Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-08-25

colored chambermaid, Lizzie Thomp.
son, who not only carried him from the
debris and burning air, but rescued, and
perhaps saved the lives of three Other
officers, Carter, DOnOhue and Eddis
WldIn, by extricating them one afteI
another from their positions, and herself
escaped unhurt. These noble acts of the
colOred heroine deserve more than a
passing notice, and to her, the gentle
men named informed me, they owe
everything. Donohue's leg was not
broken, as first stated, but merely
sprained, and he, with Captain Car
ter are doing splendidly on mattresses
IN the Julia's cabin, Lizzie Thompson
attending upon both night and day.
Eddie Widin was in the pilOthouse
when the crash came, as also was the
pilot John Carrahan, both Of whom
suffered some. Eddie has a sprained
arm and Carrahan bad cut over his
right eye, but both are up and about.
The clerk Widin has an injured leg and
bruises about his head, but otherwise is
well. Brown, the first pilot, was just
going OFF watch, and had turned the
wheel over to Donahue and laid down
on the bench,
WIEN THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED,
sid upon waking found a pile of debris
covering him, the texas having beer
lifted bodily and carried into re air
some distance and landeS, with almost
a complete somerSsult at the stern Of
the boat, witt sIl the cabin passengers
ana crew who were IN Il at the time.
IIram Mehaferty, the steward, acted
nObly in his endeavOrs to save life, and
was Of much assistance to Captain
Widin in extinguishing the fire that
caught in the wood and eOal-bunkers.
As near as can be ascertained, there were
seven whites and eight negroes lost, and
scarcely one Of the boat passengers or
crew would have beet left to tell
the tale had the boiler exploded
when full of steam. AS it was, each of
them let 60 at the same instant, and
there is not a piece of either left that
weighs over three hundred pounds, so
strong was the pressure; but, strange to
say, no one was injured by the flying
fragments. The mud drum was also
exploded and torn 70 shreds, which
proves beyond doubt that the water in
the boilers had got below the lower
ga1ge-cock fully ten or fifteen minutes
BEFORE THE COLLAPSE OCCURRED.
In fact the steward states that he tried
the kitchen hot-water cock before the
explosion and got nothing but steam;
and the chambermaid tried the laundry
faucet five minutes before the ex-
plOsiOn with the same result.
She started then to inform
the captain of the fact but changed her
mind and did not go. The second engi-
neer, John Hepler, who by his carless-
ness and neglect ushered so many souls
into eternity, was seen to try the gauges
and then run to the side of the boat
from where he jumped into the river
and was seen by parties on shore swim
ming down the stream and toward the
shore before the accident occurred, and
without a doubt escaped to the woods.
He has a wife and child living in St. !
Louis, and up to the time of the disas-
ter was considered a very careful and
competent man, as far as is known.
THE LOSS OF LIFE
amounts TO seven whites, named |
in a previous dispatch, and eight |
negroes. Those now on the Julia, |
going to st. Louis, are the cap
tain, first clerk, two pilots, the captains |
oOAtg NdBku Clth, duu /
Mrs. Frisbee and daughter and Miss
Felis, Of Shreveport, on their way 10 |
Burlington. The conduct of the officers
is spoken of in the highest terms by the
passengers, and the officers state that but |
for the cOOlness of the passengers all !
would have been lost. Several instances
of bravery are mentioned. Mr.. Ellis, |
when the boat was drifting and burning, I
stripped himself to his underwear and /
stood ready to jump overheard and swim |
to the shore for q skiff, while the ladies |
were sill about him, not knowing what
to do,
MISS COIN,
after being taken from the water, and /
finding that the rope was not long
enough to save her cousin SOlamonsky |
from the drift, she tore off her dress and
one skirt, and, tearing them into shreds,
spliced the rope, and then saved the
young man from a Watery grave. Mrs.
Frisbee and Miss Felis stood at the rail
ing, ready to jump overheard, should
Mr.. Ellis so direct them, and were per-
iectly calm, although they expected the
BOAT to 60 to the bottom every
moment And many other cases of
heroism are mentioned by the officers,
all on the boat displayed the ut
most GOODNESS and possession. The
citizens Of Helena, and farmers living in
he vicinity, are mentioned in the high
sst terms Of praise by both officers and
passengers for their kindness. The Lady
Lee VIII doubtless be up with the wreck
to-day, when it will be examined.