New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-13
THE STEAMER SABINE RUN INTO.

uOs
esteem and regard of the officers of our
company.
THE STEAMER SABINE RUN INTO.
Collision Between Her and the Richmond
she Commences to Sink Immediately
After-Large Cargo of Cotton Lost.
We embrace the subjoined report from
the Times of yesterday morning;
The new steamer Sabine, built at Lou
isville, Kentucky, at cost of $4,000, was
brought to New Orleans short time since
with the intention of putting her into the
route between this city and Sabine, as her
name imports. The boat, however, was
found to draw more water than was advan-
tageous or admissible in that trade, and,
upon the discovery Of this fact, she was
transferred to Ouachita river. The Sabine
had made her third trip, and was descend
ing the river with for the capacity OF the
boat, an enormous load Of cotton when the
accident occurred
The Sabine, with Captain N. G.. Selby,
master, and K. F. Fuller. clerk, after visit
ing Camden and other points, had left Mon
roe with over 1900 bales of cotton AS the
CAPACITY of the river for navigation admits
only of small boats, tt will be readily CON
ceiyed that she was loaded to her utmost
limits. The sides of the boat, in fact. were
surrounded by wall of cotton twelve bales
deep: so deep, in fact, as to make her cot
ton prison, and to almost exclude the sun
and light from the passengers. The Sabine,
it NAV be further stated, was so heavily
laden with cotton for New Orleans, that
eight hours previous to her misfortune she
was compelled to turn Off steam in descend
ing on account of winds, and the water
forced over the prov.
According to the statement OF our in
formant, then on board, at twelve o'clock
the Sabine was within three hours time OF
arriving at the city, and he and number
of other passengers, who had been keeping
the clerks company while making out their
manitests, had retired to rest.
The crash occurred two hours later, that
is to say, about two o'clock. To one sleep
ing on board the noise could only be COM
pared when it did occur, to the falling of
several trees, so loud that every sleeper was
instantly brought to his feet. just as the
passengers rushed to the side in their night
clothes, whence the noise proceeded, the
side of the cotton wall, and which repre-
scented 400 bales, tumbled into the stream
with great noise, which, if anything, eX-
ceeded tie shock of collision.
Some of the passengers. imagining the
calamity to De of much less Importance
than it really proved to be. had again re-
tired, when they were awakened by the
quick running of feet hither and tiither,
and which, upon examination, announced
that the Sabine was i'll sinking condition.
Shortly after it proved that the damage
had been occasiOned by the Richmond,
whose prow had struck the ill-omened boat
midships The latter. after rounding to,
lost no time in rendering every assist
ance in saving the cargo OF the unfortunate
boat.
Our informant left the scene Of disaster
at nine o'clock, at which time the river had
become strewn tor two miles with the
bales which had been jostled overheard
from the sides of the Sabine. The latter
boat had sunk to her upper catin in water,
and the captain of the Richmond was
making heroic exertions to rescue the re-
mander of the cargo. At the time OF the
rescue there were twenty male and six
female passenger on board No lives lost.
AS need scarcely be remarked, the pilots
on board Of both boats, together with all OF
their friends, stoutly maintained that the
opposite party was in fault. 1t was con-
tended by the Richmond that she was on
the right or proper side of the river III
ascending, and that the Sabine had cut
across her bows, the proper signals at the
time having been g wen.
The statement OF the officers of the Sabine
was that they were carried on by the drift
of the stream, and that the first moment
the Richmond hove in sight. signals were
given. which were never answered. The
courts will doubtless decide the point in
dispute.
Since the above was in type We have been
furnished with the following statement
from one of the officers of the steamer Rich
,nond
On Sunday morning. between two and
three o'clock, while the steamer Richmond
was going up. bound for st. Louis. when
under Twelve Mile Point,
about one hundred yards from the east
bank of the river was met by the steamer
Sabine descending. The Sabine attempted
% pass down between the Richmond and
he east bank causing a collision. The |
point OF contact was the larbOard bow OF
he Richmond, and the starboaru quarter,
about the derricks. of the Sabine, emptying |
twenty-five or eighty bales of cotton of the |
bow of the Sabine on to the lar |
BOARD bow of the Richmond. The Sabine |
Junk in twenty feet of water, and the Rich |
nond was damaged on the larboard bow, |
to necessitate a return to this city |
or repairs. When the two boats came to- |
,ether the engines of the Richmond had |
,een stopped and were backing. No lives |
we're lost. The Richmond went alongside |
Il the Sabine and took Off her passengers, |
rev and cabin furniture, and remained |
alongside of her until three o'clock p. NJ, |
aking of cotton and other valuables. The |
sabine had cargo of sixteen hundred |
,ales Of cotton, the greater portion OF |
which will be saved The Richmond |
cached here last evening, and will repair |
before proceeding on her voyage to st. |
-ouis.