The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-25
THE DISASTER OF FRIDAY.
Who Was Culpable?
Horrible and Sickening Details.

i In the hurry and excitement Of the terrib
It scenes of Friday afternoon on the levee it wa
q impossible to CLEAN accurate details OF the di
g sster which has thrown such q gloom over th
o whole community. Now that the smoke ha
cleared away and the fever quoted, it has becom
4 possible to arrive at more accurate conclusio
!, regarding this heartrending condagration.
The facts as have already been published, rels
tive to the backing out Of the steamer John Kyle
carried by strong north wind, followed by tn
Charles Bodmann and Exporter, are correct. bu
there are several miner details which as yet hav
/ not been made known
Soon after the fire had made sufficient head
way on the Kyle as to excite the fears of those il
the neighborhood Of general confiagratlon,
tug was seen at her stern, and loud calls wer
made for her to throw out line that the burnin;
vessel might be towed off before the other eteam
ers alongside caught.
These calls met with no response, and on tn
levee the excitement was intense. It was though
the whole line of boats was doomed, and, aftel
repeated requests had been made, Mr.. Burch
mate Of the Leslie Taylor. says that hs was in
duced to cut the lines of tho Exporter to save
the other boats. When the fated steamers had
reached point some three hundred yards out in
tho river, the cruel flames had already gained
such Roadway that those on board Of the Bod
mann and Exporter were driven to either bow OF
stern for safety.
The increasing heat and the choking smoke
soon made it apparent to them that tho water
offered the only chance for salvation from the
horrible death by burning, and in couples and in
scores, from the bow OF the Exporter and the
stern of the Bodmann, stream Of terrorized be.
ings leaped into the cold embrace Of tho muddy
river. When the throng on the levee saw that
human life was really imperiled, their excitement
knew no bounds. Unable to 60 to the rescue OF
their fellow-beings, and standing, witnesses OF
their horrible sufferings, they shrunk from gaz-
ing upon the sickening spectacle and some turned
away Mortified.
The scene presented on the shore beggars des-
cription. Negro laborers, utterly unnerved, fell
upon their knees on the wharf in prayer, whilst
others less affected commenced fruitlessly to
throw into the water whatever object they could
ind to succor the drowning people. The crowd
swayed to and fro with the terror of the hour
and not even the explosion of the old steamer
Louisiana produced such a demoralizing effect
on the by-standers.
When it was seen that the tugs Nellie and
Tyler did not rescue those urfortunates on the
bow OF the Exporter, the rage Of the throng
they called for pistols to shoot at those in charge
Of the tugs. There was one exception, no viewer,
in one harbOr craft, and that the gallant lit
tl- Dime" commanded by that brave officer,
Capt w. H. Wr gley. James Whitesides. engi-
neer. She as early as possible arrived upon the
scene OF action, and without looking after salvage
claims, or saving property, commenced at once
her noble work OF taking from the water the
drowning people. Dashing to the front through
fire and smoke she hauled up under the stern OF
the Bodmahn and took off some fourteen people |
The Kyle at this time swung around, and the
little "Dime" was IN danger Of being crushed be-
tween the two burning boats or set on fire, but
by carr wing away several stsnchions she escaped
At this time Mr.: WIN. r. Morgan was picked up |
out OF skif, and he volunteered to take the pipe
OF the Dimes hose on board of the burning Bod |
mann. Two streams were poured on the tiames |
and advancing, Mr.. Morgan and the captain in q |
measure quenched the fire as far back IS the |
boiler. The flames, however, drove them back,
and as the little tug was blistered and almost |
burning. they drew off short distance.
Sergeant ]. H. Moore, Patrolmen NJ. J. Morris |
and Ward, OF the Haroor Police, composed the |
boats crew, who, by their noble exertions, res
cued from death many unfortunates on Friday
last, during the terrible steamboat disaster. |
These gentlemen acted with the courage and |
humanity Of true men, and deserve the highest |
for their gallant conduct.
As yet it is impossible to cay how many lives |
have been lost, and it is probable the number
will never be known. Only last n ght it was |
learned that Mr.. James Cassidy, who left his |
homo on tho alarm OF fire, has not been heard |
from since. Many reports are current that many
were seen sinking beneath the surface Of the |
water at come distance from any aid. |
The following stateme nts will be read with |
intere.t, as they give lucidly the details OF the
direful catastrophe.
Deposition Of George Clinton, Mate Of the En-
porfer.-l was Oh tAe wharf at the time the |
alarm Of fire was given. The captain gave the |
order to drop the boat back, in pursuance of |
Which the lines were cast loose. The Bodman |
and Kyle then dristed to the outside of the Elk.
porter. The head Of the Exporter drifted out
into the stream, and the boats being CARR by |
the current in the eddy, bore up the stream. It |
was found impossible to hold the Exporter hy |
the stern line. although quite q number Of the
As the llne was let go the boat drfted out into
the river, and when fifty feet or more from the
wharf l jumped overheard. l think there were
lu'ly seventy people congregated on the forecas
tie OF the Exporter. When the tusboat Nellie
arrived upon the scene the stern line of the Ex-
porter was still fast to the wharf. The second
mate OF the Exporter, James Donegan, threw |
line on board the Nellie, which was not more
Than twenty feet off, and asked the captain to
give helping hand in getting the people off, In
plored to do, the tug steamed off into the river,
leaving the people to plunge into the river and
brown.
The tug, piled in the vicinity of the burning
steamer all the while, Attempting to throw water
upon the fire. The people on the Exporter
mplored the tug to come to their assist-
.nce, and seeing there was no hope Of o rescue,
hey began to jump overheard, and take the
chances OF drowning rather than be burned.
think that many more drowned than is gen.
rally supposed, but really how many I can.
10t say.
Dan Wilcor, Waterman of the Exporter.-I
held on to the stern line while the boat swung
This We failed to do. and she drifted into the
liver. A tug ran up within few yards of the
Exporter aud was appealed to for assistance, but
she moved of, instead. The tug could have
AIKEN everybody off of the burning boat if her
'hcers had desired. l saw this tug run over
.sveral persons in the water and, az supposed,
lr ,wned them.
1 jumped off the Exporter among the last and
in getting hold of q ring-bolt. to