Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-11-14
ANOTHER OCEAN DISASTER.
The Steamship Missouri Burned at Sea
Inward of Seventy Lives Lost.

The Steamship Missouri Burned at Sea-
Upward of Seventy Lives Lost.
Key West letter gives the following par
ticulars of the destruction by fire of the At
lantic Mail steamer Missouri, bound from New
York to Havana, which occurred on the
22d ult
The fire was discovered about a. M, in the
pantry and suddenly burst out in volumes of
fame 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 p. m. on the evening of the 22d, and
were taken from there in a 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. It is not known whether any of the
missing have since been picked up. It 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
is unknown.
Two of the boats of the Inflated Missouri
we're burned alongside the vessel, and there is
no probability that any of the others reached
the shore. 1t is probable that not a single
life would have been saved had it not been for
James Culmer, resident of Eleuthera, and
passenger on board. A new boat had been
purchased in New York and placed on deck,
but as the weather had been boisterous, she
had not been secured either by gripes or by
checks. 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 oven board and swan
| to the boat. Eleven others followed him, and
even then, if it had not been for Culmer, 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 fire was first discovered on
the floor of the locker in the pantry, and the
cry of fire was Immediately given. Wet car
pets were put on the 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 passengers
| quoted. Within ten minutes, however, sew
eral voices screamed Sc fire" from the stoke
| hole. All was then confusion. Within twen-
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 a
large one. Neither were there any sails or
anything to make them of. 1t was from 9
O'Clock in the morning of the 22d until
o'clock in the afternoon of the 23d before as
sistance was obtained. At that time the
schooner Spy was sighted, and 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 23d
or the oath.
1t Is said that the donkey pumps of the
steamer were never started, one of the pas
sengers asserting that he had hold of the hose
at the same time, and thai no water was
forced through it on the flames from the
donkey. Two deck pumps were worked few
minutes only within fifteen minutes after
the alarm wRs given the twelve survivors
were in the boat, and the flames were coming
from the stoke hole in volume. The ships
course was never altered, and consequently
the flames we're carried athwart ships, burn.
ing up one ifeboat on the lee side, and max
ing it too hot to get others off.
Only three boats were launched, two OF
which we're 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 were stopped, but hel
sails being left spread, speed of four knots
an hour was maintained. When last seer
Capt. Greene was working with Pursel
get off lee boat, surrounded by smoke and
fame. Eleven of the survivors say that boat
was never launched, but the twelfth, Capt
Culmer, says it was launched full of people
bat was Immediately swamped.
Pencil Notes.
It is a>popular fallacy that promissory
notes written or signed in pencil will
not stand good in law. and case has
just been dismissed by one of the New
York courts grounded on that belief,
/ H. ha,,,o bof vofa -,