The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-04-24
STEAMERS BURNED.
Burning OF The Steamers Kyle,
BOdman ana Exporter.
One Hundred Persons Burned 20
Death and Drowned.

NEW ORLEANS, April 23,--'rhe steam
or CITY of Merida, from Vera Cruz,
brought Mcssls. Brown, Nultlng, Grant
and Othera of the excursion party,
Messrs. Scott, Phelps, Poor and Others
taking the steamer ut Vera Cruz for
Galveston, thence by rail TO ST. Louis,
The party are all well,
About four o'clock this afternoon u
fine broke out In the blacksmith shop
Of the steamboat John Kyle, which
was lying at the foot Of POydrus street,
The Kyle lay between the Leslie Tay-
lor below aud Exporter above; the
10 Imam lay above and next TO the
porter. Soon after the alarm was CIV
en- the tugboat Ella Wood came up and
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 aud promptly notified
all on board to leave, rs II was apparent
from the first that the boat could not
be saved. Captain Hut hinson 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 set
adrilt In escaping he was enveloped
in the flames, and severely If not dan
gerously burned on the ceand hands,
aud had his eyelashes and moustache
,singed OIL. He, however, jumped into
the river and swan ashore and was at
, once taken to u hotel, where he was
attended by aphysician.
Captain Hutchinson says the cabin
of the Kyle was developed in flames in
less than two minutes from the time
,the first alarm was given. When the
Kyle was cut loose the eddy drilted her
up stream and those on shore, seeing
the danger, cast of the hawsers by
which the Exporter and Bodman were
tied up. This act proved disastrous.
The Kyle drifted against the Exporter
and Bodman, and all three boats drifted
into the stream. So rapid was the
progress of the flames that the Export
ef took fire the moment the Kyle
touched her. The people on board the
Exporter, having no other refuge,
jumped on the Bodman. This boat in
less than minute after the Exporter,
also caught fire, and the three burning
vessels drifted together into the stream,
where they were soon burned to the |
waters edge.
Many persons who had gone on the
Exporter and Bodmau as spectators
were on board when tile boats drtted
into the stream and had to jump over
board. Some of them were rescued,
hut a large number are~believed to
have been lost. The number lost Is
estimated at from twenty to one hun
dred.
The commander of the United States
steamer Kansas promptly sent out his
small boats, one of which rescued
thirteen persons.
The jobbing tug boats made no effort
to rescue those on the burning BOATS
Tnere was an excursion party from
Cineinnati or Pittsburg, many OF whom
it is feared were lost.
The Bodman arrived this morning,
and had discharged most of her cargo
The Exporter was to leave TINS eve
ming, and had about four hundred TONS
of freight on board, all of which was
lost.
Among the lost is the daughter OF
Captain Reese, of the Exporter.
Captain Shinkle, of the Bodman,
was much burned about the face ana
hands. A son of Captain Shinkle Is
reported among the lost.
The Exporter was owned by James
Reese, ST., of Pittsburg, and valued az
5000. The John Kyle was owned
by Captain John Kyle and z. 5, and
w. f. Davidson, and valued at S6o ooo.
The Charles Bodman was owned by
Captain d. p. Shinkle AMI others, OF
Cincinnati, and valued at $4,000. All
are supposed to be insured in western
offices.