New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-01
A SCORE OF LIVES LOST.


IsHED-THE SAVED.
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 30-A dispatch to The
PicayuHe from Vicksburg SAYS: At o'clock this
morning fire b. o out on the steamer X. Il. Lee.
while on trip 20 this city, about thirty miles be-
low here, which resulted in the total destruction of
Che boat and terrible loss Of life. The following
is list of those known to have been lost Cabin
passengers-Mr. Pointer of Maysville KY; Mrs
McClelland of New-Orleans Miss Adams. a music
teacher on her way to Baton Rouge an infant Of
Mrs. Searle, of Vicksburg and two colored women.
Also Francis Jones, fireman Ophelia Jones and
Martha Webb, second and thlrd chamberm aids
Thomas Fisher, Joseph Murrell, Scott Cox, Thomas
Collins and Irvine Duncan, cabin boys; Samuel
Brown a roustabout Kardo. carpenter; William
Mestmaker, second engineer, and all the cooks and
help except the pastry cook. The books of the
steamer ami the United States mail. together with
a cargo Of 500 bales of cotton, were lost.
The Robert T.. Lee was a large side-wheel
steamer of 1,479 tons burden, capable Of carrying
several thousand bales of cotton, and was one of
the finest IN the lower trade She had just been
overhau uled and newly painted, and was on her first
trip this season. She left Vcksburg yesterday
evening for New-Orleans with 800 bales of cotton
and go cd list of passengers. While opposite
Point Pleasant. at $3.50 a. m she was discovered to
be on fire, and was Immediately headed for the
Louisiana shore. landing at Yucatan Plantation,
thirty-iive miles below VIck sburg. In few min
utes she was completely enveoped i'll flames.
Twcnty-ono persons believed to have been
lost, including many of the crew. The steamboat
j. NJ. White passed the wreck about a. m. and
took the remaining passengers and crew to Vicks-
burg. S. G.. Rawlings and Robert Smith, pilots,
were both burned and otherwise hurt. The fire is
su pposed to have originated in the pantry-room.
SO rapidly did the flames spread that it was impOs
sible for the passengers officers save anything
except what they had at the time.
Captain w. Cannon states that the steamer
was owned by the estate of his father,
Captain John W. Cannon and her commander. Cap
tam William Campbell. Sne was valued at 100000,
and was insured Tor $4,000, mostly IN local COM
panles. he crew was composed almost entirely of
men who have been on the river twenty or thirty
years Besides her supply pumps, the boat had
new fire pump with a tOurteen-lnch cylinder, and
700 feet OF hose. There were always three watch
men deck. The Lee insured for $500 IN
the Atna, of Hart ord 81, 800 each in the National
the Enterprise and the Merchants, OF Cincinnati,
and $35 600 in NJ Orleans companies.
The following is a list of passengers saved
Thomas }. Spain. Tensas, La; Z. II. Chapman OF the
steamer Naomi g. O'ROurke, New-OrleanS; J. NJ,
Farnum, ST. Louis; Mrs. Abrahams Chicago; Henry
Mason, Monroe, La; j. T.; Stott New;York;
II. w. Neeus, New-York; j. NJ. Freedman Ylcks-
burg, Miss; j. b.: Berger, Easton, Penn; W. W.
Orleans; lirs. Searle, Ylcksburg. and lidy with
eight children, name unknown. The Lee left tins
c,y Last Tuesday on her first trip for five months
The States says: The announcement OF the de-
structlOn Oy fire of that grand old steamboat Rob
erJ l.. Lee will be heard with universal sorrow. She
the champion OF the Mississippi waters the
favOrlte OF all people from New-Orleans TO Nlcks-
burg, ard was named after the greatest OF heroes
aud staieSme Her destruction just at the begin
nmg OF the cotton season, and after having under
gone thorough overhauling, will be serious blow
TO her owners as wei to the trade in which she
has been so long and so faithfully engaged"
ACCOUNTS BY SURVIVORS.
Whenever a survivor was the street q
large crowd would gather around HIM, eager to
learn whatever he knew OF the sad occurrence
Several were seen with their heads or arms bound
up some of them in considerable pam, while Others
were not badly hurt.
Mr. Bell second clerk Of the Lee, who had arisen
before the accident occurred, said: 81 never saw
anything burn 30 quickly. l was ant at me tlnle,
and when heard the alarm, knowing
that my partner, who sleeps soundly,
and the Otner officers, on the
Texas and in great danger, rushed up to awaken
them. The lire followed me 80 fast that by the
time had them all up my partner had his hair
slnged i'll getting down stairs from the hurricane
ROOF and | was forced to climb over the rall;
thought was gone at one time; Inc 9oat ana not
freshly painted, and she burned like gunpOwder"
Mr.. Rel and passenger seemed to think
room @ Of the cook's-hOuse, though 1
don't seer SAID the former " what fire was do
ing there that early, as the cooks are not called
before O'clock" ,
Mrs Daniel Seares, with great presence of mind
and motherly devotion, grasped her sleeping infant,
and, arranging the e-preserver about her person.
jumped boldly INTO inc water. BY the dlsar-
raLgement OF the liie-preserver she was thrown
upon her back. and lost her grasp upon the chlld.
A dispatch TO The Iicdyane from VicksOurg says:
The Robert Il. Lee had on leaving here about 4lo
bales of cotton. she took on some rev more az
landings below, and about 65 bales from small haa
cOttOn-seed boat so that when ourheH sue n''l n.
about 512 bales all tod; also large cargo
of boots and shoes and dry goods re-
shipped by the Vicksburg aud Meridian
Railroad from points northeast TO NatcheZ ana
other points below this city; 10000 feet of lumber,
a large quantity OF DOORS blinds sash, etc, To-
gether with large lot OF miscellaneous treight
She stopped to wood ABOUT twelve miles below mere
at 1230 this morning aud remained some IlInc' ns
The last landing made before the hre occurred was
at AshwoOd. about twenty-five lnhes oeio" 'ni'
city. 49, , moan
At the time the alarm gwen the boat was
under way She was Immediately headed fOr the
shore, and struck the bank in very short time
not more than three ur minutes 10 JOnh
Stout. the noble and brave-hearted pilot who was
at the wheel is due the lives OF those
saved. He stood at the wheel and
gave courage to all by hrlnness
never before exceed, and as the Champion round
ed to meet her sad fate at Yucatan Landing the
flames were fast envelopng the brave man IN iHS
pIl0t-honse who, despite the fire around him, WIN
almost n last hope OF escape, still stOOd
there until he gave word to the
Engineer that the boat had MADE tno M
shore Not until this was done did he for one MIN
nte take his maud from the wheel. lie made his es-
cane by the hurricane roof, from there down tne
hog-chain to the lower deck, and from there "ehV
ashore ,,. ,oonoo,,s
The cause of the fire is not known. Some persons
think il was the work OF an incendjaIy, whle
others believe il to have been accidental Engineer
perins irst saw the flames issuing from the pastry
room. in winch there no lamps ut tine time.
Steward Henry Carnahan states that no coai-olI oI
n
I,tchan nantry or pastry-rO0m. lie also tnlhkS
The fire was the work of an lncendlary.
En,ineer Perkins, instantly after discovering tne
ire informed the pilot and the boat was neaded lor
the shore on the Mississippi side, and wa; piunged
against the bank with sueh ioree
as 10 become hrniiy 81, tasennu ,sai, Tho haN1 n1