Richland beacon., 1875-05-01
TERRIBLE DISASTER.
Three Steamboats, Burned TO the
Waters Edge.
Terrible Loss Of Life.

Of the hcart-rcading scene that occur
red in the river in front of New Or
leans on Friday afternoon Of last
week:
Our river front last evening was
the scene of a most Lcart-rcnding dis
astcr, one that will be long rcmcu,ber-
ed bv the hundreds who We're Spccia-
tors and powcr!css TO render the as
.istance necessary To rescue from
terrible death numbers Of their fellow
beings. Details of the event, as far
a. could be learned amid the confusion
incident, are herewith given, but the
actual loss Of life, it is feared, will
never he aSccrlaincd.
Near O'Clock yesterday evening 4
fire broke out in the blacksmith shop
OF the steamboat john Kyle, and in
an Incredibly short time cuvciUpcd
the whole boat ia lIamcs
Immediately upon the alarm being
given, and the rapidity with which
the fire was extending asccrta;ucd,
the danger to boats in the immediate
vicinity was appreciated, and =. +.
BUrch, mate OF the LESSEE Tayiur,
which was lying just above the Kyle,
cut the lines Of The latter, when the
eddy carried her up for about two
hundred feet, until Sic struck the
Bodmaun, which boat quickly caugh.
on fire.
Tbi, boat was likewise cut loose,
ana the two iloal,d directly against
the steamer Exporter, to which the
flames were communicated, where
upon some one, who is deserving The
scvcrcst ccn>urc, to put the matter in
its very mildcst form, severed the
mour.ngs of that boat, and the three
boats, all ablaze from stem 70 stern,
were blown by The high wind pre-
vailing TO the middle OF the stream.
When the Kyle and BoGmann
were cut loose three persons on them
rushed to the Exporter as soon as
that boat was touched, hoping to
escape thence TO the landing, but
some one, in the eXciten cit Of the
moment, cut her loose with about one
hundred people on board, who drifIed
out into the stream on the burning
vessel.
In spite Of every eXcrtion the three
boats continued to burn, the Bodmann
and Exporter drifting over TO the
Algiers side, and the Kyle rapidly
floating down the river about two
miles, when she sank.
The unfortunateS on the burning
steamers were forced by the flames to
jump into the river, and most har-
rowing sight was presented to the
view of the thousands Of spectators
who lined the levce. \ number OF
men were seen cinging 10 the bows
and sterns of the Bodmann and Ey-
porter, while the surface of the river
was alive with human beings strug.
Cling for existence.
There is no idea of how many
persons were lost as the excitement
was SO great that no definite informa.
ton could be obtained. The whole
river was covered with skiiis, which
were trying to save those who were
overheard. Many stood hopefully
huddled on the bow Of the Exporter
thinking that relief would be extended
them by the tugs that were plying il
the immediate vicinity, but when the
middle of the river was reached the
fire became so hot that the half crazed
creatures had to take to the watcl
and many welt down, while some
few were saved by The cxertions o.
the skiis.
On board of the Exporter wa:
Capt. Reese, the owner, FROM Pitts
burg, who, with his family and 9
number of friends from that city were
here on u pleasure excursion. For
tunately, the ladies Of the excursion
party on board of the Exporter, wer,
all ashore, except Mrs. Reese anC
daughter and one other lady. Mrs
Reese and the other lady were takeI
off by skiil, but the daughter wa:
probably drowned
On The Bodmann there was an ey
cursion party from Cincinnati, grea
many of whom were in the city, visit
ing the sights.
Capt Shinkle, Of the Bodmann
was severely burned about the hand.
and face
When Capt. Hutchinson, of tn,
KYLE, discovered the boat burning
he rushed into the cabin and told lht
people to rush ashore. lie then raj
to the texas in search o! his wife, bu
she had already gone on shore. ii,
was then surrounded by fire end wa
obliged to slide down a burning rop,
into the water, where he was rescued
The BoGmann arrived this mornin:
and had discharged her freight
The Exporter had about thre
hundred tons Of up-river freight Of
, board All lost.
l The Passengers on board Of tn
Kyle were saved by Inc PrOmptneS
of Capt. Hutchinson in giving tn
alarm.
= The Kyle while floating down JUS
. grazed the United States sieamc
Il kVsas.
r. When going to press the Exportc
i was being towed down the river Icy
- iur