The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-09-02

Another Disaster at sen-The Steamship BIen
vile Burned-Thir,y-fsur Persons Supposed
to be Lost.
Havana, August 30, oia Key Vest, Aug.
31.-Capt. Jefferson Maury, Of the steam
ship Bienvile, arrived here this morning
from Nassau, and reports the burning of
that vessel at sea. The Bienville left Now
York on the 10th of August for Aspinwall.
When in latitude % degrees IL, and longi-
tude rs degrees Is, at 3:45 A. NJ, on the
morning Of the 18th inst, fire was discov-
cred among the cargo.
Steam and water were Immediately
turned on, but the steam-pumps, after a
few revolutions, broke down and could not
be worked. Capt. Maury ordered the
matches to be battened down, hoping there
by to smother the fire, and at the same
time the fire-extingushcrs were used be-
tween decks and steam kept on. The fire
gained, however, rapidly, and at six o'clock
Capt. Maury, fearing an explosion from the
powder stored in the hold if he remained
by the ship any longer, ordered the six
boats to be launched, and the passengers
and crew began to embark.
the ship, he being the last one on board.
One Of the boats was capsized after leaving
the ship and from seven to ten of the occu-
pants, including two women, were drowned.
After sunrise fresh breeze sprung up,
the capsized boat was righted and bailed
out, and reached Cat Island in safety. The
other boats, except one, reached Elenthera
Island, a distance of $50 miles from the
scene of the disaster. The missing boat has
not been heard from, but is supposed it was
picked up by passing vessel, as an empty
boat was seen adrft near Elenthera Island
with life preserver in it. One of the
boats, in attempting to land at Elenthera
Island was capsized, and nine of it's Occur
pants were drowned, including Mrs. Bran
der and her three children.
At 1870 p. NJ. the Bienville exploded
and Immediately sunk. When the fire was
first discovered, it was supposed to be in the
forehead, where large quantity of powder
cargo was stored, but it proved to be be-
tween decks, over the boilers, and amongst
the cargo.
sThe passengers and crew lost all their
baggage, and saved nothing except the
clothes they had on. Captain Maury re-
ports that the people of Nassau treated the
shipwrecked people kindly, and ministered
to their wants. Vice Consul Saunders has
cared for the seamen. Anna Brain, one of
the rescued, became insane. and was left at
Elenthera, because she could not be found
when the party left for Nassau.
The steamer Anna and schooner Dandy
were dispatched by the American CONSUL
to search for the missing boat. Out of 1877
passengers on board the Bienvile thirty
four are unaccounted for, including the nine
lost at Elenthera. The bodies Of six
persons recovered were buried at James
Point. The schooner VIM. MCGEE took
thirty-four of the survivors on the oath to
Baltimore. A subscription was started in
Nassau for the aid of the sufferers.
New York, Sept. "A complete list OF
the passengers of the burned steamer BEN
vile shows there were so, which, with the
crew, make about 92. Thirty-six are still
to be heard from. Seven persons were
drowned when one of the boats capsized on
leaving the vessel, and nine more were
drowned in the surf at Elenthera. 1t is
hoped the thirty-six who are in the boat
not yet heard from have been saved, as
there has been but little wind and slight
sea since the edisaster, and the boat is
adrift on one of the great highways of com
merce where it was likely to be picked up.
Philadelphia, Sept. 2.-The steamer va
zoo has arrived here from Havana, but she
brings no news of the missing boat or the
steamer Bienyille.