Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-03-17
SINKING OF THE HURT.
] he Boat aud Cargo Almost Total Loss
The Chief CIerk and Eleven other
Persons Drowned.
Particulars of the Sad Affair." Only Deck
Freight Saved The Boats Value
S5OOO-NO Insurance,

VicksDurg Herald, MOnday.l
The first tidings of the disaster to the
Hurt was brought to the city at late
hour night before last by the first clerk
and part owner, Captain w. T.. Raum,
and the pilots, who came down in skiff,
and the particulars as we obtained them
from Captain Rsum are as follows: The
Hurt left here at one o'clock Friday af-
ternoon with full trip of freight for
Duncansby and the bends, and proceed
ed on her way 10 the foot OF Island l02,
about thirty miles above here, where she
encountered an immense floating tree,
which knocked hole in her bow, caus-
ing her to make water rapidly. Cap
tain Auter was at the wheel at the time,
and Captain Wiley, master Of the boat,
on the roof AS soon as the boat struck
the log she careened over to the larboard,
and Captain Wiley started to run down
to the deck below to stop the hole ifpos-
sible, when he was met by Captain
Raum, who, realizing the situation at
once, called to Captain Auter, the pilot,
to run her over to the bar near the shore
as quick as possible. Meanwhile the
mate began throwing off all the freight
he could to tighten her up, but
she made water so rapidly that
before she could be gotten to the bank
she sank in about twelve or fourteen feet
water, to her boiler deck. In the excita-
ment of the moment, when the boat
struck the log and careened, several per-
sons jumped or were thrown overheard,
and among them the clerk, Mr.. Hardy
Hendren. The chambermaid states that
Mr.. Hendren, in jumping overheard,
dragged her after him, and cluDg to her,
her skirts affording her a support t. keep
her above the surface of the water. 9th
er persons state that, on the contrary,
when Mr.. Hendren jumped overheard,
the chambeImaid chung to him, and
that he forced himself loose, and en-
deavored to swim to the shore, but was
unequal to the task, and sank beneath
the waves. The chambermaid, support
ed by her skirts, kept above the water,
and was rescued by parties on the boat,
who reached out and drew her up. Of
other persons who jumped overheard,
there were three children, five roust-
ers, and two passengers Ia man and
woman), all colored, and none of
these were saved. 1t is known that
eleven persons were drowned, all except
Mr.. Hendren being cOlored, and it is
probable that there were more, but these
are all that the officers knew OF. Cap
tain Raum says that all who remained
on the boat were saved, and that only
those who jumped overheard lost their
lives. He himself was overheard at one
time, but managed to regain the boat
and saved himself. The tug Bigley
went up yesterday morning to render
all the assistance she could to the sunken
steamer, and took barge with her to
bring back such OF the freight as could
be recovered, and the people who were
LETT on the boat. When the tug reached
her the Hurt was lying on the bar with
the water up to her hurricane deck on
her larboard side, and the stsrboard side
about four or five feet out of the water.
The boiler deck freight and the cabin
furniture was recovered, but the re-
mainder will probably prove total
loss. The boat was owned by
Captain Joshua Wiley and Cap
tain w. G. Raum, and was val
ued at five thousand dollars. AS she
lies badly, and the river is rising, it is
feared that she cannot be raised, and
will prove total loss. This is especially
unfortunate for her owners, as there was
not dollar of insurance on her. 1t is
believed, however, that her cargo was
lullS lusuIcOs 1Ho d. u huTI Las OtcA
one of the best feeders to our merchants
of all the small packets since she en-
tered the bends trade between this city
and Duncansby, and her loss will be
felt by our entire commercial commu-
nifty. She had, at the time Of sinking,
large amount of miscellar eOus freight,
and we understand about four thousand
dollars Of &. o D. bills. We hope her
place will soon be supplied by another
boat, and that Captains Wiley and
Raum will receive liberal encourage
ment and support from our merchants.