Morning journal and courier., 1882-10-02
THE SOUTH.
Louisiana.

Steamer Af1re-FIoatinsD Down the Fiv-
 CT i'm Flannes-A Number of Lives Lost
 Distressing Scenes on tho Burning
 Craft.
 NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 1.-The steamer R. E. Lee, while on her trip to this city, was wrecked by fire yesterday morning, the flames appearing about 3 8. m. It resulted in the entire loss of the boat, as well as the I,ss of many lives. The boat was large side-wheel steamer of ,479 tons burden, ca, pablo of carrying several thousand bales of cotton, and was one of the finest in the low er river trade. She had just been overhauled and newly painted and was on her first trip this season. She left Vickburg yesterday evening for New Orleans with 500 bales of cotton and good list of passengers. While opposite Point Pleasant at half-past @. m. she discovered to be on fire and was i'm mediately headed for the Louisiana shore, landing at Yucatan plantation, thirty five miles below Vicksburg. In few minutes she was completely enveloped in flames. Twenty-one persons are believed to have been lost, including many of the crew. The steamboat J. M. White passed the wreck about a. m. and took the remaining pas- sengers and crew to Vicksburg. $. c. Raw lings and Robert Smith, pilots, were both burned and otherwise hurt. The fire is supposed to have originated in the pantry room. So rapidly did the flames spread that it was impossible for the passen- gers or officers to save anything but what they had on at the time. Capt. w. $. Cannon states that the steamer was owned by the tate of his father, Captain John w. Cannon, and her commander, Captain William Camp bell She was valued at $1OO,OOO and in- sured for $50. 900, mostly in local companies. 1 The crew was composed almost entirely of men who have been on the river twenty or thirty years. Besides her supply pumps the l boat had 8 new fire pump with fourteen I inch cylinder and 700 feet of hose. There were always three watchmen on deck. The Lee was insured for $7,5oO in the Etna, of l Hartford $2, 800 each in the National, the 1 Enterprise and the Merchants, of Cincinnati, l and $35, ,OOO in New Orleans companies.
 Fhe following is list of passengers saved; ; Thomas J. Spain, of Tensas, La. c. H. Chapman, of the steamer Naomi G.. of St. Louis Mrs. Abrahams, of Chicago, Ill. Henry Mason, of Monroe, La J, c. ] Stott, of New York; H. w. Neefus, New
 York; J. M. Freedman, Vicksburg, Miss i;
 J. B. Berger, Easton, Pa w. w. Irish, /. Carlyle, Ill. John H. Ludwigson, New Or leans; Mrs. Searls, Vicksburg, and lady ] with eight children, name unknown.
 I MT. Bell, second clerk of the Lee, who was up at the time the accident occurred, said
 'I never saw anything burn so quickly. I s was aft at the time, and when heard the
 alara, knowing that my partner, who sleeps soundly, and the other officers, were on the texas and in great danger, rushed up to awaken them. The fire followed me so fast
 that by the time had them all up my part ner had his hair singed in getting down stairs from the hurricane roof and I was forced to
 climb over the rail. thought I was gone at l one time The boat did not have much cot
 ton aboard She had just been freshly paint
 ed and she burned like gunpowder."
 1 MT. Bell, a passenger, who was also inter l viewed seemed to think the fire originated in
 the pastry room of the cooks house, though
 don see,'' said the former, what a fire
 was doing in there that early, as the cooks
 are not called before o'clock"
 Mrs Dan Searls, with heroic presence oi l mind and motherly devotion, grasped hel
 sleeping infant and arranging the life preser
 yer in her stateroom about her person, jump
 ed boldly into the water. By the disarrange
 ment of the life preserver she was throw1 upon her back and lost her grasp upon tn
 child.