The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1872-11-08
By Telegraph TO the Comme-ci a.
The kISSGURI DISASTER.
Tale of the TsHrninG of the steamer
Missouri at Sea, as Related by tie
Survivors,

KEY WEST, Octobar 81 -Tae FOL
lowing particulars OF The burning OF
the steamship Missouri have besu
obtained from the survivors Who
have arrived here. When the boat
which was saved lefs the burning
ship, oLe bost was seen 7ith lis keel
upwards, which hsd two men On il.
The rescued boat lsy fOr two hours
by swsmped bOat containing nine
men, including the engineers, Rre-
men and ships barber. \ bucket
was given 20 the inmates OF the
swsmped boat to bail with, there be-
ing two IN the rescued boss. As
there were no seamsn in the sGampeG
boat, they were unable to properly
manage it, and IN this condition they
we're LETT. Il is not likely that any
Of them were saved. No sails had
been seen for two days previous to
the fire. On that day the Missouri
was in company with q ship from
9:l5 y. NJ until 3 2. II, When she
was lost sight Cf Fer forty uiinutes
after therescued ship left the Missouri
they saw tie passengers and crew
who remained on bosrd crowded on
the after part Of the vessel
It is sad the fire was discovered
in the floor Of G locker in the pantry,
and the cry OF fire was Immediately
given. Wet carpets vac at orce put
on the fire by the pautrymen, and
the steward rpOr:ed tha. the fire was
out The alarm was givea while the
passengers were st breakfast, but on
receiving tie Stewards report that
the FIRE had been exgiDguished, break
fast wss resumed, and the fesrs Of
the passengers quieted. Within two
minutes, however, several voices
screamed "frc' from The stoke hole.
Then there was confusion. Within
twenty minutes three boats were
launched.
In the rescued boats with The ex-
ception of few pieces OF sugar cane,
there was neither food nor water, and
only two small bars, and s lSrga one
Neither we're there any sails or aay-
thing to make them OF, it vas from
O'Clock A NJ , Of the 22i ur.il 2
O'Clock in the afternoon of tt4hrg23d
before assistance we 5btsined AL
that time tee sGI0oher Spy Wss sight
ed, and the rescued party pulled |
vigorously 10 her. The Spy took the |
to HOpet0En, on Elbow |
Key, where they arrived aboul p. !
~, on the 23d. O1 the 2Ita.
schooner was sent towards the burn
ing ship with charts sld full direc-
lions where to fiud her, and with in
structioHs TO look for ships boGts,
md skirt the coast. The schooner
-etnrned aD,ut midnight oil the 24sh,
and reported having seen nothing OF
boats or passengers The serf was
hen breaking heavily on the rcefs.
The party left HOpetown on the
18th and srriyeds at Nasssu On the
18th. 1t Is said that the donkey
pumps of the steamer was never start
.d,one OF the passengers asserting
hat he had hold Of the bose some
ime, and that no water wss forced
through it on the flames from the
donkey. Two 6eSk pumps were
yorked FOR a few minutes oBly.
Within fifteen minutes after the
harm of fire wss given twelve sur
7ivors we're IN The boat and the
lanes were coming fsom the stoke
,ole in a volume. The ships coarse
vas never altered, and consequently
he flames were carried athwart the
hip, burning up the life boat on the
ee side and Masking it too not TO get
lhsrs eff Only tGrce boats were {
suDched, two o. which were swamp
d. 1t is ssi.l hat seven females and
even children were aboard the Mis-
odri, none Of whom got into the {
oats. The scene presented was
eaItrendiug.
The MissouTi's engines we're stop
ed but her sails left spread and the
Deed OF four knots was maintained.
When last seen Capt. Green was {
ToEking with tie purser Hemstesn
nd some Of The crew, trying 20 get
# the lee bsat, surrounded by smoke I
nd flames. Eleven o, the survivors J
ay that The boat was never launched,
ut the twelfth, Captain Culmer, says '
Uss launched iuil of people but I
-ss Immediately swamped