The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-10-19
THE BELLE.
Particulars Of the Late Disaster-Fear-
fu1 Loss of Life.

Particulars of n Late Disaster-Fear-
fu1 Loss OF Life.
BATON ROUGE, La, Oct. 10.-The
steamboat Southern Belle was burned
about 2 o'clock this morning, two miles
above Plaquemine, on the west bank.
The boat and cargo were totally de-
stroyed, and several lives were lost.
The steamer Bertha took some of the
passengers to New Orleans, and others
returned here on the steamer Katie.
Great credit is accorded to the engineer
and pilot lIebcrt for their efforts to land
the boat during the burning.
New ORLEANS, October 11.-Many
lives were lost by the burning Of the
steamboat Southern Belle. Among
those known to be lost are VIM. Won
Phul, Mr.. Drose, Miss Fannie O'Con-
nor, and another lady, all Of Baton
Rouge; Mr.. Franks, OF Port Hudson
Mr.. Lingom, also Frank, an employee,
and the steward and his crew. 1t is
supposed that nearly all of those who
were sleeping in the after part of the
boat were burned to death, as, after the
fire had once got fairly under way, il
was almost impossible to get at the bow
of the boat-the only way Of escape tc
shore. The cargo consisted Of SOC
to 800 bales of cotton. The boat wa.
new, valued at $4,000; insured fol-
$4,000, mostly in New Orleans com
panies. Mr.. L. Hebert, the pilot, helC
the bow of the boat against the banl
until all who could had escaped. llo
then leaped from the pilot-house to thu
lower deck, and was severely injured
JAS. =. McElroy, captain, and j. q
Leblanc, clerk of the burned steame
Southern Belle, with several of tn
crew, arrived here to-day by rail from
Donaldsonvillc. Capt. McElroy is con
siderably scorched.
Mr.. Leblanc, who narrowly escaped
says: When the boat landed at Mrs
Ma%rrineaux's to take the lady aboard,
went and escorted her back into the la
dies cabin. AT this time the boat wa
backing out from the landing. wen
to the Office to get a key of the state
room for Mrs. M%arrineaux, and on m
return to give it to her she met me hall
way in the cabin, and said, "The boa
is on fire." and to take her of. | say
that smoke was coming up through tn
carpets and through the stateroom
amidships ,andtold Mrs. Marrineauxth a
the boat was landing, and to go ashore
as | was then busily engaged in break
ing in the statoroom doors to awake
the passengers. After doing this | IA
to my own room to awaken young wi
lie Greathousc, who slept in the sam
room. When l thought had awaken
ed him | ran to the Office where III
books and papers were with a view t
saving them, if possible. After 4 III,
ment | looked around and did not SC
young G%reathouse, and immediate
running back again succeeded in brins
ing him out of the room and then tol
him to 90 ashore, after which | return
ed to the Office a second time and ws
in the act of trying to recovcr a sma
amount of cash in the drawer when II
flames had nearly surrounded me and
was forced to leave my books, papeI
and other valuablcs to the flames.
then rushed out Of the Office with N
face and hands scorchcd. l found tn,
the stairs were in n full blaze, and
jumped from the boiler deck on
q tier of cotton on the guar
and from that ON
the stage on shore, where, on turnin
round to look ut the boat, | saw tn
she was one burning mass from ste
to stern. The boats books and pape,
were all burned; in fact, every thin
except what was in the safe. The Bel
had 800 bales of cotton on board an
1900 sacks of seed.
The following additional are know
to be lost: ACatholie priest, name III
known, from Bayou Sara; A. c. Gri
fifth; Geo. C. Thomas, chief stewar,
from Louisville, Ky. Gus. Davis, ha
tender; Carter Roam, guard tender
cabin, and Louis Thorn, texas tende
The four last named jumped overboal
and were drowned, while Mr.. Won Phu
; Drose, Griffith and the priest are said
> have persisted in the flames.