The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-19
Exchange Clippings, February 10.


=, The loss OF the fine steamer 40. Donnally was
the topic of conversation In river circles yester-
day There is but little to add to the first ac-
counts. received Of the accident.
The D0unaly was valued at $40 000 aud was
Insured as follows: KentoD, $500: Farmers,
G500: Commercial. $1,000: Enterprise $4,000
$780, d EgFsa d 'f SsG Sso sc Ct
Atna Of Hartford. $4,000. Total. $50 900.
The insurance on her cargo Is unknown.
Most of Il is supposed to be In New Orleans
companies. The total loss of boat and cargo
Will approximate $3.50. 90.
The Donnay was built at Cincinnati by the
Marine Railway and Dry Dock Company, in
September 1876. Her dimensions were as fol
lows: Length 2s3 feet. beam Al feet. depth Of
nold n - :. She measured 800 tons. and had
hcarrylnR capacity OF 1900 tons. She had two
lever engines, with cylinders 90 inches In dia-
meter and Z. foot stroke; four boilers. each 40
each.
The Donnally's cargo consisted Of 400 tons.
10 noRsheads sugar. 800 barrels moasses, so
nan bar els moasses, 6s7 barrels rice. and 40
pales OF compressed cotton. that lay close to
ne watchman's locker whore the fire caught.
mambs srga an q thirty years ago all re;
The heroic men whose geL crosby was only
equaled by his lion heart, hat sill lives In his
danghter Irene living with her mother, In
dalllpolis. She was the one that stood BY the
victims OF the John Porter that III little
graveyahr,d OF theiE own from first to last. seek
among whom her father was a king
CAIRO, Feb. 4. Ia; m.-The fire has not died
n u.
particulars of the loss Of which teegraphe1
the Commercial an hour since. and I shall in
This letter only state such interesting facts con-
nected with the disaster ns were omitted from
the dispatch. Early In the evening about s.gO
O'clock "A light was noticed away southeast and
about the time 1t attracted attention brilliant
rocket. very large. and when 1t exploded yerv
bright blue, seemed to leap out OF the FIRE and
pass toward the west. The matter did
s aOt attract attention , until later perhaps
from Fort Jefferson. KY over the rail-
road WIRE from Capt. Fl. U. Hart. stating that
ttne Donnaly had burned and the people were Ia
hurry, hurry" Major E W. Halliday. receiy-
Ing the message. Immediately dispatched the
S.aaank: and then set to work 70 put me ihree
anu by the time the water was hot her crew We're
t9n hand. and with DR.. Parker. several men and
s ge roommmerciais reporter. che WIS opt t nnd
une gotten rid OF their cars. and they Were
AVA away also, reaching the wreck among the nrst.
TbI rlpai SSk sg up the people on shore AS the
anree states passed down she met the MOntauk
hRning back with Capt. Hart and Clerk Ed
aDounaly on board who. no doubt sent mes
'G = from here TO friends: OF the disaster.
;s ~ was most miraculous In many respects. 1t
wonder that all were not lost, as she was
o ooaf the Missouri shore when the fire broke
M anu 1t Il wonder that any were Injured.
ra aex one sees how nicely and we'll the boat was
sraatted away out on the bank before the flames
aygached the forecastle. Her movement ahead
fho course drove the flames back and protected
nseI IA 'front.'. But Pilot Bil Underwood. what
Inc TOW row escape he ranl The flames were leap
thss around the pilot-house before she reached
hnIdlrroar e put he stood there erect and steady.
Wa sns ner straight for the bank that he knew
sha sloping. Her engines were wide open and
fhs hs lever made better time. and she went into
fsar9ahfkk IKE great pillow. springing her butts
ia s above the ground The mate tried to lower
stages as she neared the bank but the crowd
IT, oeing panic-strieken. and they