Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-11-01
BURNING OF THE MISSOURI.
Further Particulars.

hey West, Fla, Oct. 81. The following
particulars Of the burning of the steamship
Missouri have been obtained from the survi
vors who have arrived here: When the boat
which was saved left the burning ship, one
boat was seen with its keel upward, and had
two men on it. The rescued boat lay for two
hours by a swamped boat containing nine
men, including engineers, fremen and the
ships barber. A bucket was given to the
inmates of the swampted boat, to bail out
with. there being two in the rescued boat.
AS there were no seamen in the swamped boat
they were unable to properly manage it, and
in this condition they were left 1t is not
likely any of them were saved. No sails had
been seen for two days previous TO the fire.
On teat day the Missouri was in company
with ship from 9.l5 A. NJ. till 9 p. NJ. when
she was lost sight Of. Forty minutes after
the rescued boat left the Missouri they saw the
passengers and crew who remained on board
crowded on tho after part of the vessel. 1t is
said the fire was first discovered on the floor
Of the locker in the pantry. and the cry Of
fire was Immediately given. Wet carpets
were Immediately put on the fire by the PAN
trymen and others, and the steward report
ed to the passengers that the fire was out
The alarm was given while the passengers
were at breakfast, but On receiving the stew
ards report that the fire had been extinguised
breakfast was resumed, and the fears of the
passengers queted. Within two minutes,
however, several voices screamed fire" from
the stoke hole. All was then confusion.
Within "a minutes the boats were launched.
In the rescued boat. with the exception of a
few pieces of sugar cane, there was neither
food nor water, and only tive small oars and
a large one neither were there any sails or
anything to make them of. 1t was from 9
o'clock A. NJ. on the 22d until o'clock p. NJ.
of the 23d before assistance was obtained.
At that time the schooner Spy was sighte d,
| and the rescued party pulled vigorously to
her. The Spy took the survivors to Hope
Town on Elbow Key, where they arrived about
o'clock P. NJ, of the 23d. On the Gath, a
schooner was sent towards the burning ship
with charts and full directions where to find
her. and with instructions to look for the
ships boats, and skirt the coast. The schoon-
er returned about midnight on the oath and
reported having seen nothing of the boats or
passengers. The sea was then breaking
heavily on the reefs. The party left Hope
town at 10 o'clock on the 25th and arrived at
Nassau at 2 80 P. NJ, on the 2Sth. 1t is said
that the donkey pumps of the steamer were
never started, one of the passengers assert
ing that he had hold of the hose some time,
and that no water was forced through it on
the flames from the donkey. The two deck
pumps we're worked for few minutes only.
Within fifteen minutes after the alarm of fire
was given, the twelve survivors were in the
boat, and the flames coming from the stoke
hole in volume. The ships course was
never altered, and consequently the flames
were carried athwart ships, burning up the
life boat on the lee side and making it too
hot to get the others off. Only three boats
were launched, two of which were swamped.
1t is said that seven females and seven chill
dren were aboard of the Missouri.