Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-30

MEMPHIS, Tenn, Jan. 2S.-Steamer w. R.
Arthur, from New Orleans for Louisville, which
left here late last night exploded her boilers
fourteen miles above this city, tearing away the
forward part of her cabin. The boat 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 confusion jumping into the river. When the
bow sank the waves swept from the lower deck
all who had gathered there. Capt Henry B.
Rolaski, eXtricated himself got an axe and cut
his way out, saving himself wife and child,
whom he took to the ladies' cabin. The boat
took fire several times, but the captain with the
assistance of several Others succeeded in extin-
gushing it. Had the cabin passengers re-
manned in the cabin all would have been saved
but owing to 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 considerably hurt.
Capt. }. A. Frazier of Cincinnati, a passenger,
says that he and his wife were in bed, but not
asleep, and when the explosion took place he
ran out on the guard, and seeing the state of
affairs he hastened to the cabin and found all
the ladies excepting his wife and Mrs. Rolaski
had left. He ascertained that the life boat had
been taken away, and then turned his attention
to putting out the fire. His feet were badly
frozen, but beyond that he and his wife were nm
injured. About five o'clock this morning Cap
tam Dabeke of the tug Report heard a man
shouting on the river. skitf was sent out and
the man rescued from cotton bale. He was
one OF the survivors. Steam was raised on the
tugs Little Grant and Report and the ferry-boat
Excelsior, which went to the scene and picked
up several persons from cotton bales and blanks
on the river, and took all that could be found to
the city. Many were half dead, and large
number were badly hurt. Seventy five persons
are certainly saved but many of them are badly
bruised, scalded or frozen. Both pilots were
severely wounded and the following were lost:
Mates Miller Allen of New Orleans and Joe
Blank, john Bowman, first clerk Miss Paxton
of Philadelphia, and Mary Carr, a seamstress of
st. Louis, Dan Starke, a well known pilot of
Aurora, and two bar keepers, F. Julien, wife
and child, of Golionda ILL.,, two stewards, two
porters, j. K. Russell, wife and son. of Jefferson
Texas.
Two bodies of negro and German were
brought down on the Excelsior. The officers of
the Excelsior saw several bodies on deck under
the debris, but the wounded were suffering so
much from the cold that they did not wait TO
cut them out. Capt. Roaski says that he had
forty-tive cabin and forty deck passengers on
board beside the crew, and thinks at least sixty
were lost The boat had 300 tons of freight. in
Guiding 1900 bales of cotton taken on board here
The boat was about ten years old. On arrival
of the survivors here they were taken to the
different 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. Five passengers
took the llte-boat Immediately after the eXplo-
sion and went ashore, and then turned the boat
adrift. They were afterwards picked up by the
steamer Excelsior, but were strongly denounced
by the remaining survivors, who talked of
lynching them.
CHICAGO, Jan. 2S.-The steamer w R. Ar
thur, one Of the finest on the Mississippi river,
exploded her boiler at one O'Clock this morning,
near Island No. 40. The steamer was valued at
$4,000. 1t was insured for S45 900 in western
offices, but the owners Of the boat decline to
give the names of the offices. The boilers were
nearly new and extra heavy, her whole outfit
unusually good, and she was furnished with all
the required appliances for the safety of life and
property.
LATER.
MEMPHIS, Jan. 29.-It is now believed that
elghty-seven lives were lost by the burning of
the w r. Archer. All the wounded are doing
well, and will probably recover. The second
engineer, who was on duty at the time, saws
everything was working well up to the time of
the explosion, the boiler carrying less than 1870
pounds of steam and allowed 49, He had lust
tried the water and found it all right. One OF
the boilers was blown aft the rudder post, and
smashed the yawl, while the other is believed to
have been driven through the hull, causing the |
vessel to sink.