The Portland daily press., 1882-07-21
STRUCK ON A SNAG.
Sinking of the John Wilson at
Richards Landing, Tenn.
FIFTEEN LIVES LOST-DETAILS OF
THE ACCIDENT.

NEW ORLEANS, July 20.-Clerk Charles
Bachins and Captain John, of the ill-fated
Atchafalaya steamer John Wilson, reached here
yesterday evening, and give the following par
ticulars OF the loss of the boat:
The Wilson left Washington Sunday morn
ing, and was just backing out from Richards
Landing that same night about half-past elev-
en- o'clock when she struck snag. Captain
John, who was in the cabin at the time, says
the shock was SO slight that he had no idea
anything serious had occurred. Immediately
after the cry was raised that the boat was sink
ing, and he hurried at once to the cabin with
life preservers to assist lady who had num-
ber Of children aboard 1t was then announced
that all danger had passed. Captain John
found the steamer. .careened over, and on reach
ing the boiler deck he was immersed waist
deep in the water. Struggling through this
he managed to reach the hurricane deck, and
from there made his way to the paddle boxes.
He could see nobody, as the night was very
dark, but could hear the cries of those who
were clinging to the wreck. In the mean
while the line made fast to the shore parted
and the steamer swung out into the stream.
Every effort was made by the unfortunate
passengers to reach the land. Some attempted
TO swim and must have been drowned. Others
saved themselves by life-preservers, planks,
doors, shutters, or anything they could get
hold Of As the boat hoated down stream she
lay with her larboard side above water, and
this was the means of saving many who other
the Wilson's boats were launched from the
hurricane deck, and some skiffs came from the
shore and rescued all that could be found on
the wreck. The steamer hoated down to the
crossing of the Pacific railroad, short dis
tance above Churchville, and went to pieces
against some trees. The officers of the boat
stated that there were about one hundred per-
sons all told on board at the time of the acci-
dent. There were about 20 deck passengers,
and about 20 persons in the cabin There were
only two lady passengers aboard, and both are
saved One of these, Mrs. Leblanc, of Poplar
Grove parish, st. Landry, had eight children
with her, the Oldest boy not over IL years OF
age. Six of the children were saved, and two
lost; one boy of about four years, and a baby
girl only two and half months old. The lat
ter was last seen in the arms of the second
chambermaid who was holding it aloft and
struggling, up to her shoulders in the water,
determined, apparently, to save the child If
she could Both are Eamong the missing and
are undoubtedly lost. Besides these, the fol-
lowing are among the missing, and in ali prob
ability were drowned: B. f. Hess, the first
engineer Frank Henderson, colored cook; Ed
ward Reed, roustabout; and one white deck
passenger whose name is unknown. The body
of the latter fioated out of the boat a few min
utes before she went to pieces. -Four other
bodies, not yet identified, have been discover
ed near the railroad crossing.
lLATER.]
New ORLEANS, July 20. - The clerk of
steamboat John Wilson, which struck and
sunk in Atchafalaya river Sunday night, re-
ports loss of 10 lives