Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-02-28
Il MARY BELL.
Magnificent Steamer Burned
at Vicksburg.
The Finest Boat and Cargo in the
West a Total Loss.
Marrow Escape of Passengers with
ont Baggage.
LOSS HALF A MILLIoN.

special 70 the Ledger.
VIcKsBuRG, February %,
The steamer Mary Bell from Memphis
to New Orleans, with music and flying
%colors, came into port OF noon yesterday
with nearly 200 cabin passengers. 5000
bales of cotton, 5000 sacks Of seed, 500
barrels Of cotton seed oil and a large lot
of cotton seed cake.
CAPTAIN HICKS
and a large number OF passengers went
driving out in the city while the boat
added about thirty people. mostly Vicks.
burgers en- route to the New Orleans
Mardi Gras. The boat dropped down to
the Merchants Compress Company's
Wharf, whore she commenced transfer.
ring cotton from the steamers ITALIA.
hatchie and Yazoo, lying on either side.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
About 3 O'Clock FIRE broke out under
the front stairway aud made rapid head
way in the cotton al around the boat
and to the cabin deck. Some of the pas
sengers
RUSHED THROUGH THE FLAMES
forward and escaped ashore, but the
stairway was 1901 10 a blaze and the
people jumped to the deck of the ITALIA
hatehie and Yszoo, and it is believed
that all were saved. The Yazoo cut loose
and foated out Of danger. The ITALIA
hatchie, lyirg between the Mary Bell and
the shore, vas pulled out %uniDjured by a
tug. Had she not been thsre the loss Of
life must have been greater, The origin
Of the FIRE is not known.
TOTAL LOSS.
The boat and cargo, except a few hun
dred bales Of cotton, is a total loss. The
books, papers and the passengers bag
gage were all lost. The boat belonged
to Frank Hicks. captain, and ALI. Girls
som, clerk. 1t was valued at ninety
thousand dollars, and insured for thirty.
FIVE thousand dollars. The total loss is
more than half a million dollars.
C. v. SHEARER, JR.
INSURANCE OF CARGO.
The cargo of the Mary Bell was iu-
sured in Memphis offices as follows:
Greene & Lucas, agents, $4,000; Pbeuix
of Memphis, $4,000; Merchants of Mem
phis, $4,000; Washington of Memphis,
Sl375; fernando of Memphis. $l24O;
total, $lS,5l5.
THE DOWN TRIP.
The Mary Bell lett here last Thursday
for New Orleans with 923 bales of cot.
ton, 2lOO sacks Of oil meal, forty head
Of cattle, a lot Of sundries, so cabin pas.
seugers and forty deckers. Among her
passengers we're John B. Campbell and
bride and George W. Truehart and
bride, of this city. She added at Helena
th%irty-6ve cabin passengers ard 800
bales of cotton, and at the mouth of
White river she got 400 bales OF cotton
and several passengers GU. of Arkansas
river. When she left there she had 5000
bales Of cotton Her officers we're Frank
Hicks, captain; ALT Grissom, chief clerk;
John Britton, mate; Murray Hicks, chief
engineer; Frank Smith, steward.
CAPACITY AMI HISTORY OF THE BURSED
STEAMER.
The Mary Bell was one of the largest
steamers that ever piled the Mississippi.
Her carrying capacity was nearly 1000
tons. Her hull, which cost oyer $50, 900,
was constructed at Metropolis by ALI.
Cutting. The cabin of the Belle Lee
was transferred to the hull, and she was
taken to St. Louis and finished. Her
total cost vas estimated at $4,000
She arrived here on Sunday, October 10,
1875, on her irst trip, and entered regu.
larly in the Memphis and New Orleans
trade, for which she was built. She
made several successful trips, having
carried into New Orleans a larger trip of
cotton and other freight than any other
steamer.
OWNERSHIP, INSURANCE, ETC.
She vas owned by Captain Frank
Hicks, her commander, Rafe Hicks, his
son, ALI Grissom, her chief clerk, Jesse
K. Bell, of New Orleans, and ALI Cut.
ting, Of Metropolis. She was insured for
oue-half her value in New 0rleans,
Memphis, st. Louis and Cincinnati
Offices. The loss will fall very heavy on
her owners.
She was in all respects one of the
most c%smmodious and elegant steamers
that aoated on the Mississippi river.
There were FIVE bridal couples on board
and a number OF Memphis people. We
feel thankful that in this great disaster
there is no loss of life involved as far as
known.