Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-11-18
FuRTHER PART1crLARs.

NEW ORLEANS, November 1.-THE
regular lower coast packet Empire,
Captain Jeapfrau, sunk t1 her texas
about four o'clock this morning, at her
landing at the foot OF Cont street. The
Empire arrived about half-past twelve
o'clock heavily loaded with sugar, mo-
lasses, rice, etc. Several of the passen-
gers left the boat after her arrival, other
wise the loss of life would have been
very large. AS it is, fourteen passengers
and many of the crew are believed to be
drowned. Five bodies have been recov-
cred, including the captains eldest
daughter, about seventeen years old,
and Mr.. Fisher, we'll known planta-
ton engineer. Captain JeaDfrau lost
four children, and saved his wife and
baby, who were sleeping with him in
the texas. d. R. Perret, a passenger
who escaped from the sinking steamer,
gives the opinion that the boat was over
loaded, and parted in the center. The
Empire was built at Agiers about three
years ago, and was owned by the EN-
pire Parish packet company. and valued
at about thirty thousand dollars. She
had on board about one hundred and
sixty-nine hogsheads OF sugar, besides a
large number of barrels of molasses, and
quantity of rice. 1t is impossible, al
present, to get the actual number of lives
lost, as the books and papers of the boat
are under the texas.
Captain Jeanfrau states that the EN-
pire had only fair cargo, and was not
overloaded; that the guards were well
above water at the time of the sinking.
He was awakened by a great noise and
confusion; caught one of his children
and swan with it to the shore; saw his
wife standing on deck with her babe in
her arms. AS the boat went down, she
chung to the wheelhOuse of the Bradish
Johnson, which stood alongside, but the
violent shock wrenched from her grasp
her child, which fell into the water and
was drowned.
John Dublin says: "Am mate of the
Empire. We arrived last night about
twelve O'Clock and tied up; went to my
room and almost Immediately went to
sleep; between four and five heard a
tremendous crash; thinking VIC had
been run into, rushed on deck; seeing
she was sinking, shouted for everybody
to get life-preservers; rushed along for
ward shouting to wake all could, in
tending to run into the cabin, when the
boat, almost in a seconds time, seemed
to sink, and was thrown into the wa
ter; swan until could catch hold OF
something and save myself"
Eugene Duerabe, the pilot, says:
"When the boat sank l was in my he'd,
heard the crash, and thought were run
into; was thrown into the water and
swan to the wharf; l think the boat
broke in two, she sank so suddenly"
Five bodies have been found. The
number lost is uncertain, as no one is
positive as to the number who left the
boat immediately upon her arrival here.
The boat is said to have been insured
for fifteen thousand dollars.
Captain Jeaufrau states that, to the
best Of his knowledge, the Empire had
1859 hOgsheads of sugar, 70 barrels of mo-
lasses, 23S barrels Of rice, and 7S5 sacks
of rough rice. He says the boat did not
break in-two, but went down stiff and
solid. He can't account for the sinking,
as she was not overloaded, and there
was no unusual water anywhere when
he retired at night. He cannot tell how
many passengers, as the books are
in the clerks room. Thinks there was
about thirty. He lost four of his chill
dren: Fanny, seventeen years; Johnny,
twelve years; Ada, eight years and
whelmed with grief, aud can scarcely
realize the horrors of last night. The
bodies of Fannie and Walter, Mr.. FRS.
bee, the Engineer of Magnolia planta-
ton and two children of Mr.. Kemper
have, beenTecOvered. The boat and cargo
partially insured, aud in city offices.
The bellboat Usage will attempt to raise
the swreck tomorrow, when the bodies
of the drowned will probably be recov-
cred.
The following are the names, so far as
known, OF the missing and believed to
be lost by the Empire disaster: Henry
Jackson, Robert Carpenter; William
Green, engineer; Mr.. Maddox, from
Belaire plantation; Austine Bare, of
Burss; Mr.. and Mrs. Kemper and two
Mrs. Joseph Martin, Point La
Hache; Mrs. Mszelle, Union plantation;
Rose st. John, stewardess; Charles Will
liams, pantry-keeper; Charles Ward
and John Williams, cook-boys.