Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-11-06
THE MISSOURI DISASTER.
Thrilling Details by the Survivors.

Thrilling Details by the Survivors.
KEY WEST, Oct. 31.-The following
particulars of the burning of the
steamship Missouri have been OBJ
tanned from the survivors who arrived
here: When the boat which was
saved left the burning ship one boat
was seen with its keel upward, which
had two men on it. The rescued boat
lay for two hours by a swamped boat
containing nine men, including the
engineers, iremen and ships barber.
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 properly
manage it, and in this condition they
were left. 1t 1t not likely that any of
them were saved. No sail had been
seen for two days previous to the fire.
On that day the Missouri was in
Company with a ship from 9:15 a. m.
until 8 D. M. when she was lost sight
of. For forty minutes after the res
eued left the Missouri they saw pas
sengers and crew, who remained,
crowded on the after part of the ves-
sci. 1t is said the fire was first dis.
covered on the floor of the locker in
the pantry, and the cry of fire was
Immediately given; wet carpets were
at once put on the fire, and pantry
men and others, and the steward re-
ported to the passengers that the fire
was out. The alarm was given while
the passengers were at breakfast, but
on receiving the Stewards report that
the fire had been extinguished, break
fast was resumed and the fears of the
passengers were quieted. Within two
minutes, however, several of the crew
screamed fire from the stoke hole.
All was then confusion, and within
twenty minutes three boats were
launched. In the rescued boat, with
the exception of q few pieces of sugar
cake, there was neither food nor wa
ter, and only two small oars and a
large one; neither were there any
sails or anything to make them of.
1t was from nine o'clock on the
morning of the 22d until two 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
/ H~opetown, off Elbow Key, where
/ they arrived about seven p. m. on the
sd. On the 24th a schooner was sent
towards the burning ship with charts
and full directions where to find her,
and with instructions to look for the
ships boats and skirt the coast. The
! schooner returned about midnight on
the 9th, and reported having seen
Dothing of boats or passengers. The
sea was then breaking heavily on the
reefs. The party left Hopetown on
the 18th and arrived at Nassau on the
18th.
1t is asserted that the donkey pumps
of the steamer were eve started, n
of the passengers asserting that he
had hold of the hose for some time
and that no water was forced through
it ON the flames from the donkey.
Two deck pumps were worked a few
minutes only, and within fifteen min
utes after the alarm of fire was given
the twelve survivors were in their
boat and flames were coming from
the stoke hole in a volume. The
ships course was never altered, and
consequently the flames were carried
| athwartships, burning up n life
boat on the lee side and making it too
hot to get the others off. Only three
boats were launched, two of which
were swamped.
1t is said that seven females and
seven children were aboard the Mis-
souri,, none of whom got into the
boats. The scene presented was
heartrending; the Missouri's engines
were stopped, but her sails were left
spread and a speed of four knots was
maintained. When last seen Captain
Green was working with Purser
Hampstead and some of the crew,
trying to get off the life boat, sur
rounded by smoke and flame. Eleven
of the survivors say the boat was
never launched, but the twelfth, Cap
tain CulmeI, says it was launched,
full of people, but was Immediately
swamped.
Ldter.-The only expense incurred
ia this port by the little English stea-
mer Anna, belonging to the Atlantic
Mail Steamship Company, which
brought the survivors OF the Inflated
steamship Missouri from Nassau, was
forced upon her by the United States
custom officers, who even charged
her with tonnage dues for twelve
months in advance. Every one else
with whom the Anna had business
worked willingly and gratuitously.