent out and tile man was res
cued rom cotton bale. He was one OF the sur
vivOrs. Steam was raised on the tugs Little Grant
and Report and on the ferryboat Excelsior, which
went to the scene and picked up several persons
from cotton bales and planks on the way, and
brought all that could be found to the city, many OF
whom were half dead and large number badly
hurt.
Five OF the passengers took lfeboat imme
diately alter the explosion, went ashore and then
turned the boat adrllt. They were afterwards
picked up by the steamer Excelsior, but were
strongly denounced by the remaining survivors, who
talked OF lynching them.
The following is list of the saved as
far as is known:-A. G. Chenouth, slightly
burned; John Henry Moot of Golconda, H.: E. Har-
mon, of Arkansas; William Sloan, of Allegheny
City; John Rice, Pat Robbct, Edward Crews, OF St
Louis John Young, coored, Of New Orleans; Charles
Tribble, Of Evansville; Archie White and wife,
colored, OF Bayo La. r. Dennis McKough, of Louis
vile; Charles Dodson, OF Cincinnati; Charles Allen
OF st. Paul; Lewis Harper, Of st. LOUIS John
Shultz, of Clinton, ILL; Mike Finn, OF Louis
vile; William Racine, OF California; II. w. Rogers
OF Jefferson. Texas; Michael Carol. James M. Levy
Mike Brown, OF ST. Louis; Edward Barber, OF New
Orleans; I. H. McDonough william Ohean Jerry
Mack, OF ST. LOUIS; X. ]. Slae and wife, OF Leaven-
worth Ellen Ryan, of Atchlson, Kansas; d. H. Aber-
nethy, Bartlett Tennessee G. w. Reed, OF St. Louis:
Benjamin Wilson and wife, OF Hickman, KY;
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G. L. Dow, of Dyer county, Tenn. James A.
Cameron. Of st. Louis; S. 8. Myers, OF
Somerset county, Pa; Daniel Faconer colored, OF
st. Louis; Rachel Hanley, colored, of Memphis;
James Coyne, OF st. Louis; W. X. League OF Col
conda, Ill; }. Landen, OF Hgginsport, Ohio: J. A.
Lapp, John Winders and Edward Finkhouser New.
port, Ind; Eli Miller, Valley City, Ind; James w.
Hartman, Bolesvle, Ark; Samuel Cunningham,
Leavenworth Ind; F. Mccartney, Pilot Knob, NO.;
P. M. League, Illinois; Lee Potter Quincy ILL.,;
P. Maughen, st. Louis; Edward Tallaer, Cairo
william Smith, Louisville; Martin White, Timothy
Young, Chicago; John J. Hail. ST. LOUIS; J. Harper,
Memphis; John Barber, Nashville.
Badly hurt-PiOts Joseph W. Bryan and George
Richie, st. Louis; Engineers George Reed and
George Blank chamDermaid, Kate Murphy; Mike
Bayler, Pennsylvania; Charles Kenny, st. LOUIS
George Bowers, Uniontown, KY; Charles Hudson,
Braoski hurt in the head and chest. and her little
sister virgie. arm sprained; Mary Miller, nurse
badly scalded. Both pilots were badly scalded ana
bruised.
The following were lost:-Mates Miller Allen, OF
New Orleans, and Joe Blank John Bowman, first
clerk; second and third chambermaids; Miss Pax
ton, of Philadelphia, and Mary Carr seamstress
of st. Louis; Dan StarKe, well known pilot Of
Aurora Ind; two barkeepers +. Julian wife and
child, of Golconda, H.; two stewards, two porters
j. II. RUSSELL wife and son. Of Jefferson, Texas. Two
], odes OF negro and a German, the latter about
twenty-five years old, dressed in gray jean pants,
were brought down on the Excelsior.
The officers OF the Excelsior saw several bodies on
the wreck, under the debris, but the wounded were
suffering so much from the cold that they did not
wait to cut them out Captain Brolask says that
he had forty five cabin and forty deck passengers
on board, and thinks that at least sixty were lost
The boat had 300 tons OF freight, including 200
bales Of cotton. taken on board here. The boat was
about ten years old and valued at $4,000. Insured
in st. LOUIS for $4,000.
On the arrival Of the survivors here they were
taken to the dinerent hotels, where every attention
was shown them by the citizens. Large numbers
OF those who were saved were badly injured, and
many were unable to talk The captain thlnks that
the first clerk Bow man, was killed instantly.
Among the last are j. Allen, wife and child; M.
Sweeney, steve Melton and Henry Hines OF Clncin.
natl. and Mrs. Hartman. two daughters, son and
niece, OF Cove Greek, Arkansas.
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