The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-02-13
THE RETURNING BOARD AND MR. TEAMER Ia BELLE SUNK
HAYES.
HEAD OF THE RAPIDoNs,, R. R.,
Saturday, Feb'y 9, 1878.
DearDe,n,ocrat -

HEAD OF THE hAfiDONS,, IL. w.,
Saturday, Feb'y 9, 1878.
Dear Democrat -
Thinking that the particulars of the
sinking of the La Belle from CORES
pendent on the spot, may interest your
readers, I write you the details from the
wreck where we are now. lying on:
board the Steamer Col. A. P. Kouns.
Mr.. j. G. White, lady and daughter,
Miss Pidgie Compton, W. W. Whiting
ton Jr, Chas. Moses, Ferdinand Golden
berg, Col. Wingate, Col. H. Jones, Mr..
Robert Nslmsley, and your correspon-
dent boarded the La Belle at Alexan-
dria, at 4 O'Clock Friday evening, bound
for the Crescent City. We found her
loaded to the guards with cotton, seed
aud oil from Shreveport, and did not
like the venture when we started
Shortly after dark vel had storm, with
thunder and lightning, which forced
us to tie up. There seemed to be a.gsn-
eral uneasiness, and everybodystwas APP
prehensive on account Of the load. we
had. At 2 O'Clock tits morning, at The
head Of the Rapidons, In making bend
with the current running like a mill
tale, the boat drifted into q pile of drift
Of logs and struck snag. She was
loaded to the water line aud the alarm
soon became general that she was sink
Ing. She turned round when she
struck, and the Captain rang the bell,
At this time the confusion was great,
and the scene was one to try mems bra
very. The boat was. kept close to- the
shore and though filling fast, every Of
ficer stood to his post. Captain Woods
had his wife and three children aboard,
but he stood TO- his post OH the roof Ike
hero until the boat had sunk. Capt.
Dannals Of the Lotus brought them on
shore. The pilot, w. n. Johnson, never
left the wheel, and now / let the world
know of an act of herolsm that entities
a brave engineer to the post of honor
beside Grace Darling aid "Jim Bludso.
of the Prairie, Belle" The engineer on
watch, Leonard Hartiens, stood to his
engines until the water had reached
his armpits, and surrounded with cot
ton on all sides, deserted by every ho,lv
but his Assistant, he kent the how Of
the boat to the shore. when for him tn
have deserted his post mea 1t aleatk-tn
women and children, and when uirec,ons
human lives were dependent upon his
bravery. He made the last tutn Of the
throttle valve with the water high ION
his breast. The cheer thar greeted him
when he came ashore dripping and half
drowned, should re-echo down the cor
ridors of time. and high nm the rol, If
honor. should be kent 4 nlace sacred IN
the name Of Leonard Hartiena,
But to return to our narrative. The
current here ia so swift and tho hoat
tilling 80 fast. it became extremely dir.
ficult to manage the boat at all. and If
che had drifted ten feet further she
would have gone down in, water above
her chimney TOPS. and MANY lives
would have been lost. When got out
on to the guards 1 heard the Captain
ordering the crew to take a line ashore.
They had mad out one, and it had part
ed. The stage was pulled around and
fortunately reached the shore. Tire
first thing heard was the Captain say
ing, "If you do not get out that line, Ne
are all lostn' The arst thingI saw was
the hands drop the lin, apd all rush
ashore. The ladies had ~alrgone down
on the lower guards, and the water
there was then knee Deep. They were
forced up stairs but none of them had
got ashore. The line was carried on
shore by the cabin bows and made fast
This checked the drift of the boat and
she commenced to settle down. The
ladies and the balance of the passengers
then came ashore, and we got pine from
the boat, mattresses, blankets, etc.. and
made the ladies and children as comfor-
table as possible. We camped until 10
o'clock this A. M, and as the nantrv
and cookshop were all under water. we
had nothing to eat. At that honr this
boat, the Col. A. P. Kouns came nm and
we are all aboard az comfortable "a we
could wish. She is unloading her
freight, and will return with us. tits
extremely fortunate that every body
aud even the baggage was saved Han.