The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-10-01
FRIGlITFUL LOSS OF LIFE.
THE STEAMER ROBERT Il. LEE BURNED
ON THE MISSISSIPPI
Twenty-one Porsons Lost-The Pilot and En-.
Gineer Broveiy Standing nt their Posts
Untii tho Boat had been Run Ashore.


VIcKsBURd, Sept. 3O.-At o'clock this
morning fire broke out on tho steamer II. Z.
Lee. while on trip to this city. about 80 miles
below here which resulted in tho total de-
struction OF the boat and terrible loss OF life.
The following is n list OF those known to have
been lost: Cabin passengers-Mr. Pointer OF
Marysvle KY; Mrs. Mcclellan OF New Or
leans: Miss Adams. music teacher. on hor
way to Baton Rouge: an infant OF Mrs Searle
Of yicksburgh. and two colorcd women; also
the following: Frank Jones' fireman; Ophelia
Jones and Martha Webb. second and third
chambermaids; Thomas Fisher. Joe Murrell.
Scott Cox Thomas Collins. and Twins Duncan.
cabin boys; Samuel Brown. roustabout;
Kards. carpenter; William Mestmaker. second
engineer. and all the cooks and help except the
pastry cook. The books of tho steamer and the
United States mails. together with cargo OF
500 bales OF cotton. were lost.
Tho Robert f. Lee was n large sdewheel
steamer Of 1.479 tons burden. capable OF car
rying several thousand bales of cotton. and
was one Of the finest in the lower river trade.
ed and was on her first trip this season. She
left Ncksburg last evening for New Orleans.
Ts cppot snd T20f
$3.50 A. NJ. she was discovered to be on fire.
and was immediately headed for the Louisiana
five miles below vicksburg In q few min.
H Htes she was completely enyeoped In flames.
lost. INCLUDING many Of the crew. The steamboat
j. N: White passed the wreck at about A. NJ.
n o iGGk hs f%nss asa
Smith. pilots. were both burned and otherwise
nT Th fire sa G hE oS
spread that It was impossible for the passen-
gers or officers to save anything but what they
owned by the estate Of his father Capt, John
and a.r u tarl IN tnV
ssIrod for $4,000. mostly, in local companies.
who have been on tho river twenty or thirty
s SnSer np and rs ess y o: Ssfs Msrs
always TnS three waichmen on deck s,
opEEisHHns:j J. II c FsTnam ~ IF s.; louis: Mrs;
Monroe oe.'PsS a New {eft aSGn W.
Neetus, New, York; J. N. Freedman, yiSksbprg
CARLYLE, III. John H. T1dwisson. New Orleans ;
Mrs. ,Searls. vicksburg and a lady with eight
'frSe ns seesnd aeF o the Lee who was
at the time the accident occurred. said: . I
Ss me sna WEon
the other Officers were on the texas and a great
them all up my partner had his hair singed IL
and ! was forced to climb over the rail. :, I
thought was gone at one time. The boat did
not have much cotton aboard. She had Just
been painted. and she burned like gunpowder."
MIR. Bell and passenger who was also inter
don't see" said the former what a fire was
doing In there that early. as the cooks are not
called before 4 O'clock"
Mrs. Dan Searls with heroic presence Of mi nd
infant, and. arranging the life preserver in her
| stateroom about her person. jumped boldly
| into the water. BY the dsarrangement of the
| life preserver. she was thrown on her back. and
| lost her grasp upon tho child.
| To Sohn Stout, the noble and ave-hcartcd
| pilot who was at the wheel are due the Ii YES OF
| those saved. He stood ut the wheel and gave
| courage to all by iirmness never before ex-
| Celled. and az tho boat rounded to meet her
fate at iucatan Landing. the flames were fast
| who, despite the fire around him. with almost a
last hope OF escape. still stood there unit he
| gave word 10 tho engineer that the boat had
made the shore. Not until this was dono did
| he take his hand from the wheel. He made his
| escape by the hurricane roof down the hog
chain to the lower deck.
| Tho cause OF the fire Is not known. Some
| persons think II was the work Of an incendiary.
while others believe it TO have been accidental.
Engineer Perkins first saw the flames issuing
| lamps at the time. Steward Henry Carrnahan
| SAYS that no coal oil or other combustiblo ma
| terinl was ever kept in the kitchen. pantry. or
pastry room. He also thinks it was the worl;
| of an nc"ndiary.
| The casualties occurred among those having
berlhs aft. Some OF them however. were, rcs-
| cued after jumping overheard. Many Of those
| who succeeded i'll getting ashore were hal!
| Gladstone hatleSs. Others shoeless, and others
still! with scarcely enough clothing to coyol