The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-11-07
Burning of the Mail Steamer Missouri

KEY WEST, Fla, Oct 3l.-The fol-
lowing particulars of the burning OF the
steamship. Missouri have been obtained
from 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 1t.
The rescued boat lay fer two hours by a
swamped boat containing men, including
the engineers, fremen 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 Enabled to properly manage it, and
In this condition were lett. 1t IS not
likely that any of them were saved. No
sails had been seen for two days previous
to the fire. On that day the Missouri
was in company with ship from 81 A.
N. until 8 P. NJ, when she was lost sight
Of For forty minutes after the rescued
left the the Missouri they saw passengers
and crew who remained on board crowd
ed on the afterpart of the vessel.
It is said the fire WAS first discovered
on the floor of the locker in the pantry,
and the cry of fire was Immediately
given. Wet carpets were put on the fire
by the pautrymen and others, and the
steward reported to the passengers that
the fire was out. The alarm was given
while passengers were at breakfast, but
on receiving the steward report that the
fire had been extinguished, breakfast was
resumed, and the fears of the passengers
quoted. Within two minutes, however,
several voices screamed fire" from the
lol
Within twenty minutes three boats were
launched. In the rescued boat. with the
exception of few pieces of sugar cane,
there was neither food nor water, and
only two small oars and large one
to make them.
1t was from nine clock in the morn
ing of the 22d until two o'clock in the
afternoon of the 23d, before assistance
was obtained. At that time the shooner
Spy was sighted and rescued the party.
They pulled vigorously to her. The
Spy took the survivors to HopetoWn, on
Elbow Key, where they arrived about
seven 2. M. on the 23d. On the Oath
schooner was sent towards the burning
ship, with charts and full directions
where 20 find her, and with instructions
to look for the ship boats and skirt the
| coast. The schooner returned about
midnight on the Oath and reported hay
ing seen nothing of the boats or passen-
gers. The sea was then breaking heavily
on the reefs. The party left Hopetown
| on the 18th. and arrived at Nassau on
| the 2Sth.
It is said that the donkey pumps OF
the steamer were never started, one Of
| the passengers asserting that he had
hold of the hose some time, and that nc
water was forced through it from the
| donkey. Two deck pumps were worked
few minutes only. Within fifteen
| minutes after the alarm was given the
survivors were in the boat, and the flames
were coming from the stoke-hole in a
volume. The ships course was never
altered, and consequently the flames were
carried athward the ship, burning ur
one 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 it said that ever
females and seven children were aboard
the Missouri, none of whom got into the
boat.
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 Capt. Green was work
ing with purser Hampstead and some of
the crew trying to get off the lee boat,
surrounded by smoke and flames. Eleven
of the survivors say that the boat was
never launched, but the twelfth, Capt.
Culmer says, it was full of people, but
was swamped.
KEY WEST, Oct. 31.-The only ex-
pense incurred in this port by the little
English steamer Anna, belonging to the
Atlantic Mail Steamship Company which
brought the survi vors of the ill-fated
steamship Missouri from Nassau, was
forced Upon by u. S. customs officers,
who even charged her with tonnage dues
tor twelve months in advance Every
one else with whom the Anna had bust.
ness worked willingly and gratuitously.
ADVICE TO THE GIRLS.