Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-03-26


pi, last Tuesday, has not yet died out,
and the sad catsstTophei is still the theme
of conversation. In addition to the facts
published in yesterdays APPEAL, the
following particulars are reported:
While the steamer Phil Allin was lying
at Friars Point receiving freight,
A LOUD NOISE
was heard by the passengers and crew.
Captain Lee then saw that the Crescent
City, which had passed up q short while
before, had exploded, and that the
boat, with its barges, was on fire, and
fast settling under the water. He i'm
mediately gave orders to raise steam,
and started to the rescue as soon as it
was possible. There was necessarily
some time consumed before the Phil
Allin could be got under way, though
Captain Lee, with that prompt
ness and energy which distinguish him
as an admirable commander, used
every means within his power. In five
minutes after the explosion,
THE WRECK OF THE CRESCENT CITY,
with its maDgled beings, sunk beneath
the waves. The wreck could be plainly
seen at Friar's Point, where the greatest
excitement prevailed, when the fact of
I Tie ICIIlOlC aCClOCAl bCOaLlC hLOn LIZ
/ By the time the wreck settled it is re-
ported by some to have been enveloped
! ina sheet of fame, and but
| little time was allowed the sur
! viving passengers and crew to
/ attempt an escape. When the vessel
| sunk under the waves an immense vol
I ume of white smoke and vapor rested
4 over the scene, hiding everything from
sight, and then floated upward like a
messenger of that terrible deathwork,
whereby twelve human beings were
| hurled into eternity. Many of the sur
/ vivoIs, both wounded and unhurt, board
ed the barges which the boat had in tow,
with the hope of escaping death. The
barges, being freed from the vessel,
OUT INTO THE STREAM
but what must have been the con-
4 sternation of the wretched beings
4 they bore to discover that even
these were on fire? Owing to
the force OF the explosion the fire was
scattered over the barges, and the unfOr-
tunate survivors had no other way left
than to get aboard of these. TO add
still further to the seeming helpless
ness of the case, strong wind was
| blowing down stream, and consequent
! IL the flames spread with great rapidity,
! as if greedy to wrap in robe of fire the
! terrified persons who bad sought safety
! there. The good steamer Phil Allin,
I after taking on board Drs. Pease and J..
H. Cooper, was now under headway.
THE STRONG WIND
retarded the vessels speed material
ly, but the noble steamer kept
on its way, and at every stroke
of the wheels neared the scene
of disaster. The burning ba=ges came
floating down with their freight of hu-
man beings, whose only hope was in
the quick arrival of the Phil Allin. At
last the steamer had approached within
forty yards of one of the burning barges,
and the well-manned yawl lowered for
the rescue. The flames were leapiDg
high into the air and the heat Was so
great that the steamer had to back
away. The yawl had now shot out from
the vessel and was speeding toward
THE BURNING BARGEs,
and though the waves dashed high, It's
spray cleaning like blood-dreps under
the glare of the fame, strong arms pro-
pelled the little boat, and manly hearts
were eager for the rescne of their en-
dangered fellow-beings. Patrick Bacon,
the second-eBgineer, and five Other
men, were rescued from this barge,
The Phil Allin continued the
good work, and rescued other sur
vivOrs from their dangerous position,
1t is reported that several persons
were blown ashore, and that several dis
membered human limbs and two large
pieces of the boilers were found hun
dred yards distant in a field. Several
] in q oEifF otfof,hn6 fn Q
trading-boat.
THE WOUNDED
were given cots in the cabin of the
steamer Phil Allin, and had every pos
sible attention and medical aid. The
names and injuries of the wounded are
as follows:
George Van Houten, 166 Union street
Memphis, pilot, hip dislocated and badly
bruised. -s=s----.-s.-e
Patrick Bacon, OF st. Louis, engineer
bruised severely.
James Brewster, of St. Louis, cabin
boy, confusion of head; resting easy.
Captain Hall, of Davenport, Iowa
and owner of q trading-bOat, severely
bruised but resting well.
Captain Halls son, aged twelve years
bruised slightly.
Mary E. Ross, of Cairo, Illinois
( cbambermaid, slightly cut in the head.
t Peter Hall, of Davenport, Iowa, own
er of the trading-boat, very severel.
bruised.
= THE LOST AND KILLED.
t The following is list of the lost an'
I killed so far as the names can be ascer
: tanned: ah
E Captain James Dawson, st. Louis.
Pilot John Ostrander and wife, Q
! Micony1ri Taor ~
Henry Gesler, mate, st. Louis.
! William Mundy, pilot, Louisville
! Kentucky.
Dan Wittle, watehman, st. Louis.
, Cabin boy, name unknown, st. Goui;
VIM. Dunn, cook, st, Louis (died o.
; Phil AIlin after being rescued).
4 Three colored firemen, names IN
Q known.
d 4 INCIDENTS OF THE EXPLOSION.
Mary L. Ross, the cham bermaid, wa
e saved by skiff, into which she and
a number of the colored deck hand
: sprang as soon as they had recovere
3 from the confusion incident TO the feal
+ ful ordeal through which they had jus
o passed.
: blown thirty feet high into the a
Q and fell under the debris. Durin
q the descent his fall was somewhs
Is softened by coming in contact wit
q a mattress. A piece of timber, or
; beam, protected him FROM the fallin
, portions of the cabin, but the little fe
It low was buried under the debris, an
\ could not at first see any light. Wit
+ remarkable presence of mind, he rea
Ie lied what was his situation, and st ono
Is commenced pulling at the snvere
le timbers. He succeeded in crawling OF
lust in time TO save himself from wa
n ery grave, by climbing up hog-chail
The barge +. B. Rhodes, owned b
IN Captain Hall, after drifting to the banl
a sunk, but not before Mrs. Hall and h'
three children escaped unirjured. Ca