The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-04-06
Disaster on the Mississippi.

Tho Mississippi steamer Golden Gate, from
Cincinnati for New Orleans, when approaching
the wharf at Memphis. Tenn, was discovered
to be on fire. The boats bow was Mt once
headed for the shore, and in four minutes
aiterward it touched the wharf at the foot OF
Beale street, where coal fleet was moored. A
line was hastily thrown and made fast to one
of the coal barges, but the current being swift
the line parted and the burning steamer floated
on down the river a mass of flames, with
many of her passengers and crew aboard.
Marion Purcell, one Of the pilots, was In the
clerks Office when the alarm was first sounded,
and he rushed through the cabin, bursting open
the stateroom doors and awakening the pas
sengers. So rapidly did the flames spread that
within five minutes after the discovery OF tho
fire, which broke out amidship, the after part of
the steamer was all ablaze, and those that
were saved had to flee in their night clothes.
Neatly all the cabin and deck crew saved them
selves. All the officers Of the steamer, except
Second Engineer Kelly, escaped. Bryce Purcell,
the pilot, made his escape by climbing over the
front part of the plot-house, the fire then being
in the rear. Stoves circus, which was
taken on board at Vidalia, Louisiana,
and six cages of animals and birds,
together with the ticket and band wagon,
tents and horses, were lost. The books of
lhe steamer were lost so it is impossible to
gather a complete list of the lost and saved. 1t
is estimated that thirty-fve lives were lost. Az
near Ms can be ascertained there were twenty
three women on board, only two or three of
whom, so far as known, were saved.
Brice Purcell, Sr., was the pilot of watch al
the time the fire broke out. The first intima
tion he had of the danger was shouted to him
by the second engineer, Robert Kelly, who was
on watch. He called up through the trumpet:
" The boat is on fire. Head her for the shore,
and, for Gods sake, be quick about it,
The boat at this time was close in shore, and
Purcell Immediately headed her for the bank
mi, 81, az,
that was moored at the foot of Beale street,
just below the Anchor Line company's wharf;
but she came with such force--the engineer
having turned on a full head of steam-that,
striking the tug Orile, she sank that craft and
ran foul of several coal targes. A line
was thrown and made fast to one Of these but
from some unknown cause it soon parted, and
tho burning vessel began drifting down the
river with the current, which is very swift at
the point where she touched land. When the
vessel struck the coal fleet all of her pas
sengers and crew had been aroused,
and many who were able to reach the
forward part of the boat made their escape by
jumping on the barges But there were many
especially ladies) passengers in the cabin who
had been cut of by the flames from reaching
the forward part. OF these but few were
saved. Almost all were either drowned OF suf-
focated.
The Golden City left New Orleans for Cincin-
natl with about three hundred tons of freight,
including lot of jute, l, 200 empty ar barrels
and some scrap iron. A portion of Stoves
circus was taken aboart at Vidalia, La, and
was destined for Cairo, ILL.,, where the season of
1882 was to have been soon opened. There
were six cages of animals lost, to-
gether with three canvas tents and
the ticket and band wagons. The ami
mails lost were lion, tiger, two leopards, an
Albino deer, several monkeys and q rare lot OF
birds. buffalo and grizzly bear were saved
by jumping overheard and swimming ashore.
Three horses belonging to the circus were also
Seim perished with the rest of the menagerie.
Manager Stove, noted circus man, his wife
and two children were among the lost.
The burning steamer, as she drifted. down
stream in the early gray OF the dawn mass of
flames, presented a sight awful, though boauti-
their slumbers by the ringing of bells and had
hastily made their way to the bluffs. The wreck
hoated about four miles below and finally sunk
in the chute near the Tennessee shore. The
only members of the crew known to be lost are
the second engineer and three colored men,
who were crushed between the bows and the
coal barges when the boat first touched. Kelly
could easily have saved himself, but he stood to
his engine until the boat had been landed, and
then it was too late to escape. One of
the crew saw him for an instant as he stood at
his post of duty with the fierce flames burning
all around him. His form ''seemed macs of
fire." said the man, "as he sank down never to
rise again" His death was truly heroic one,
as he sacrificed himself at his post of duty to
give others chance of life.
Felix Lehman, a passenger, ssys there was
merry party aboard, and nearly all the passen-
gers remained up until midnight. They had
one or two gentlemen aboard who played the
piano and entertained the passengers with
m9sic and singing He was awakened by the
bursting Of his sateroom door, and he heard
the cry of fire. Seizing his clothes he ran for
ward and reached the barge just in time, as the
next minute the vessel floated down stream.