New-York tribune., 1872-09-02
VoL. XXXlI..... NO 9,SOl.
OCEAN HORRORS.
BURNING OF THE PACIFIC MAIL STEAMER
BIENVILLE.

INCIDENTS OF THE DISASTER
HAVANA. Aup. 30. via KEY WEST, Aug. 81
CAM. Je0erson Maury Of the steamship Benvile ar
rived here this morning from Nassau ana reports 'he
burning of the Bienvile at sea- Inc sVeahsp ii ie,
vile left NewYork on the 10th Of August for Aspnwai
Whom in latitude 4512 lodgitude 745, at quarter 10
O'Clock on the morning Of the 18th inst fire was dsco
cred among the cargo. Steam and water were in.i0
diatey turned on; but the steam pumps al'er 10"
revolutions broke down and could not Oe WoiAo'"
Capt Maury then ordered the matches batteneu do~n
hoping thereby smother the fire. and at the same e
the re extngushers were used between decks ana INC
steam kept ,,,
The fire gained rapidly, however ana al oeiooh
Capt Maury, fearing explosion rom lo"uoi s''A0N
In the hold If he remained by the ship any longer or
dered the six boats launched, and the passengers
and crew began TO embark. At 7:3O Capt Maury
was forced 10 leave the ship, being the last one
on board One Of the boats was capszed on leaving 'o
ship and from to ten OF the inmates lncluuins
two women drowned After sunrise fresh DreeZo
sprung up the capszed boat rghted and baled OUT
and reached Cat Island safety. The other boats ex
cept one reached Eeuthera Island, $50 miles rom 'ie
scene Of the disaster. The missing boat mas ho' Doo
heard from, but it is supposed 1t was pleAeo uP "
passing vessel as empty boat was seen sor' ne"i
Eeuthera Island with lifepreserver in IT, one VI .n0
boats in attempting to land at Eleuthera isu T"s
sized and nine were drowned including Mrs Brahuer
and her three chdreL ,,,
At1an m the Bienville exploded and Immediately
sunk When the fire first discovered II was sup
uosed 10 be in the forehod, where large quantity OF
power was stored but proved to be between decks
over tbe boilers and among the cargo The passengers
and crew lost all their baggage and saved nothing eX-
cent the clothing they had on Capt Maury reports that
The people OF Nassau treated The shipWreeked Kndy
and administered 10 their wants Vice-Consu saunders
has cared for the Anna Brahn one OF the res
cued became insane, and left at Eeuthera because
she could not found when the party left for Nassau
The steamer Anna and the schooner Dandy were
dispatched by the American Consul to search for the
missing boat out Of 12 persons on board the BlenVue
"A are unaceOuuted for including the nine lost at Eeu-
thera The bodies Of six persons were recovered and
buried at James Point The schooner William McGee
took "a Of the survivors the path 10 Baltimore sub
scription was started in Nassau for the aid Of the
sufferers
A DISPATCH FROM THE CAPTAIN-LIsr OF THE
SAVED.
Capt Baby, of the Pacific Mail Company
received the following dispatch from Capt Mauy on
Saturday
HAVANA Aug SO-Bienyille burned at sea- morning,
hug l5 65 miles north of watng's Island passengers
and crew embarked from ship in six boats five boats
have landed passengers and crew at Nassau One sup
posed TO have been saved by vessel Passengers Will
he forwarded by Castle cared for by Consul
at Nassau. List of saved, as far as known is;
PASSENGERS
JB Albistone Carlos Leggra,
George &C. 5is'" " 'BaHey, ]. Oliver,
Joseph Branner, C. Ortegq
Aaron Branner, WIN. POOL
Fanny Beatty, James w. Rae,
w Berry, Margaret Ryan,
A. Burroughs, Ellen Ryan,
Mrs. Maggie Barker, Pic ROsada,
Wm. Chapman, ii. Schart,
Kate Dalton, i. Stokes
Pat. DAILY, Nora sullivan,
Chas Erchthen. A. d. Temple,
Mrs. Chas. Erlchthen, John Thompson.
Julius Franklin, Aurenus ViIlegas,
Margaret Jones, Thos H. Woolrich.
r. H. LAWYER Alexander wiiamC
Islq Tho
could found when boats showed off, having become
insane. - - -
Captain, first, second and third officers, purser sur
geon Chef first and second engineers
Tehe.
seamen-Barry, Griffin, McMu-en, Walsh, Williams
Flrrmcn-Ben Flaherty, Grant Gordon, Cough, Holy
Porers-Robert Crosby. J. McCarty, Drew. Garrison,
johnson, stewart Shields Tyler Thompson, and Walters
steward, second steward, stcwardess, pantryman
Heerage steward, second and third cooks and second
pantryman are also saved
THE PASSENGER LIsT-PROBABLE VICTIMS.
The following is a partial list of the pas
sengers who sailed from NewYork for Aspin&a in the
Bienville:
WIN. b. Wood, II. Anthou,
Mrs. Barker, A. ID. Temple,
Mrs A. S. Barry, L: Cooper and sister,
Nora Sullivan W 5. Wilson,
T. II. Walker, Rufus Mead,
T. stoker, g: Ortega,
A. Villegas, VIM Berry,
Mr. Chapman, =, Rosada.
Thos II. Woolrich,
The following are supposed to be lost, their not
appearing In the list Of those saved
Mrs Brander and three children.
f. Cooper and sister
T. N. Walker.
W. ;. Wilson.
Mrs. Brander and her children were undoubtedly
drowned, according to the testimony Of Capt Maury.
STATEMENT OF THE COMPANYs AGENT.
A TRIBUNE reporter called, yesterday after
noon, upon Capt Baby agent of the Pacific Mail Steam
chip Company, to learn any further particulars that
might have been received regarding the Benve disas
ter. Capt. Babys statements were substantially as
follows:
The steamship Bienyile belonged 10 the firm Of Iiv
ingston, Fox Co. Of this city, and she was chartered
by the Pacific Mail Steamship Company several months
On Saturday Aug TO- she left this port for Aspin
wall, having board only passenger OF whom q
full cabin passengers and 81 steerage. The reason
OF her carrying 80 small number of passengers was
change OF time recently made which was not generally
known. From the telegram Capt. Baby received
from Capt. Maury, he judged that the Bien.
vile was about 10 enter the Bahamas by the
Crooked Island passage. She G5 miles
from Watling's Island when the passengers entered
the boats The explosion reported could have been
an explosion Of powder since there none in the
cargo The vessels of Pacific the Mail line very seldom
carry powder and when they do II is under certain re-
stricons. Had any powder been shipped 1t must have
been through Capt Baby, and there application
for shipping II on this trip. powder explosion would
have shattered the vessel whereas the explosion
very slight and she burned the waters edge The
explosion probably by the sudden generation
of steam owing 70 the fire outside heating the boilers
when nearly full Of water, and exploding them. The
explosion took place on the morning Of Aug IT, The
boats, six IN number, were Immediately headed for