The Opelousas courier., 1882-07-22
Loss of the John wilson.
STATEMENT OF ONE OF THE SURVIVORS
IN O. Times-Democrat, July I9. 7

IN o. Times Democrat, July 49,
Clerk Charles Bachino and Captain
Jobin arrived from the scene of the
wreck of the John Wilson yesterday
evening. In an interview with Mr..
Bachino he said
We left Washington Sunday morn
ing at 8 o'clock; had made Richards
Landing Sunday night and were back
ing out when it was found that the
wheel would not work on account of
snag which had caught in it. In back
ing out, the current, which in the At
chafalaya ia stronger even than that of
the Mississippi, struck her bow with
great force. sending it out into the
stream. When the bow of the boat
swung cut into the middle of the stream,
her stern naturally swung in closer to
the bank; the swift current actually
caused her to capsize and she turned
completely over on her starboard side,
just as skiff or sailboat would capsize.
This was little after 80 o'clock Sun
day night. l was about te go on watch
and had just got on the hurricane roof
when | heard Capt. Lawless, the pilot,
ask Capt Broad if he could back her.
The captain answered MOI" and the
word had barely left his mouth when
the boat turned over. We were thrown
about Is feet into the water, but SWAN
back to the boat and elung to the hur-
ricane railing on her larboard side.
She hoated down~the river and we
got ashore in skiffs, first sending the
ladies ashore. 1t was a long time,
though, before we could get any skiffs.
The beat fieating down the river with
her larboard side above water was the
means of saving good many lives, as
it enabled the unfortunate victims of
the disaster to remain in compara-
lively safe position until they could be
taken off in skiffs. Many got to shore
on life preservers, planks, doors, shut.
ters or anything else they could get
hold Of
We had aboard lot of beeves from
Washinton for points along the coast.
About SO head swan ashore, the rest
being drowned. When Capt. Jobin
and went to the wreck the next eve
ming, we saw abeut 40 or so head
drowned in the engine room of the boat.
We alse had SO bales of cotton for New
Orleans, q big lot of sundries, and l38
sacks of oil cake and 6 bales of lint
from the Pelican Oil Works at Wash
ingtoR, all of which is lost. The cot
zen, ! presume, was in her hull, and if
SO it is there yet
We had about 100 people, all teld, on
board the boat at the time of the acci-
dent, of whom there were about 90
deck passengers and about the same
mum Der in the cabin. There were only
tive, ladies among the latter, Mrs. Le-
blaac, of Poplar Grove, st. Landry par
isll, and Mrs. Becker, both of whom
were saved. Mrs Becker boarded the
boat with her hundand at Washington,
bound for New Orleans. Mrs Leblanc
had eight children with her, the
oldest a boy not over IL years of
age. Six of the children were saved,
the two drowned being boy about 4
years old and girl baby only 25
months old. The latter was last seen
in the arms of the second chamber
maid, who was struggling in the cabin
in water up to her shoulders but would
not let 60 Of the child, heroically de-
termining to keep the little thing above
water as long as possible. But, alas !!
! they both went down together.
The other persons missing are !: First
! engineer, B. +. Hess cook, Frank
/ Henderson, COL; roustabout, E. Resd,
col. !; and one white deck passenger,
| name unknown, who got on at the Pa
cific Railroad crossing.
When left, the passengers and crew
| were scattered aleng the river from
Richards Landing to the New Orleans
Pacific Railroad crossing. the greater
portion OF them IN Chnrchville. Yes
tefday morning Capt Broad gathered
togsther the passengers and crew and
took them to Red River Landing on
the Minnie, small connecting steamer
of theg0pelousas Transportation Com
pany, to which line the Wilson be-
longed