The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-11-19
rME LOSS. OF TIE MISSOURI.
A Thrilling Tale OF Disaster,

Jain D. W. Culmer, of Nassau, through
whose instrulnentality the twelve survi.
vors were saved:
Th9Atlantic hail steamship Nilsson.
ri, Green commanding, sailed from New
York on Friday morning, 18th ult From
The commencement of the voyage, the
worked badly,thc ship making
very slow time; light winds from the
north until the 2lst, when it blew strong
from the northeast, with q heavy sea run
ming. On Tuesday, the 22d, at 8 A M,
and in latitude 26o 5S', longitude 76o
81, the alarm of fire was given, when the
who were at breakfast, and
the crew all rushed to the main deck. A
scene Of great disorder and confusion
ensued, and no attempt was made to stay
the progress Of the flames, which adj
vanced rapidly. Some of the boats were
lowered, but owing to the hasty and care
less manner in which it WAS done, they
were swamped alongside, one of them
turning bottom up. The boat we were in
was the only one not filed with water
After We had cleared the ship we saw one
boat with Two men on her bottom, and
another filed with water, with nine men
in her We tried to reach the boat with
the two men, but failed, Came up with
the other with nine men and gave them a
bucket 10 bail with Wesaw another
boat some distance off with about fifteen
persons in her, bnt she was also filed with
water. After laying around for nearly
two hours the boat was given in charge
to me, when steered for Abaco In five
hours time We saw lane, and in two hours
more succeeded in landing on Great Gu
ano Cay. We bauled the boat up on the
beach and stayed there during that night
On the morning of the Esd we endeavor-
ed to reach Hope Town, land at P. hi we
were picked up by the schooner Spy,
bound for that port, On my arrival at
Hope Town l dispstched vessels in
search Of the missing boats, hut they re
turned without finding any of them. !
am afraid that there is but little possibii
ty Of any others Of the passengers being
saved This is bat brief account OF
the sad loss of the Missouri, but the few
facts have mentioned may be relied on
IS correct.
STATEMENT OF Mr. ". F. rUNNELL, OF MAS
sAU.
The Atlantic Msil Steamship Compa
ny's steamer Missouri, advertised to sail
from New York on the afternoon of the
l7th ult., did not leave the wharf until
A NJ. on the morning of the 18th, in con
sequence OF new felting being required
around her boilers. We steamed slowly
out of the harbor, and nothing of note
trsnspired during the voyage until on
Tuesday morning, the ED, while at break
fast, an alarm of fire was given. Iimme
diately saw the chief steward, Mr., Lake
take bucket of water and run toward the
engine room, and, or returning, he re
marked, at is nothing but a box o
matches, and Is all out )" but while he wa.
uttering these words heard the dislan
cries of "Fire! fre!" which seemed te
come from the engine room. Then fol
lowed q perfect stampede to gain tn,
deck, so rs to ascertain the origin Of tn,
fire and to devise some means to extin
guish it but all human efforts seemed o
no avail, and in few minutes the fame:
we're bursting out in several places On th'
hurricane deck Orders were given t,
stop the engines, and efforts made to low
er the boats. The first boat lowered wa
the afterboat on the weather or port side
and before it reached the water ther
were nine men in her-principally fire
men-who said the bost belonged tt
them
All hope seemed then to fail, 80 far a
my safety was concerned, and runnin!
aft I found = boat that had just beer
launched from the hurricane deck, fillet
with people, and at the same instant
heard the order given to cut away tn
painter. / lost no time IN cutting apiec
Of rope about ten to fifteen feet long, an,
making it fast to the rail, lowered mysel
to the end, awaiting an opportunity to le
60, but finding my position critical, occa
stoned by the heavy rolling Of the ship,
dropped into the ses, and although at thi
moment the painter of the boat had bee
cut, she shot ahead of me, but by swim
ming about twenty five yards I game
her, and by the assistance of one of tn
passengers was pulled in the boat. Gu
first thoughts then were to rescue som
] of our fellow-creaturee from water
grave, and seeing boat with two men ol
her keel we endesvored to reach her, but
after pull of two hours. found it impos
sible, owing to the strong gale and heav,
sea then prevailing Ibid, however,suc
eeed in throwing bucket to the boat ths
contained the firemen, and told them t.
try and free her. As We were sll apps
rently calm, proposed to appoint cap
tain to the boat, and selected Captain
James W. Culmer, whom knew TO be al
experienced mariner. / would here re
mark that too much praise cannot be be
slowed on our gallant Captain Gunner
who, in the hour of peril, through hi
great self possession and courage, guide,
our boat through the surf to the shore
and we all, under Providence, owe ou
deliverance from fearful death to him
We effected a landing about dark, colo
wet, hungry aud thirsty, and remained o
the beach until daylight Wednesday mol
ming, when we launched our boat and en-
deavored to find a settlement, and a
nothing better could be found in tn
shape of breakfast than raw crabs, som
of us captured few of them and mad
scanty meal. About 2 P. NJ we wer
picked up BY the schooner Spy and take
to Great Hsrbor, Ahaco, where we re
mained until Friday night, and arrived S
Nassau in the same on Monday mornin
at o'clock. Ihave no hope whatever {
the safety OF the rest of the passenger
and crew, who evidently perished in tn
flames or found watery grave.
Three hundred thousand dollars wort
of treasure half melted, colored by fiji
and the action of the water, recovere
from the remains of the steamer Amer
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