New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-20

Local Intelligence.

Tns xrEawnoA1 EMr1RE CALaMIrv-
!Ynre Testimony IN The Case. - estsrdsy
auorninp aiveys resumed work in earnest on
| the wreck of the steamboat Empire and
succeedeI in sscertaniDg the position OF
shs ANVIL She is listed badly. and it Is be.
lie yed that her hull is broken, though tins is
not certain. The freight is sumbled TO-
~ether oromiseuousy on the deck. and
some OF i. must have foated OFT. Hal:
dozen hOyshea1s OF sugar were brought up
, Yesterday. not so greatly injured as was
expected Twenty sacks Of rough rice were
.aise9. but in = condition only tit to tesd
cattle.
Divers did net find sny drowned bodies.
~ operations were not in that part OF the
boat where people weuld have been Likely
to be when the disaster occurred 1t 10
likely that to-day some bodies will be found.
The boat lies on the ground in about forty
five feet of water. The texas iS floating
near the wharf. but . little distance from
She divers boat. Some men were YESTERDAY
e1nnloveh cutting through the deck. but
i, + not likely that there is anything ut
consequences 10 be found there
fore Messrs Flanders and MOnas local IN
apectors for this district:
James OBrien--Was last employed on
the steamboat Empire as Waterman, since
East day of May up to the time Of her loss;
when We landed, at midnight, the w,nd be-
gan 70 frsshea. making , considerable
swell: when Sla were sleeping the mate told
me to keep q sharp lookout for the boat;
! there we're three or four deck passengers:
the boat had an unusually heavy load; J
noticed that there was water ON Doth
guards amidship; she had slight list 70 the
cardboard, but had she been righted she
would haze had watey on both suarde; The
Forward matches were open, but enc afts.
J matches were on; the water on the nldsnlp
guards was fully two inches deep: there was
s. swash over the guard abreast the hatc4
which was otf: this was fully an hour and .
half before We landed here; steamboat
passed us after that making biz swell.
about tive o'clock; about half an hour be.
I. fore the disaster a steamer passed. making
another SWELL but Saw no water enter l:ie
1 holf; ! was sitting on the boiler deck wnen
| I felt the Empire give lurch to starboard;
! got on the passeneers staging 70 sc
ehat WAS the matter, and found that the
boat was sinking fast; ran back to the eaSn
door and gave an alarm, but heard no reply
from any one in the cabin: then ran to the
.oot to call she officers, who were sleeping
in the texas: on reaching the roof saw the
| mate and several others jump overheard:
then Jumped and got on the Bradish john
son: ten minutes after l went 20 get dry
clothing and did not return; the only sOu'
ton that can give for cause OF the dlsas'
ter ia that the outriggers and covering
board were sprung from swelis made oy
the Empire landed and found no leaking:
Che CARPENTER also made an examination OF
the hull and reported that there was mol
more than an inch OF water; TINS was anou.
tnrae-ouarters of an hour before the boat
sunk: | considered the hull sound; assist
cd TO save some passengers ana the crew.
T.. Durahle-I am a pilot on the lower
Mississippi; been in that business tor four
teen wears; was on the steamboat Empire
when she arriv ed here and sunk; was asleel
when che sunk; l landed the boat. afte'
which retired to the texas to sleep: on the
wav up met with no ObstructiOns; as Tar a.
I know the boat perfectly tight up -
Che time of her sinking; she vas not any
deeper this last trip than usual; nOtlceC
that this season when the boat was unuei
way there was water on Duth guaros' ou
! when she was lying still there was none
| the carpenter told me there was no "ate.
"a the hold; when we arrived the weatEe
| was good: went to bed in the texas ma
| an hour after she landed; was awaseIei 9.
l cries of the passengers, who saiu that III
boat was sinking; when saw that tner
was water in my room l jumped overooarc
and swan TO the Bradish johnson; had no
/ felt auv unusual cOmmotlon; there Is Z
chance for water to enter the null az IN
steru. and the tiller post is outside the null
\ the watchnan, James OBrlen, Das goo'
reputation. but have heard that he slep
while on duty; have been or the boat eve
since she came out
James White, mate of the ateamboa'
\ Rradi ali JohnsOn-Was at the wharf whel
the Empire landed and made her 9rea !'
line fast: the weather was clear anu laii
there was no conclusion when she landed
was called after the Empire had sunk;
then threw my staging overheard to say az
people; policemen assisted me; the watch
nan of our boat had our yawl out t
render assistance; our watchman save
several people; our watchman,s name
James Herbert: saw that the Empire wa
/ loaded very deeply before the accident
noticed that water was, five, six or seve
4 inches on the hogsheads OF sugar at mlo
ships: when the Empire landed her strike
came On the johnson and said that the
had brought all the sugar; ! went or a.. IN
Empire and tried to save =; Japan Ia mrs Ssa'
eu, the cabin SO it could be released;
found the captains daughter and the oa a,
in the wheel; have no idea Whss was III
cause of the disaster.
More witnesses will be found as soon
nossibe and the inspectors intend ~ "