The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-11-08
ANOTHER OCEAN DISASTER.


Upward Of seventy Lives Lost.
A Key West letter gives the following par
ticulars Of the destruction by fro OF the At.
lantic Mail steamer Missouri, bound from New
York to Havana, (which occurred ON the
22d ult
The fire was discovered about 0 a. m, in the
pantry, and suddenly burst out in volumes OF
flame amidships, spreading rapidly over the
ship. The boats were launched Immediately;
all but one were swamped at once. Those re-
naming on board were compelled, on account
Of the flames, to Jump in the sea. Those
saved landed IN one Of the boats at Abaco,
about 6p. m. on the evening Of the 22d, and
were taken from there in small schooner to
Nassau. 1t was terrible sight for those in
the floating boat to see those in the water,
clinging to the swamped boats, and begging
for assistance There were about ten ladies
on board 1t is not known whether any Of the
missing have since been picked up. 1t is said
the Captain used every effort to save the lives
Of the passengers. Three OF the saved pas
sengers are now here. The origin of the fire
ie unknown.
Two Of the boats of the Inflated Missouri
we're burned alongside the vessel and there il
no probability that any of the others reached
the shore. 1t is probable that not single
life would have been saved had it not been for
James Culmer, aresident Of Eleuthera, and a
passenger on board. A new boat had been
but as the weather had been boisterous, she
had not been secured either by gripes or by
chocks. When it WAS known that the vessel
would be destroyed, Culmer, with few
others, launched this boat, holding fast to the
painter, when he jumped overheard and swan
to the boat. Eleven others followed him, and
even then. il it had not been for Cumcr, who
was acquainted with the management of boat,
and piloted her safely through the surfs. she
would have been lost with the others.
1t is said the Are was first discovered on
the floor Of the locker in the pantry, and the
cry Of fire was imm ediately given. Wet car
pets were put on tho fire by the pantrymen
and others, and the steward reported to the
passengers that the fire was out. The alarm
was given while the passengers were at break
fast. but on receiving the stewards report
that the fire had been extinguished, breakfast
was resumed and the fears of the passep gers
quoted. Within ten Minutes, however, sew
eral voices screamed fire" from the stoke
hole. All was then confusion. Within TWEEN
ty minutes three boats were launched. In
the rescued boat, with the exception OF few
pieces Of sugar cane there was neither food
nor water, and only two small oars and q
large one. Neither were there any sails or
anything to make them Of. It was from Q
o'clock in the morning of the 22d until 2
o'clock in the afternoon of the Esd before as
sistance was obtained. At that time tie
scuooueI Spy was elSnteu, anu the rescued
party pulled vigorously to her. The Spy took
the survivors to Hopetown or Elbow Key,
where they arrived about p. m. on the Esd
or the Gath.
1t is said that the donkey pumps Of the
steamer we're never started, one of the pas
sengers asserting that he had hold of the hose
ct the same time, and that no water was
forced through it on the flames from the
donkey. Two deck pumps were worked few
minutes only within fifteen minutes after
tho alarm was given the twelve survivors
we're in the boat. and the flames were coming
from the stoke. hole in q volume. The ships
course was never altered, and consequently
the flames were carried athwart ships, burn.
ing up one lifeboat on the lee side, and max
ing it too hot to get others off.
Only three boats were launched, two Of
which were swamped. 1t is said that seven
females and seven children were aboard the
Missouri, none Of whom got into the boats.
The scene presented was heart-rending
The Missouri's engines we're stopped, but her
sails being left spread, speed of four knots
an hour was maintained. When last seen
Capt. Greene was working with Purser
Hampstead and some Of the crew trying to
get of a lee boat, surrounded by smoke and
flame. Eleven Of the survivors say that boat
was never launched, but the twelfth, Capt.
Culmer, says it was launched full Of people,
but was Immediately swamped.