American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-03-04

also reported lost, hut we after
wards learned that this was a mis-
take. So far rs we can learn, there
were
NO LIVES LOST,
though we have no means of know
ing positively, as the boats regis
ter, together with all the books and
papers of the clerks office, WAS
destroyed. From interviews, how
ever, with many of the passengers
and all the officers of the boat, we
are led to believe that every on3
was saved, as nobody was missed.
An old cOlOred man, who was suffer
ing with rheumatism, and unable to
move, was said to have been lost
though this also was a mistake.
There were many rumors current
of persons who had gone down with
the boat, but on being traced up,
they all proved to be without foun-
dation in fact.
THE MOST HeRRID SPECTACLE
about the unfortunate boat, was
the burning of about fifty cattle.
LAh NhcAo w oo ny tdiCo Va
four men in a skiff to cut away the
guards and release the cattle from
their horrible situation, but the
heat was so great that they we're
driven away before they could af-
ford the desired relief. However,
they cut away a portion of the
guard, and made hole through
which three or four badly burned
steers escaped. The others remained
there, in full view of the Mortified
spectators, literally roasting alive
in the flames.
The fire department answered
the summons promptly, and all the
fire engines were quickly on the
scene, but their efforts were una
vailing. The cotton and seed burnt
like SO much shavings saturated
with oil, and when the fire reached
the cabin it swept it up almost in
a moment. The burning boat pre-
sented a magnificent spectacle to
those who could divest themselves
of the thought of the great loss by
her owners and passengers. The
whole boat aud cargo appeared to
be one
MAMMOTH SHEET OF FLAME.
The size and shape of the bales of
cotton were clearly defined, and
glowed like great Jumps of fire.
The whole area of territory that
commanded a view of the boat, was
covered with people watching the
progress of the flames, while the
river was filled with skiffs plying to
and fro, trying to save portion of
the burning cotton as it fell over
board. Some one raised q cry
that tie
BOILERS WE'RE GOING TO BURST,
which created a good deal of COM
motion and almost a stampede; but
the engineer had provided against
that, by turning off the steam. A
steam gnuge exploded, however. with
quite loud report, causing consid-
cradle fright in the crowd.
The Mary Bell arrived here with
4,72O bales of cotton, 1000 sacks of
cotton seed, $500 sacks of oil meal,
500 barrels of cotton seed oil, and
sundries. But for the calamity that
befell her, she would have gone
into New Orleans with 1000 bales
of cotton and 800 passengers. max
ing the best paying trip ever carried
by any steamboat. Her freight re-
ceipts, with no additions here, would
aggregate $4,000, and her passenger
receipts for the round trip about
$4,000 more. Capt. Hicks says the
profit of the trip, if she had gone
through safely, would have been
$4,000. It WAS her tenth trip down
the river, and Captain Hicks SAYS
she made money every time. The
Mary Bell was the largest boat ever
built for Western waters, being of
4, 900 tons register, and having a
capacity for over 10000 bales of
cotton, as demonstrated on one trip,
when she carried into New Orleans
the equivalent Of IL, 900 bales. She
left ST. Louis on tue 10Th of Octo>
Der, on her first trip. She was 800
feet loug, SO feet beam, with II feet
depth of hold. She was built at a
cost of $12O 600, and was insured
for S55, 900. The cotton was insured
for $50 per bale, on open policies.
Tue total loss of the boat and cargo
will not fall far short of
HALF A MILLION DOLLARS,
while the loss of the passengers, In
baggage, jewelry and money, cannot
be estimated. Very few of them
saved anything at all, and many
lost heavily in diamonds and costly
jewelry. The clerk, Mr.. ALT. Girls.
som, saved the money that was in
the cash drawer and safe. Captain
Hicks and his officers all say that
the fire was the work of
AN lNCENDIARY,
and of one who did his heinous task
we'll. 1t is believed that the cotton
set on fire was saturated with COM
l,ustible material, which caused the
flames to spread SO rapidly that
nothing could stop them.
Seeing the condition Of the pas
sengeIs, many of our leading citi-
zens, with the spirit of hospitality
which has ever characterized them,
sought to provide for them until
they could make arrangements to
lcontinue their journey or return to
their homes. Messrs. Walker s.
Burnham threw open the Washin g.
lton Hotel, and provided for the