The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-05-04
The Steamboat Fire at New Or.
leaNS..SCeneS and Iucldpn0s

WV" ASSS''SN SohsotuAiiS luIl dCCOuuL6
OF the great steamboat fire at that place.
A 5Iisk wind was at the time blowing
from the northwest, and this, combined
with the strong eddy, forced the fatal
steamer against the Charles Bodmann.
News OF the disaster spread with a
qu;ckness of thought itself. An i'm.
mense multitude congregated upon the
levee. The wharf of the Canal street
ferry was 80 Oyerburdened with their
weight that the police, to prevent a sec
ond disaster, were forced to drive them
away. Another large crowd pushed on
boaid the steamer Exporter, and in far
less time than it takes to write the fore
going, and even less than that In which
the readers can peruse it the three boats
we're in flames and drifting out into the
stream. The scene now depicted was
slckening. When within $50 feet from
the wharf the Kyle, separating from the
other two, drifted down stream and, ap.
parently raising herself amidships, broke,
leaving her warehouses high above hel
upper works. Before leaving the wharf
her chimneys went overheard, and sim
ultaneously host of people were seen
to leap into the river. Cleared in the
stream sea Of fire. bearing much the
resemblance of burning island, floated
IN her wake. She quickly disappeared
behind the other steamers lying ut the
wharf and was lost to view. -:.-,.,
The Bodmann, brough. into full
perspective by the floating away of the
Kyle. was one mass of fire from stem
to stern. Far aft stood two. SOLITARY
men, one in the act of lowering the
other, apparently aged or infrm. into
the river, A skiff, containing two men.
was Immediately in her wake, but the
single pair of oars seemed useless in
stemming the current.
In an instant the seemingly older man
fell, and the people Of The skiff, one u
the men in which had just rescued some
one else, pulled him in. The Expor.
ter, which at that time was abreast of
Lafayette street, was ablaze from her
forecastle to stern. On the narrow is
land in this sea Of fire thus made were
huddled perhaps forty souls. For a
time they appeared engaged in forming
a raft with some rough boards and an
empty hogshead, but in the course OF
two or three minutes one man jumped
overheard, then two, and, the flames
sweeping forward, all sprang into the
river apparently in body. M
So promptly had the work of de-
struction been consummated that scarce
ly twenty minutes elapsed ere scarce o
vest'ge of the three magnificent river
palaces remained.
A young lady with black, curly hair
had reached stage-plank, and gained 8
foothold upon it, but just at that mo
ment a crowd of Others also reached it
the stage sunk and she was drowned.
Maxwell, upon being interviewed
stated that he was workman on the
Bodmann when she caught fire from the
Kyle. Although he could have gained
the shore, the piteous appeals of the
women induced him to stay. Launch
ing stage plank, he jumped into the
river, and calling 10 two ladies, badt
them follow for their lives. Unhesita
tingly they took the fatal leap, and were
assisted by him on the stage. The cur
rent drifted them directly against thu
burning vessel, Notwithstanding his des
perate exertions to push the stage il
a contrary direction. While attempting
to save the ladies, urged and encouraged
by their agonizing shrieks, burly ne
gro seized a plank and jumped upoi
them, the plank striking Maxwell across
the leg and precipitating him into tn
water. A few strokes were taken ant
he reached another plank, where help
lessly he watched the negro, lost t
every thing but saving his life, make in
effectual attempts to gain the stage OF
which were the ladies. Suspecting th
result, he turned round, and when b
looked again the stage foated buoyantl
past him, bottom upward-the ladie
and their unintentional murderer ha,
drowned.
! Among the last to plunge from tn
steamer Exporter into the river were
lady and a deck-hand. The man q
once swan to the rescue of the woman
and after desperate struggle succeede
in clasping the iron ring on the Expol
ter's bow with one hand, holding hi
precious charge with the other. Th
flames crept nearer and nearer, the iro
hull glowed with white heat, still th
man tenaciously clung to his only hop
for life After ten minutes had elapsed
his precarious position was seen by
number of skiffs, who vainly tried t
rescue the seemingly-fatal pair, but 9
each attempt were driven back by til
flames. At last, when well nigh exhau;
ted, white skiff succeeded in passin
the gauntlet of fire, and even as th
helping hand was stretched forth t
save, the exhausted woman relaxed he
hold, the mans exhausted strengt
could not longer bear her weight, an
she sank to rise no more. A few sec
onds after the man was pulled in safet
into the skiff.
Eugene Shinkle, the second clerk {
the Bodmann, was compelled to take t
the water from the boat; and as it wa
drifting toward the burning Kyle, b
saw no other way OF escape but to div
in under the Bodmann, which he die
the boat drifting over him. Coming u
on the other side, he managed, with th
boats carpenter, to secure float unit
picked up.
There were over 30 lives lost b
the burning of the steamers. On th
Charles Bodman the following are re
ported lost: Joseph Case. Newport, KY
second Engineer; John f. Fcrard, Belle
vue, KY. second engineer Alf Goodpas
ture. head cook, Cincinnati; Mrs Bartle
and Mrs Grant, chambermaids, Ney
Richmond, Ohio Bill Akers, deck hand
Cincinnati; and several eolored cabi
boys and deck hands, whose names ha
not yet been ascertained; JAS Thomas
Sam Crutchfield, Ben Campbell, job
Robinson, Caleb Charley and Bill Saker.
all roustabouts; Andy Edwards and Ge
Edwards, firemen. of Cincinnati Nj
Granatin, of Nashville, Ind, on his wa
from Toyao. douohtor NJ Dr Rroohoo,