Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-10-02
A MISSISSIPPI HORROR.
STEAMER X. E. LEE BURNED.
A Number of Lives LOst-Five Hundred
Bales of Cotton DestrOyed-supp osed
IneendiArism.

Eicksburg; two eolored women, fireman,
hVe colored cabin boys, second and third
chamOermaids, one rOustabOut, KardO, the
boats carpenter, VIM. Mestmsker, second
engineer, aud all the cooks and help except
the pastry cook. The books Of the boat and
tne United States mail were lost, together
with five hundred bales of cotton.''
The Lee had just been oVerhauled and
newly painted, and was on her first trip this
season She left VicksbuTg Yesterday even
Ing FOR AeW Orleans with 500 bales of cot
ton and good list of passengers. While
opposite Point Pleasant at $3.50 a. m. she
was discovered to be on fire and was
Immediately headed for the Louisiana shore
aud landed at Yucatan plantation, thirty
i've miles below Vicksburg. In a few min
utes she was completely enVeloped in
names. TWenty-one persons are believed
to have been lost, including many of the
crew. The steamboat J. NJ. White passed
the wreck about 8 q. m, and took the re-
naming passengers and crew TO VickshuTg.
5. Z. Rowlings and Robert Smith, pilots,
were both burned and otherwise hurt. The
IRE is supposed TO have originated in the
pantry room. SO rapidly did the flames
spread that It was impossible for the pas
seDgers or officers to save anything but
what they had on at the time. Captain w.
S. Cannon states that the steamer was
owned by the estate of his father, Captain
John w. Cannon, and her commander, Cap
tain VIM. Campbell She was valued at
SlOO,OOO and insured for $4,000, mostly in
local companies.
The crew was composed almost entirely
OF men who have been on the river twenty
or thirty years. The boat, besides her sup
ply pumps, had a new fire pump with four
teen-inch cylinder and zoo feet Of hose
There were always three watchmen on
deck; The Lee was insured for $500 in
the Htns, Of Hartford; $500 each in the
National Enterprise and Merchants Of
companies. The following is a list OF the
passengers saved: Thomas J. Spain, Tensas,
La; q. II. Chapman, of steamer Naomi; 6.
o. Rauke, OF New OTlesnsi j. NJ. Fsrnum,
st. Louis; Mr.. Abrams, Chicago; Henry
Mason, Monroe, La; j. C. SIott
and II. W. Neefus, New York; J.
NJ. Freeman, Vicksburg, Miss; J. b.
Of Carlisle, Ills; John H. Ludwigson, of
New Orleans; Mrs Sesrle, of Vicksbure,
and lady with eight children, name un-
known. The Lee left this city last Tues
dsy, the first trip for five months.
The announcement OF the destruction by
fire of that grand old steamboat Robert E.
Lee will be heard wi b universal sorrow.
The champion of Mississippi waters, the
favorite of all people from New Orleans to
= -
heroes and statesmen, her destruetiOn just
at the beginning Of the cotton season and
after having IN iergone. thorough over
hauling, will be a serious blow to her own
ers, as well as to the trade in which she has
been so long and so faithfully engaged.
Whenever a survivor was seen on the
street, Immediately q large crowd would
gather around, eager to learn whatever he
knew Of the sad occurrence. A number
were seen with their heads, arms, ETC.,
bandaged up, some Ia considerable pain,
while others were not so badly hurt Mr.. |
Avill Bell, second clerk OF the Lee, who was |
up at the time OF the accident, says:
81 never saw anything burn so quickly. I /
was aft at the time, and when L heard the |
alarm, knowing that my partner, who sleeps |
soundly, and the other Officers were in great |
danger, l rushed up to awaken them. The /
fire followed me so fast that by the time l |
had them all up my partner had his hair |
singed getting down stairs, and was forced |
to climb over the rail. thought was gone |
at one time. The boat did not have much |
cotton aboard. She had just been freshly |
painted aud she went just like gunpOwder. |
Mr.. Bell, a passenger who was interview |
ed, seems to think that the fire originated |
In the pastry rooms Of the cook house, |
although l don't see, said the former, what |
the fire was doing there that early as the /
cooks are not called before 4 o'clock.
of mind and mOtherly devotion, grssped /
her sleeping infant, and, arranging a life /
preserver about her person, jumped boldly /
into the water. By disarrangement OF the |
life preserveT, she was thrown upon her |
back, and lost her grasp upon her child.
Capt Campbell and the surviving officers |
all leave by tO-night's train for New Or
leans, and will bring out the steamer Rich
ardsOn in place of the Lee next Tuesday"
fol hn % od
on leaving here about 4l5 bales cotton. She /
took on some few more at landings below,
and about sixty five bales from a small cot
ton seed boat, so that when burned she had
about 5l2 bales, all told; also large cargo
of boots, shoes and dry goods, reshipped by
the Vicksburg and Meridian Railroad from
points north and east Of NatcheZ, and |
other points below this city; 10000 |
feet lumber, large quantity OF doors,
blinds, sashes, ETC., together with large
lot Of miscellaneous freight. She stopped /
to wood up about twelve miles below here
at 1890 this morning, and remained some
time. The last landing made before
the fire was at AshwoOd, about /
twenty-five miles below this city.
boat was under way. She was Immediately /
headed for the shore and struck the bank in
a very short time, not more than three or
four minutes. To John Stout, q noble and |
pilot, who was at the wheel,
Is due the lives Of those saved. He stood
at the wheel and gave courage to sll by |
firmness never before excelled, and as
the champion rounded to meet her
sad fate st Yucatan landing the flames |
were fast enveloping the brave man in the
pilot house, who, despite the fire around /
him, with almost the last hope of escape, /
still stood there until he gave word to the
engineer thst the boat had made the shore.
Not until this was done did he even for
one minute take his hand from the wheel.
He made his escape BY the hurricane ROOT,
aud from there ashore. The cause OF the
fire Is not known. Some think it was the |
work OF an iucendisry, while others believe
Il to have been accidental"
New ORLEANS, October IA Picdg7tRe
special from the scene of the disaster to the
steamer +. E. Lee saYs: Engineer Perkins
first saw the fame Issuing from the pastry
room, in which there were no lamps at the
time StewardjHenry Carrahsn states that
no coal oil or other combustible material
was ever kept in the kitchen, pantry or pas
try room. BE also thinks the fire was the
work Of an incendiary. Engineer Perkins, in
stantlY after the discovery Of the fire, nOti-
lied the pilot, and the boat was headed for
the shore on the Mississippi side, and was
plunged with such force against the bank as
10 become firmly fastened. The passengers
not cut of from rhe bow escaped to the
shore. Casualties occurred among those
having berths aft. Some OF them, however,
were rescued after jumping overheard.
Those who succeeded in getting to the
,hOre were, many Of them, half clad, some
bsfless, others shoeless, and others still
with scarcely enough clothing to cover their
nskedness. Much credit is given to VIM.
!. Perkins, who wss In charge OF the engine
A. the time of the disaster. He stood nobly
at his post until the boat was landed and the
pilots told him he could 60"
The Lees surviving passengers had
meeting on the steamer White, and passed
resolutions eulogizing the conduct OF tne
officers OF the I,ee,and expressing gratitude /
to the the officers Of the White for their
kind treatment IN supplying them with
etc.
The total loss by the burning OF the Lee
and cargo is estimated st Sl15,OOO. Ihe
is doubtless fully insured.
RedutiOn in the Public Debt-COunter-