The New York herald., 1871-02-02

0cHr0yed by nre. wne the portion an OF the wneci-
house remained intact When last i saw The boat
the water was up 10 her cabin moor. and number
OF people were on the hurricane deck. Several
people were trying TO put the fire out with buckets
OF water. saw the porter, barkeeper and the
warchman on cotton bales ana heard number OF
people out In the crying for help; but could
not go near them because We had no oars IN the
boat.
STATEMENT OF Mr.. HUGH H. KERR, STEWARD
Mr.. Hugh II. Kerr. steward OF the ill-iated boat,
who was also on the yawl that came dawn, corrobo-
rates the above as follows:-l was n the nan with
the foot OF Island No. 4o. heard strange sound,
and ielt everything going from under me. when |
came 70 found myself on the boiler deck among lne
cotton bales. ielt water all around me. struggled
out OF the rubbish and wood which was around me
Of the boat siid down on The forecastle and helped
the barkeeper and porter out OF the tmbers. Ihe
porter got on cotton bale ana noatea away. ua
stump IN front OF the boat In the middle OF the
river. He was halloong for help. ! Went out ON
tne BOW OF the boat and tried to make rait put
the nre broke out and made my position very unco.
Portable on account OF the heat The boat commenced
whirling around and sinking. got ON the spar 10
on cotton bales and umbers floating down Inc river
and around the boat. Many of them could not get
away from the wreck on account Of the eddy which
formed below the boat While was out on the
bow heard another explosion in the cabin OF the
boat supposed 1t to be powder IN some OF the STATE
rooms.
N''N' STATEMENT OF MIR. j. L. CARTER.
The news of the disaster was first taken 10 Men,
the Times, OF St Louis, who noated down the river
in yawl and impaired the information, when the
scene OF the disaster picking up on their way many
unfortunate beings, who were discovered hOating
and arriving at the Arthur found her on bar near
the foot OF the island. Mr.. Carter MAKES a state
men. me saI 70 n0se aooHe also nat when
lower deck; also that he heard cries for help from
those IN the river until ne was picked up, proving
beyond doubt that many, In their fright and
excitement, jumped overheard only TO meet watery
grave.
THE PEOPLE ON BOARD
There were in the cabin forty1v passengers and
the same number on deck, which, with a crew Of
forty men, made the number on board 1870. or this
number between eighty-dve and ninety are known
to have been saved and the balance are supposed to
have been lost All the engineers are reported
saved, as well as the second mate, who got on the
Lockwood as she passed the wreck bound Tor st.
Louis. several bodies have been taken from the
Brolaski and family are at the Peabody HOTEL Men,
phis as also are others OIL the survivors, while some
are at the hospital and at the houses OF citizens.
Everything possible is being done for their relief
The books and papers OF the boat were all lost so
that there Is no means OF obtaining correct list OF
those lost. The body OF Martin Graney second stew
ard, Of Evansville, also found. Graney. Miller,
Harper and Allen all belonging to the cabin crew,
occupied one room In the texas. Graney and Miller
who slept In forward Derths, were lost, while
Harper and Allen, in after berths, escaped without
scratch.
Mr. Dillon, second mate, went up the river from
the wreck on board the steamer Lockwood
The W. r. Arthur was large sldewheel steamer.
built at Pittsburgh and towed Louisville, where
she received her machinery and upper works, under
the superintendent Of Captain Hugh Campbell, her
first commander. She came out In 1864. and not
proving profitable investment, she was sod after
ward widened and heightened at ST. Louis, making |
her capacity over 1000 tons. She registered 1867
tons. She came out with tubular boilers, but they
were removed, and double hue boilers, built at ST. |
Louis placed in ner,
On the 10th OF January she was valued at se7 800
and insured in ST. Louis, Cincinnati, wheeling and |
Pittsburg offices. through Mr. Al Howe's st. Louis |
agency, for $4,000, and owned by Sullwen, Powell |
\ Co., Captain John n. Bofnger and Captain Harry
Brolaski, OF ST. Louis
THE CARGO.
She had valuable cargo OF 1900 tons OF coffee,
sugar, moasses. salt, &C., and received 1900 bales
OF cotton at Memphis, all cargo being for the
Ohio river, including Cairo, Evansville, Louisville
Cincinnati and points above, to the amount OF 1890
tons. The loss on the boat and cargo viii exceed
$500, 900.
INSURANCE.
Explosions are always excepted In policies on
hull risks. The cotton on the boat insured In
New York. large portion will lie recovered. The
S7,500 and the Cleveland Insurance Company, OF
Cleveland, $1,000 on one lot OF Coffee 1t IS impos-
sible to give the entire insurance her cargo but
$4,000 Firemen's S., ,500 Eureka, $1,000; Western.
$500; Globe, $1,000, and the Ohio Valley and En-
terprise Insurance Companies had small risks on it,
besides q number Of others N this city.
INCIDENTS.
Miss Mary E. Nc C,ary, young girl from Chicago
on her way home, was drowned. Alter the explo-
cabin, and was seen by the Dantryman seemingly
stupehed by fear, and as the boat sunk and the
water came nearly up TO where she was she plunged
INTO the water and sunk.
Five men TOOK possession OF the lifeboat imme
dately after the explosion, went ashore and turned
1t adriit. When they were picked up by the Excel
slor the Survivors talked OF Bnching them.
THE WRECK.
From the appearance OF the wreck two OF the mid
ship boilers must have exploded simultaneously.
one going straight up from its foundation and the
other being thrown aft being found on the after