The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1882-10-07
TRFsEsHEsGE EazsAaEz1Es.
TIE STEAMER RoBT. f. LEE TOTALLY
DESTROYED BY FIRE.


: Special to the PicayunC.
NIcKsBURG, Sept. 3O-The sloane
L. Z. Lee left this port Yesterday even
ing at $50 O'clock, making her frs
; trip for the season, having been thor
oughly repaired and reprinted at New
Orleans beEorc coming out last Tues
day evening.
She had on leaving here about AIS
bales Of cotton. She took on some
few more at landings below and about
five bales from a small cotton seed
boat, so that when burned She had
about 5l2 bales all told also 4 large
cargo Of boots, shoes aud dry goods
re-shipped by the Y. and NJ. Railroad
from points north and cast to Natcbez
and other points below this CITY
10000 feet of lumber, a large quantity
Of doors, blinds, sash, etc, from Spel-
gier's factory, together with large
lot of miscellaneous freight.
She stopped to wood about twelve
miles below here at 1890 this morn
ing and remained some time. The last
landing made before the fire was at
Point Pleasant, about % miles below
this city.
At the time the alarm was given the
boat was under way. She WAS i'm
mediately headed for the shore and
struck the bank in a very short time,
not more than three or four minutes.
To John Stout, the noble and brave
hearted pilot, who WAS at the wheel,
is due the lives Of those saved. lie
stood at the wheel and gave courage
to abby trmness never before exceIlcd.
and as the champion rounded to meet
her sad fate at Nucatan landing, the
flames were fast enwrapping the brave
man in the pilot-house, who, despite
the fire around him, with almost the
last hope of escape vanishing, still
stood there until he gave the word to
the engineer that The boat had made
the shore, Not until this was done
did he even for one minute take his
hand from the wheel.
lie made his escape by the hurri-
cane roof, from there down the hog
chain to the lower deck, and from
there ashore. The name of John
Stout vii, long be remembered as the
man who stood at the wheel of the
Lee. Like him whose name this great
steamer bore, will he long be reDem-
bered with heartfelt gratitude.
The cause of the fire has not been
ascertained with certainty. Capt. Camp
bell thinks it was the work of an in
eeDdiary, while others believe it to
have been accidental.
Engineer Perkins first saw the
flames issuing from the pastry room,
in which there were no lamps at the
time. The steward, Henry Garrnahan,
states that no coal oil or other com
bustible material was ever kept in the
kitchen, pantry, or pastry-room he
also thinks it was the work of an in
eendiary.
Engineer Perkins, instantly after
discovering the fire, notified the pilot
and the boat was beaded for the shore
on the Mississippi side, and was plung-
ed with such force against the bank as
to become'frmly fastened.
The passengers not cut off from the
bow escaped to the shore. The casu-
allies occurred among those having
berihs aft; some Of them, however,
were rescued after jumping overheard.
Those who succeeded in getting ashore
were many of them half clad, some
hatless, others shoeless, and Others
still with scarcely enough clothing to
cover their nakedness
One lady passenger, with seven
children, succeeded in saving herself
and all her children.
The survivors of the disaster were
picked up By the J. N. White about 6
o'clock this morning and brought to
this city. The lady aud her seven
children were taken on board cotton.
seed boat and carried to Natchez,
where she resides.
To Ovid Bell, second clerk, who
was on watch, the greatest credit is
due for heroic service in waking the
officers Of the boat, who were asleep,
as well as the passengers. HE barely
escaped with bis life.
Will Perkins was in charge of the
engines, and stood Dobly at his post
until the Inflated boat had landed,
and Pilot Stout had told him through
| the tube that be could 90.
Mrs. y. III. Walls and AIrs. Jones,
sisters Of J. j. Ball, Of Vidalia, pas
sengers in the bureau, all colored, are
among the lost. The young ladies
Bhad recently been married, and Mrs.
Jones had with her an infant only six.
weeks old.
Tommy Collins, splendid young
fellow who held the position Of bureau
tender, was assisting lie ladies 10 ,es3
cape, and be, TOO, persisted with them
1 Mr.. j n. Lnckett, one of the clerks.
Of lie boat, WAS stepping sonnaly, and
Lad It not been fof Ovid BELL, his
narsiler who awakaned lin, he would
Enndanhtedly have lost his life. Iuqkett
Is somewhat seoFcheh and badly used
MP, LII Re IL loud in lis praise sof
Ovid Eeli
MIS-. Fan Searles, Of tliis city Jump
y ed overheard WITH Der child - her
ARMS 4he child, 4 little daughter
about eae year alt sas last She With