West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-04-07
RIVER STEAMER BURNED
FRIGsITIJL StsASTkR on TuE
Wt~siSSsPPI At uEuPHls.

WiNHs~S'PP1 AT UEuPBs>,
Thirty or Forty Lives s.ost within
He 4 of the LnDdIng--S Circus,
with Cages OF Animals. wagons
"nd Horses. also Lost.
The steame Golden CITY OF the South
ern Transportation Company'sl line. when
approaching tho wharf at Memphis. Ten.
ueSsoo, oU Thursday morning Of Last
week, was discovered To- be on
fro 10y the second engineer, Albert
Neliy, who Immediately notified Captain
Bryce Purcell. ST., the pilot on watch.
Tho bOpt's bow was at once headed for
the shore, and in four Dinutes aftorward
she toIched tho wharf at the foot Of Beale
street, where the coal fleet is moored. A
line was hastily thrown and mado fast Ia
oae OF the coal bargcq. but the current
being swift. it soon parted. and the
steamer iloated down the river a mass of
flames, with many Of her crew and pas
seugers aboard.
The Golden City left New Orleans last
Saturday, on the way 10 Cincinnati. She
carried = crew of about go. She had on
bna d 40 cabin -passengers, % OF whom
were ladies', and 8 children. Her cargo
consisted of 800 tons, among which was
q lot OF jute. This wa stored anidships
in a place convenient for landing il. The
passengers had amused themselves i'm the
cabin in the early part of the evening by
singing, dancing and playing cards.
About midnight most Of them went to
their rooms, although a few fingered in
the cabin FOR an hour s%iterward. 1t WIS
the duty OF u, colored Waterman. wlu
was only known blythe name of"Wash,"
to call the passengers who wanted to
leave tho steamer before daylight.
The steamer had just whistled to land
aud the Waterman went among the deck
passengers to inform them that they
were approaching Memphis, and that
those destined for tho city mus get
ashore. When walking "a the jute the
bottom OF the lamp which the Waterman
carried suddenly fell. As he stopped to
pick up the LAMP he noticed that thejute
had caught fire. lilo tried TO eAtihguish
tho flames, but they spread so rapidly
among tho inilanmable material that his
efforts were 1ruitless. He gayo the
alarm and before assistance arrived that
portion OF the boat was in flames. The
passengers had not yet been aroused
from their summers whom the fire broke
out. They were quietly sleeping. ma
waro OF any danger.
Marion Purcell, one of the pilots, was
in the clerks office when the ahru, was
first sounded, and be rus. cd through the
cabin, bursting open the staterOOm
doors and awakening the passengers.
So rapidly did the flames spread that
within five minutes aite- the discovery
81 H. H.. ..Is.k. I,.l-, aaV -..svLf,L
the after part of the steamer was all
ahlaZs, anu those that were saved had Ca
flee liz their night clothes Nearly all the
cabin and deck crew saved themselves.
All the officers of the steamer, except
second Engineer Nel'" escaped. lie ID
was who first disco, cred tbo fire and gave
the alarm, remaining at his post OF duty
until cut oti by the Il mes, for the fir,
spread like lightning, and he sacrificed
his life to- save others. Bryce purcell.
1.-The pilot, made his escape 10y climbing
over the front part Of the pilot house, tLt
fire then being in the rear, stoves cir
Gus. which WAS 'aNcn on board a. Vida
lia, Louisiana. and SIX cages oil animal,
and birds, together WIKI the ticket "n,
band wagon. tents, and horses, wsre lost
The circus was en- TUuie 10 Cairo. \
part Of the show is at Vicksburg.
The books OF the steamer We're Lost. s.,
it is impossible TO gather a complete list
OF the lOSI ana SilNeo. II - t~tlttalvu
that thirtyNhve lives were lost. As near
rs can be asceTtaihed there were Nv sutv-
three women on board, only two OF
whom, so for as known, were saved,
But one officer, the secund engineer,
Robert Kelly, lost his life, with al theSl
passengers. tie remained at his posi-
and periorluCJ his duty unul cat OH by
the flames. 1t is something in favor oil
humanity that one hero was found i'm the
whole crew of the iIl~fttC2 steamer iIi
sad to think that his heroism occasioued
his own death without amy benefit "a
others. The survivors may aTgIo that
they could not ave done orlci wise cham
was done, but there arises, nevertheless,
an uncomfortable suspicion that if more
Of the officers and crew bad possessed
tho GOODNESS courage and fidelity to duty
displayed 10y Robert Kelly the results
would not have been 80 appallIu".