The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-11-08
An OCEAN HOLOCAUST.
BURNING OF THE STEAMER ''MIssoURI''-
HEARTRENDING SCENES AND INCIDENTS
FOURTEEN WOMEN AND Chill
DREN BURNED TO DEATH.

DhEN oSh-NE-b Az bF-A1h.
KEY West, Oct. S1.-The following par
ticulars of the burning of the steamship
Missouri have been obtained from the sur
vivors, who have arrived here -
When the boat which was saved left the
burning ship one boat was seen, with its
keel upward, with two men on 1t. The
rescued boat lay for two hours by the
swamped boat, containing nine Inen, in
Guiding the engineers, firemen and the
ships barbor. A bucket was given to the
inmates of the swamped boat to bail with,
there being two in the rescued boat. As
there were no seamen in the swamped boat
they were unable TO manage it properly.
ard in this condition were left, and it is
not likely that any of them were saved.
No vessel had been seen for two days
before the fire, but on that day the HissOu-
ri was in company with ship from a quar-
ter past nine A. NJ. until three p. NJ, when
she lost sight Of it,
left The Missouri they saw the passengers
and crew, who remained on board, crowd
ed on the afterpart of the ship
II is said that the fire was first discovered
on the floor of a locker in the pantry, and
a cry of fire was Immediately raised. Wet
carpets were at once put on the fire by the
pantry men and others, and the steward
reported to the passengers that the fire was
out. The alarm was given while the pas
sengers were at breakfast, but on receiving
the stewards report that the fire was eI-
tinguished, breakfast was resumed, and
the fears of the passengers were quicted-
Within two minutes, however, several
voices screamed fire from the stoke hole.
All was then confusion. Within twenty
minutes three boats were launched. In tie
rescued boat, with the exception of a few
pieces of sugar cane, there was neither
food nor water, and only two small oars
and one large one. Neither were there any
sails, or anything to make them of.
1t was from nine A. NJ. of the 22d inst.
until two F. NJ of the 23d before assistance
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 on Elbow hey,
where they arrived about seven L. NJ on
the 23d. On the cath a schooner was sent
to the burning ship with charts and fun
directions where to find her, and with in
structions to look for the ships boats, and
skirt the coast. The schooner returned
about midnight on the 24th, and reported
that she had seen nothing of the boat or
passengers. The sea was then breaking
heavily OH the reefs.
The party left Hopetown at ten o'clock
4. NJ. on the 25th, and arrived at Nassau
at halfpast three o'clock +. NJ. on the 2Sth.
1t is said that the donkey pumps of the
Missouri were never started. One passen-
ger asserts that he had hold of the hose for
some time, and that no water came through
it from the donkey pumps. The two deck
pumps were work ell for n few minutes only.
Within fifteen minutes after the alarm of
fire was given the twelve survivors were
in boat, and the flames were coming from
the stoke hole in volume.
The ships course was never altered, and
consequently, the flames were carried ath--
wartship, burning up one lifc-boat on the
lee side, and making it too hot to ge. the
other off. Only three boats were launched,
two of which were swamped. 1t is said
that seven women and seven children were
on the Missouri none of whom got into
the boats. The NiSs0uri7S engines were
stopped, but her sails were left spread and
a speed of four knots maintained. When
last seen, Captain Greene was working
with Purser Hampstead and some of the
crew, trying to get Off the lee-boat, sur
rounded with flames Eleven of the sur
vivors say the boat was never launched,
but the twelfth, Captain Culmer, says it
was launched full Of people, but that it was
Immediately swamped.
KEY WEST, Fla, Oct. 31.-The only ex-
pense incurred in this port by the little
English steamer Annd, belonging to the
Atlantic Mail Steamship Company, which
brought to this port the survivors of the
ill-fatcd steamship Missouri from Nassau,
was forced upon her by the United States
customs officers, who even charged her
with tonnage dues for twelve months in
advance. Every one else with whom the
I4nnd had business worked willingly and
gratultously.