The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-10-06
THE II. Z. LEE.
The Most Magnificent steamer
On the MissIsAippi de-
strOyed by fare.

sirOyed by FIRE.
While passing Brooks Landing on the
Mississippi, an alarm Of fIe MAS given
from below. John Stout. the hero OF the
hour, turned The pilot wheel with great
GOODNESS and headed the boat Tor the bank
of the lucatan plantation, thirty miles
below Vicksburg. Not until she Wa
landed aud held fast did he leave the-piIo
house to save, if possible, his own liz.
In less than dive inmates from The tiR
that the FIRE was discovered the vesst
was wrapped in a perfect sheet OF fiam'
Second Clerk OVID Bell gave the ALARM
both in tne cabin and hurricane deck, an
escaped with difficulty, being s0mewhs
burned. Two cha I'M bermaids leaped froi
the deck alter the steamer had landed. Te
wheel house fell on them and they wee
not seen to rise. Mrs. Searle leaped fra
the boat with her child, but dropped T.
and WAS herself picked up in mid slreaa,
insensi bic. Most of those who esoapd
were unable to secure any clothing, Hd
many were in their night robes. be
boat WAS burned TO the waters ege
within ten minutes OF the discovery Of
the FIRE. Only few oharred timbers e.
main Of that magnificent steamer. pc
sank in about twelve feet of water, al
I
built by -.he Towards, ut Jeffersonvil
Ind, in 1876, aud was on her tweby-
second trip to Vicksburg, and her irsi
trip since her owner, Capt. John Canon,
died. She was valued at 81 $4,000, nd
insured as follows: lEtna, OF HarifrI,
| -, 500; National, Enterprise and AsE-
chants of Cincinnati, $500 each Aud
| SS5, 600, In New Orleans companies. SAe
WAS just out from We mouths rest, out
ing which she had been extensively re
paired and painted.
rae BRAVE PILOT.
The last landing the Lee made belon
the FIRE was at Ashwood, about tweniy
i've miles below this city. At the tine
the alarm was given the boat was unlsr
| way. She was Immediately headed for
the shore, and struck the bank in tlrse
or four minutes. The saved owe tRir
lives to the courage OF the pilot, J'hn
Stout. lie stood AT the wheel and gave
hope to all by his frmness, aud as he
/ steamer rounded at IucatAn Landing be
flames were fast enveloping the brrs
man in the pilot house, who. despite he
tire around him, with almost the last hcle
OF escape gone, remained at his post unal
he gave the word TO the enginser that ue
boat had made shore. Not until this Wis
done, did he for one minute take his had
from the wheel. he made his escape b
the hurricane roof down the hog chain Q
the lower deck, and from there sshor.
Some think the fire was the work of 81
incendiary, while others believe IL ".
accidental. Engineer Perkins first sa'
the flames issuing from The pastry room
( ia which there were no lamps at the time
steward Henry Caruahan states that D
coal oil or other combustiblc material wa
ever kept in the kitchen Pantry or pastr
room. lie thinks it was of incendiar
origin. Engineer Perkins, instantly n
ter discovering the fire, notified the pilo
| and the boat was headed for the Missis
! sippi side, and plunging with such fore
against the bank rs TO become nrmi
wedged The passengers not cut OH iroI
the bow, escaped TO the shore. Casualtie
occurred among these having berths AZ
Some OF them, however, were rescued al
ter jumping over board. Those who sue
coeded in getting ashore were many Q
them half clad, come hatless, others shoe
less and others stin with scarcely enoug
clothing to cover their nakedness. Niue
credit is given VIM. s. Perkins, who wa
in charge of the engines at the time Q
the disaster. He stood boldly at his pos
until the boat landed, and the pilot an
| OlOab kOtu COuiu kO.
PAssESGER's ACCOUNT.
Whenever survivor was seen on th
street Immediately a large crowd wonl
gather round, eager to learn whatever h
knew OF the sad occurrence. humble
were seen with head ami arms bound vi
some of them ina considerable pain, Will
others were not so badly hurt Mr.. 0gic
Bell, second Clerk Of the Lee, who va
l. a
ted: II never saw anything burn so quic
| was aft at the time, and when hear
the alarm, knowing my partner, VIII
sleeps soundly, and other officers wcr
in the texas aud in great danger, rushe
up to awaken them. The FIRE followed m
so fast that by The time l had them all uI
my partner had his hair singed in get
ting down stairs from the hurricane root
and | was forced to climb over the raj
The boat had just been freshly painted
and she went like gun powder.
Mr.. Bell and a passenger who was In
ierviewed. think the FIRE originated !
the pantry rooms of the cook house
Though ! don't see," said the former
"what re was doing in there so early
as the cooks are not called before o
clock"
MRS. DAN sEARLs,
with heroic presence of mind and moil
erly devotion, grasped her sleeping il
FAINT, and arranging life preserver
the state-room about her person, jumpe
boldly into the water. BY the disarran q
ment of her life preserver she was throw
upon her back and lost the grasp upo
her child. Capt. Campbell and the su
viviug officers all leave by tonight
train for New Orleans, and will brir
out the Ed. Richardson in place Of Il
. Lee, Tuesday.