The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1878-12-08
THE COLLISION ON THE MISS
ISSIPPI.
A Life Lost Through Modesty.

- IA New Orleans Tlmesl n
Mr.. Harry Stem, the first clerk OF
the Charles Morgan, says that he was
just, about. to retire when he heard the
Morgan whistle He rushed imme-l
diately out upon the hurricane deck,
and saw the fights of the Cotton v al
ley. His first impression was that
no earthly power could prevent the
Cotton Valley from running into the
Morgan. She seemed TO be making
directly for,the Morgan, and appar
emily would Strike her about amid
ships.
The Morgan had already blown
her whistles TO back, andat thatyeryl
moment was moving up tile river.
The wind was blowing gale, how
ever, and in such direction as TO
blow the CottonV alley right on 70 the
bows of the Morgan. In u moment
or two the collision took place. lie
heard the calls for assistaiice of the
Cotton Valley, and the Morgan at
tempted to run up alongside of her,
A rope was thrown, but II missed its
object. An attempt was made to
drop one of the stage planks of the
Morgan onIthe Cotton Valley. nThis
effort at assistance also fhiled.i " Z Il
The Morgan was drifting away
from the Cotton Valley. He had the
yawl of the Morgan manned, and put
off to assist in rescuing the passen-l
gers and crew Of the sinking vessel.
The WATERWAYS covered, with boxes
and other hoating material, to which
the passengers and crew of the Cot
| ton Valley were clinging. AS he apr,
preached the Cotton Valley, he saw
that she was going down quickly.
Her bow-1wass scttling, and her
stern was somewhat raised out OF the
| water.
On the after-part of theI deck he
saw sight which made his heart
ache. He saw fair young girl in
her night dress, standing there cry.
ing, "Oh, save me? oh, save my
life" In her agony she wrung her
hands, and appealed piteously to him.
Her hair was streaming in the strong
wind, while her thin white garments,
wet with the rain which was falling
in torrents chung closely about her
form; he called to her to jump into the
river, and that he would rescue her.
just then floating box or bale pass
ed near and Just benath her, and he
called to herto jump npon that and
that they would save her. She SEEM
ed paralyzed, and made no effort to
save herself. Before they could
reach her, and even while he was
begging her to jump, the boat gave a
sort Of plunge forward, and boat
and maiden sank out of sight forever.
lie since learned that this young
girl was Miss Sanford. 1t was hard
| " fifteen minutes between the COLI
sion and the sinking of the Cotton
Valley. He made every effort to res
cue the survivors. He rowed up
and down the river and searched
along the shores for the missing.
Five passengers, four gentlemen
and one lady are known to be lost.
1t is supposed that about dozen
roustabouts were drowned.
The names of the passengers lost
are as follows: Sol. Meyers. Daniel
Gehr, Henry Levy, Mr.. j. +. Sugden
and Miss Sanford.
Mr.. Meyers, Mr.. Gehr and Mr..
Levy were merchants in Alexandria,
4 Louisiana, and were on their way
home. Miss. Sanford was a young
lady little more than sixteen years of
age. She was from London county,
Virginia, and was ON her way to visit
relatives in Rapides parish.
1t is believed that her excessive
modesty occasioned the loss Of her
life. Her aunt, who was lady about
eighty years of age, was saved in the
life-boat with, the captain and his
family.
Miss Sanford was called and told
to come Immediately. She respond
ed that she would come as soon as
she could dress herself. The life
boat did not wait for her, and she
found a watery, grave. bQail
Ii is not known how many of the
roustabouts were lost nor is it known
who they were. 1t Is believed, how
ever, that not less than twelve are
lost. This number is arrived at from
the fact that about thirty were ship
ped for the trip and only eighteen
were brought down by the Morgan.
| The passenger list was also lost,
and it was impossible to discover
the names of the survivors of the
Urpclr