The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-04-29
THREE STEAMERS BURNED.

Burning of the Steamers John Kyle,
Exporter and dBOdman--From Twenty
to One Hundred Lives LOsi--A scene
af wild Excitement and Confusion.
AT New Orleans, on the 23rd inst, n
fire broke out in the blacksmith shop OF
the steamboat John Kyle, which was
living at the foot of Poydras street. The
KYLE lay between the Lessie Taylor be-
low and the Exporter above. The Bod
man Law above and next to the Exporter.
Soon after the alarm was given, the tug.
boat Ella Wood came upand commenced
throwing water on the burning vessel,
but without effect. Capt. Hutchinson,
of the Kyle, was standing on the front
deck when the fire broke out. lie
promptly notified all on board, as 1t was
apparent from the first that the boat
could not be saved. Capt. Hutchinson
thinks every one on the Kyle was saved:
VIM. Brown, chief clerk, who opened
the safe and took out the money and
papers, was the last to leave the Kyle,
which had in the meantime been sci
adrift. In escaping he was enveloped
in the flames and severely, if not dan
eerously, burned over the face and
hands. His eyelashes and mustacht
were singed off. He, however, jumped
into the river and swan ashore, and was
at once taken to the hotel, where he was
attended by physician.
Capt. Hutchinson says the cabin OF
the Kyle was enveloped in flames IL
less than two minutes from the time the
first alarm was given. When the Kyle
was cut loose the eddy drifted her NJ
stream, and those on shore seeing the
danger, cast off the hawsers by which
tbe Txporter and Bodman were tied up.
This act proved disastrous. The Kyle
drifted against the Exporter and Bod
man, and all three boats drifted into
the stream. So rapid was the progress
of the flames, that the Exporter took
fire the moment the Kyle touched her
The people on board the Exporter hay
ing no other refuge, jumped on the Bod
man. This boat, in less than Il minute
after the Exporter, also caught fire anC
the three burning vessels drlfted to
gether into the stream, where the.
were soon burned to the waters edge
Many persons who had gone on tn
Exporter and BOdman as spectators
were on board when the boats drlfte'
into the stream, and had to Jump over
board, Some of them were rescued
but large number are believed to hav
been lost. The number lost Is estima'
ed at from 20 to 100.
The commander of the United State
steamer Kansas promptly sent ont hi
boats, one of which rescued 13 persons
The jobbing tug boats made no eifol
to rescue those on the burning boats.
The Bodman had discharged most
her cargo. The Exporter had abor
400 tons of freight on board, all
which was lost. Among the lost is
daughter of Capt. Reese, OF the III
porter. Capt. Shinkle, of the Bodmal
was much burned about the face an
hands. A son of Capt. Shinkle is n
ported among the lost.
The Exporter was owned by Jamt
Reese, Sr, of Pittsburg, and was va
ned at S45, 900. The John Kyle VIZ
owned by Capt John Kyle and Z. !
and W. f. Davidson, and was valued
s6O. 900. The Bodman was owned b
CAPT o. P Shinkle and others, OF On
cinnati. and was valued ut s75, ,OOo. A
are supposed to be insured IN westef
offices. D..
The hul,s of the Exporter and Boo
, man were towed across the river
Oyle's coal yard, while the Kyle foate
down the river q couple of miles an
, sunk.