The New York herald., 1874-11-18
COAST PACKET SUNK.

The steamer Empire Founders at the
Now Orleans Levee-Loss Of Lifo among
the Passengers and Crew-Statement
OF the Onicers Of the Boat.
NEW ORLEANS, La, Nov. II, 1874.
The regular lower coast packet Empire, Captain
Jeanfreau, sunk TO her texas about iour O'Clock
this morning at her landing. foot OF Cont street.
The Empire arrived about hali-past twelve A. M.
to-day, heavily laden with sugar. molasses, rice,
DC. Several passengers left the boat upon her ar
rival. otherwise the loss OF lie would have been
very large. AS It Is, fourteen passengers and many
OF the crew are believed to be drowned. Five
bodies have been recovered, including tie Cap
tain's eldest daughter, about seventeen years OF
age, and Mr.. Frisbie, well known plantation en-
gineer. Captain Jeanireau lost four children, but
saved himself, wife and baby, who were sleeping
In tho texas.
Mr.. d. r. Perret. passenger. VINO escaped from
the sinking steamer, gives the opinion that the
boat was overloaded and parted IN the centre.
the Empire was built at Algiers about three years
ago, and was owned by tue Empire Parish Packet
had on board about 100 hogsheads OF sugar. besides
q large numDer OF barrels OF molasses and
It Is impossible at present to get the actual num-
boat are under the texas.
STATEMENT THE OFFIC Frs
captain Jeanlreau states that the Empire had
only ialr cargo, that she was not overloaded and
that her guards were well above water. At the
time OF The sinking he was awakened by Is great
noise and confusion. He caught one OF his chill
dren and swan With 1t TO the shore. On looking
back he saw his vile standing on the deck with
her babe IN her arms. As the boat went down she
chung 10 the wheel house OF the Bradish Johnson,
which stood alongside, but the violent shock
wrenched from her grasp her child, who fell into
tue water and was drowned
We arrived last night about twelve O'Clock and
tied up. went to my room and almost immedi-
ately Tell asleep. Between four ana five O'Clock
heard o tremendous crasn and, thinking we had
been run into, rushed on deck. seeing she was
sinking shouted Tor everybody to get hte.pre-
servers, and rushed along forward shouting with
all my might so as to wake all l could. started
for the cabin, when the boat almost IN a seconds
time seemed TO sink, and was thrown into the
water, when swan until caught hold OF s0me-
thing and saved myself.
Eugene Duvall, pilot, states that when the boat
sank ne was In his bed. He heard q crash and
thought the steamer mad been run into. He was
thinks the boat broke in two, she sank so sud-
denly.
Five bodies have been found. The number lost
Is uncertain. as no one Is positive how many let
the boat on ner arrival The boat is said to be
sured for $l5,00O
LIST OF THE LOST.
Tne following are the names. as lar as known,
OF the missing and believed TO be lost by the
Empire disaster, not including those already
mentioned Henry Jackson, Rouert Carpen-
ter, William Green, engineer; Mr. Maddox, OF
Belar Plantation; Antoine Bare, MIR. and Mrs.
Kemper and two children; Mrs. James Mar tin OF
Point La Hoche; Mr.. Mazelle OF Union Plantation
try Keeper, and Charles Ward and John Williams,
COOK boys,