The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-11-08
The Missouri Disaster-Thrilling De
tails bv the Survivors.


KEY WEST, Oct 3I.-The following partic-
ulars of the burning of the steamship Missou-
ri have been obtained from the survivors who
arrived here: When the boat which was saw
ed 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, fremen and ships barber. A
bucket was given to the inmates of the swamp
ed boat to bail with, there being two in the
rescued boat. As there were no seamen in
the swamped boat they were unable to proper
ly manage it, and in this condition they were
left It 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 9:l5 q. M, until p. m,
when she was lost sight of. For forty min
utes after the rescued left the Missouri they
saw passengers and crew, who remained on
board, crowded on the after part 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 at once put on the fire, and pantry men
and Others and the steward reported to the
passengers that the fire was out. The alarm
was given while the passengers were at
breakfast, but on receiving the stewards re-
port that the fire had been eXenguished,
breakfast was resumed and the fears of the
passengers were quieted. Within two min
utes, however, several of the crew screamed
fire from the stoke hole. all was then con-
fusion, and within twenty minutes three
boats were launched. In the rescued boat,
with the exception of few pieces of sugar
cake, there was neither food nor water, and
only two small oars and large one; neither
were there any sails or anything to make them
of.
In was from nine o'clock on the morning of
the 22d until two o'clock in the afternoon 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, of
Elbow Key, where they arrived about seven
p. m. on the 23d. On the 24th 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 Oath, and reported hav-
ing seen nothing of boats or passengers. The
sea was then breaking heavily on the reefs.
The party left Hopetown on the 25tb, and ar
rived at Nassau on the 28th
It is asserted that the donkey pumps of the
the steamer were never started, one 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 dom
key. Two deck pumps were worked a few
minutes only, and within fifteen minutes after
the alarm of fire was given the twelve surviv-
ors were in their boat and flames were COM
ing from the stoke-hole In volume. The
ships course was never altered, and conse-
quently the flames were carried athwartships,
burning up one life boat on the lee side and
making it too hot to get the others of. Only
three boats were launched, two of which were
swamped.
1t is said that seven females and seven chill
dren were aboard the Missouri, 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
speed of four knots was maintained. When
last seen, Captain Green was working with
Purser Hampstead and some of the crew, try
ing to get off the life boat, surrounded by
smoke and fame. Eleven of the survivors
say that the boat was never launched, but the
twelfth, Captain Gunner, says it was launch
ed, full of people, but was Immediately
swemped.
Later.-The only expense incurred in the
port by the little English steamer Anna, be-
longing to the Atlantic Mail Steamship COM
paRy, which brought the survivors of the ILL
fated 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.