Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-03-31


ablaze. Those who were saved had
to flee in their night clothes. When
the burning steamer touched the
wharf the fire was communicated
to the coal barges, and the tug Oriole
was also burned.
AS nearly as can be ascertained,
there were twenty-three ladies on
board the ill-fated steamer, but two
of whom, SO far as is known, were
saved. J. 81. Cronk, connected with
Stoves circus, is missing-supp 5sed
to be lost. John Devonse, his wife
and three children were saved, and
are at the city hopital; also Simon
Black. Mr.. Devonse is slightly
burned on his hands.
THE GOLDEN CITY
was five years old, and cost $54,-
900. She was owned by Cap
tain J. D. Hyles, W. f. McIntire
and S. G. McIntire. She lies sunk
about three miles below here in the
chute near the Tennessee shore
When she foated off from the wharf
about twenty of her passengers
jumped aboard barge which foated
down stream, but they were rescued
by one of the harbor boats, which
towed the barge to shore one mile
| below the city.
THIRTY FIVE LIVES LOST.
It is estimated that 35 lives were
lost by the disaster, but at present
no additional news can be learned.
Robert Kelly, second engineer,
and three roustabouts, are the only
members of the. boats crew that are
known to be lost. John Dreffer,
steward, Peter Dreffer, cook, John
Lamb, second cook, Billy Luxford,
pastry COOK, Mark Wheeler, mess
room tender, John Hill, second mate,
Charles Harvey, second watchman,
and passenger named Bloomfield,
were saved.
THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE.
The fire was caused by a watch
man accidentally setting fire to lot
of jute, which was stored amidship.
The steamer had just whistled to
land, and the Watchman went among
the deck passengers to notify them
that they were approaching Mem
phis, and that those destined for
that city'must get ashore, when the
bottom of his lamp dropped in some
jute, and before the flames could be
extinguished they had spread all
over the deck of the vessel. Bryce
Purcell, the pilot, made his escape
by climbing over the front part of
the pilot house, the fire then being
in the rear.
When the steamer touched the
wharf, the tug Oriole did not burn,
as at first reported, but was sunk by
the burning steamer in making the
landing Several coal barges and an
ice boat, belonging to Rohls, Huse
& Co., caught on fire and were
burned. Billy Hodge, pilot on the
Dean Adams, saved the cook, who
jumped overheard as the boat foated
down the stream.
All the passengers and crew were
kindly cared f + by Mr.. G. B. Gallo
way, of the Peabody Hotel, who pro-
vided them with breakfast.
Two negro deck hands and white
deck passenger were killed when the
tug Orlole was struck. They were
caught between the bow of the boat
and the side of the ting Anna Boyd,
colored, chambermaid, and her as
sistant, were both lost. Mike Mal>
lay and Pat Kinney, fremen, were
saved, also nj. }. Wheeler, second
mate. MIR. Wheeler says he jumped
overheard from the stem of the
steamer, as she foated down the
stream. There were about ten men
on the f4ntail of the boat, who must
have been drowned, as when he
leaped into the river he saw three
men go overheard and drown, and
others, he thinks, must have shared
the same fate.
A MERRY PARTY.
Felix Lepham, passenger, says
there was a merry party aboard, and
nearly all the passengers remained
up until midnight. One or two of
the gentlemen aboard played the
piano, and they entertained the pas,
sengers with music and s nging. The
body of an elderly white woman was
found floating near the wreck, but
| her identity has not yet been proven.
| Will Mclntire, clerk of the boat,
says the list of the lost cabin pas
sengers already furnished is correct,
as nearly as he can remember.
Mrs. T.. Kounz and her three
children who are lost, were the fam,
lily of the well-known steamboat own
er, Capt. Kounz.
Those mentioned as being at the
hospital are all injured by burns, but
not seriously.
ESCAPED WITHOUT CLOTHING.
The passengers lost all their
clothing. Those who were saved had
to flee for their lives, without taking
time to save their effects. Abel
Butler, of Doraldsonville, La, with
his wife and child, escaped from the
burning steamer in their night
clothes A. B. Veatch, formerly
river reporter on the Evansville
Gnd) Tribune, was on board. He
renamed long enough to dress him
self before leaving his state-room.
J. 81. Cronk, owner of the side show
to the circus, is supposed to be lost.
DRAGGED OUT OF BED.
His roommate, FL. N. Akerman,