The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-04-06
AWFUL CALAMITY!
A Steamer Burned at Memphis,
and Nearly Thirty People
Perish in the Flames.
Stoves Circus, including Six
Cages OF Animals, Consumed.

Perish in the Flames.
Stoves Circus, including Six
Cages OF Animals, Consumed.
MEMPHIS, March 3O.--1he steamer
Golden City, of the Southern TRANS
poGiati0n E0mpany's line, when APP
preaching the wharf this morning al
half past four O'Clock, was discovered
to he on fire by Second Engineer Rob
ert Kelly, who immediately notified
Captain Brice Purcell, ST., and the pi-
lot on watch. The boats bow WAS AT
once headed for the shore, and four
minutes afterwards she touched the
wharf at the foot of Bsaie street where
the coal fleet is mOSred. A line was
hastily thrown and made fast to one of
the coal barges, but the current being
swift, it soon parted, and ihe burning
steamer fioated down the river. Il mass
of flames, with many of her passen-
gers and crew aboard, who were unable
TO reach shore, and were lost. The
Golden City left New Orleans last
carried a crew of about sixty. She had
aboard forty cabin passengers, fifteen
of whom were ladies and nine chill
dren. Her cargo consisted of three
hundred tons, among which was a lot
Of jute The fire is said to have its
origin in this combustible material.
Among those known to have been
lost are DIR. Monahan and wife, jack
son, Ohio; Mrs. Crary, Cincinnati;
w. H. Stowe, wife and two children,
and Ollie Wood and wife, Henderson,
Kentucky; Mrs. Smith, Massachu-
sets Mrs. Campbell, Mrs. Percival,
Mrs. l.. e. Kounz and three children.
The books of the steamer were lost,
so it is impossible to gather complete
list of the lost and saved.
All the officers of the steamer are
safe except second engineer Robert
Kelly. He it was who first discovered
the fire and gave the alarm. and re-
manned at his post of duty until cut off
by the flames, for the fire spread like
| lightning, and he sacrificed his life to
save others.
The saved, so far as known, are Cap
tain S. G. Mcintyre, First Clerk w.
F. Mcintyre, Second Clerk James
Wirthin, Third Clerk Frank Stein,
Mate Dock Bondewant, Pilots Price
Purcell, Sr., Marion Purcell, and Jo-
seph Purcell, Jr., first engineer Mike
| Kelly, Miss Iona Maston, Hawesville,
KY; Willie Mckinley, Hawesville,
KY; James Myers, New Orleans !;
Charles Ross, Jr.; E. T.. Underwood,
st. Louis; II. B. Howell, Philadel-
phia; Robert E. Ellbrick, Treasurer
Stoves Circus; John H. Trewalla,
business agent; Burt Stowe, brother
to the proprietor Frank Stowe, Jas.
Swift, John Filbert, John Mullane,
J. G. Kimpel, John G. Gleucoy, Jas.
Bloomfield, Jas. Burke, all members
of Stoves circus; w. j. Jewett, Point
Pleasant, West Virginia George w.
Green, New Richmond, O.; A. B.
Veatch, Evansville, Indiana; r. II.
Chittenden, Carrsville, kentucky; w.
H. Carruthers, J. B. Jordan, Ripley,
Tennessee. Nearly all the cabin and
deck crews of the steamer saved them
selyes. Stoves Circus was taken
aboard at Vidalia, Louisiana, and six
cages of animals and birds, together
with the ticket and band wagons, tents
and horses, were lost.
Marion Purcell, one of the pilots,
was III the clerks office when the
alarm was first sounded, and he rushed
through the cabin, bursting i'll the
state room doors, and awakening the
passengers. So rapid did the fam, s
spread, that within five minutes afte 1
discovering the fire, which broke out
amid ship, the aft part of the steamer
was all ablaze. Those that were saved
had to flee in their night clothes.
When the burning steamer reach ed
the wharf the fire was communicated
to coal fleet and the tug Oriole, which
were also burned. AS near Is can he
ascertained there were twenty-thiee
ladies aboard the Inflated steamer, but
two of whom, so far as known, were
saved. j. H, CrOnk, conneeted with
Stoves Circus, is missing, supposed &c
be lost. John Devouse, his wife and
three children were saved, and are al
the city hospital. Mr.. Devouse is
slightly burned on the h tnds.
The Golden City WAS five years old,
cost $54 .00G, and was insured for $50,
600 in Cincinnati Offices. She was
owned by Captain } ID. Hegier, w
Il. and s. G.. Mcintyre. She lies Sunt
about three miles below here i'll ths
chute near the Tennessee shore.
When she tioated off from the har
about twenty of her passengers and
her crew jumped aboard n barge which
T fioated down the stream, but they were
, rescued by one of the harhor boats
which towed the barge into shore one
I mile below the city. It is estimated
that thirty-tive lives We're lost by the
disaster, but at present no additional
names can be learned. Robert Kelly
second engineer, aud three rnustabouis
are the only ones of the boats crew
that are known to be lost. John Dref
fer, cook John Lamb. second cook
Mart Whalen, mess room tender; JOIN
Eill second mate; Charles Harvey
second watchmau, aud Il passenger
, named Bloomfield. were saved.
The fire WAS caused by the watchmai
t accidentally setting fire to L lot of jut;
which was stored amidship the steam
, or. She had just whistled to land, anC
the watchman went among the deci
passeI, gers to notify them that Mem
t phis as being approached, and those
r that We're destined for there must ge
ashore. The bOttOm of his lamp drop
e ped into some jute, and before tn,
flames could be extinguished they hat
spread all over the deck of the steam
er. Brice Purcell, the pilot, made hi
escape by climbing over the front O
the pilot house, as the fire WAS all il
< the rear of him when the steame
, touched the wharf.
The tug Oriole did not burn, as frs
reported, but was sunk by the burnin.
steamer in making the landing.
e Several coal barges AMI ice boats be
f longing to Bohlen, Huse Il Co., caugh
:, on tiie and burned. Billy Hodge, piIo
on the Dean Adams, saved the cook
who jumped overheard, as she 1oate'
4 down the stream. All OF the passen
+ gers and crew were kindly cared 70
; by G.. B. Galloway. of the Peabod
Hotel, who provided them with break
fast.
I
Skin Diseases Cured.
O By DIR. FRAZIER's MAGIC OIN1