Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-10-02
NARRATIVES OF THE SURVIVORS.
A Brave Pilot-COnflicting Theories as
to the Origin Of the Fire.

ing: Frank Jones, fireman; Ophelia Jones
and Martha Webb, second and third cham
bermaids; Thos. Fisher, Joe Murrell; Scot
Cox. Thos. Collins, Irwin Duncan, F. G.
Berris, Samuel Brown, roustabouts; K.
Carpenter, VIM. Mestmaker, second engin-
GERS; all the cooks and help except the
pastry cook. The books of the boat and
the United States mail were lost, together
with the cargo of 500 bales of cotton.
The Lee had just been overhauled and
newly painted, and was on the first trip
this season. She left Vicksburglyesterday
evening for New Orleans with 500 bales of
cotton and good list of passengers.
While opposite Point Pleasant, at $3.50 a.
M, she was discovered on fire, and was i'm
mediately headed for the Louisiana shore,
and landed at Yucatan plantation, thirty
five miles below Vicksburg. In few min
utes she was completely enveloped in
flames. Twenty-on persons are believed
to be lost, including many of the crew.
The steamboat j. NJ. White passed the
wreck and took the remaining passengers
and crew to Vicksburg. Scrawlings and
Smith, pilots, were both burned and other
wise hurt. The fire, it is supposed, origi-
mated in the pantry room. So rapidly did
the flames spread that it was impossible
for passengets or officers to save anything
except what they had on at the time.
Captain w. s. Cannon states that the
steamer is owned by the estate of his
father, Capt. John w. Cannon, and her
commander, Capt. VIM. Campbell. She
was valued at 100000; insured for $780,
600, mostly in local companies.
The crew was composed almost en-
tirely of men who had been
on the river twenty or thirty years. The
boat, besides the supply pumps, had new
fire pump with fourteen inch cylinder,
and 700 feet of hose. There were always
three watchmen on deck.
The following passengers were saved:
Thos j. Spain, Tensas, La; G. b. Chap
man, of the steamer Naomi; G. O'Rourke,
New Orleans; j. M. Farnum, st. Louis;
Mrs. Abrahamson, Chicago; Henry Mason,
Monroe, La, J. c. Sloth, New York; b. w.
Neefus, New York; j. M. Friedman, vicks-
burg; ]. B. Bertner, Easton, Pa, W. w.
Irish, Carlisle, ILL.,; J. Il. Ludwigson, New
Orleans; Mrs. Searls, vicksburg; lady with
eight children, name unknown.
The States says: s'The announcement
of the destruction by fire of that grand old
steamboat, the Robert E. Lee, will be heard
with universal sorrow. The champion of
the Mississippi waters, the favorite of all
the people from New Orleans to vioks-
burg, and named after the greatest of he
rOes and statesmen, her destruction Just at
the beginning of the cotton season and
after having undergone thorough over
hauling, will be serious blow to her own
ers as well as to the trade in which the Lee
has been so long and so faithfully en-
gagged"
THE SURVIVORS.
Whenever survivor was seen on the
street Immediately Ia large crowd
would gather around eager to
learn whatever he knew of the sad oc-
currence. A number were seen with their
heads and arms bound up. Some of them
were in considerable pain, while others
were not so badly hurt. Mr.. Ovice Bell,
second clerk of the Lee, who was up at
the time the accident occurred states: 81
never saw anything burn so quick. I
was aft at the time, and when I heard
the alarm, knowing my partner
who sleeps soundly and the other Of
fees were in the Texas and in great dan
ger, rushed to awaken them. The fire
followed me SO fast that by the time had
them all up my partner had his hair sing
ed in getting down stairs from the hurri-
cane roof, and was forced to climb over
the rail. The boat had just been freshly
painted, and she went like gunpowder.
Mr.. Bell, passenger, who was interview
ed, thinks the fire originated in the pastry
rooms of the cook house, though don't
see, said the former, "what fire was doing
in there so early, as the cooks are not call.
ed before 4 o'clock"
Mrs. Dan Searls, with heroic presence OF
mind and motherly devotion, grasped her
sleeping infant, and arraying a life pre-.
server in her state room about her person,
jumped bodily in the water, BY disar-
rangement of her life preserver, she was
thrown upon her back, and lost her grasp
upon the child. Capt. Campbell and the
surviving officers all leave by to-night's
train for New Orleans. They will bring
out the Ed Richardson in place of the Lee
Tuesday. -lfd
NEW ORLEANS, Sept 80. 11:4s p. H.
The Picayune's Ivicksburg special says
The Lee had on leaving here about 415
bales of cotton and she took on some few
more at landings below, and about IS
bales from a small cotton seed boat, 80
when burned she had about 512 bales; also
large cargo of boots and shoes and
dry goods re-shipped by the v. & M. r. r,
from points north and east to Natchez, and