Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-10-12
ANOTHER STEAMBOAT DISASTER.

/ the Observation-Disclosures of the Captain
| and Other Oficers-Heroic Action of the
Pilot, ETC., etc.
vICKsBURG, Miss, September 80.
| This morning at three o'clock fire broke out
| on the steamer r. E. Lee, while on her trip to
this city, about thirty miles below here, result
ing in the total destruction of the boat, with a
terrible loss of life. The following is a list of
| persons known to be lost: Cabin passengers:
Mr. Pointer, Marysvlle, KY; Mrs. Mcclellan,
| New Orleans; Miss Adams, music-teacher, on
the way to Baton Rouge; an infant of Mrs.
| Scale, of Vicksburg; two colored women
Frank Jones, fireman; Ophelia Jones and
Martha Webb, second and third chamber
maids: Thomas Fisher, Joe Murrell, Scot Cox,
Thomas Collins, Irwin Duncan, cabin boys;
Samuel Brown, roustabout; kardof Swanson,
carpenter; William Westermaker, second en-
gineer; Tom Collins; all the cooks and help
except the pastry cook.
/ y The Lee had just been overhauled and newly
painted, and was on her first trip this season.
She left Vicksburg yesterday evening for
New Orleans with 800 bales of cotton and
good list of passengers. While opposite Point
Pleasant, at $3.50 a. M, she was discovered on
fire, and was Immediately headed for the
Louisiana shore ana landed at Yucatan PLAN
tation. thirty-iive miles below -Vicksburg. In
few minutes she was completely en-
veoped in flames. The steamboat j.
NJ. White passed the wreck about six
a. M, and took the remaining passen-
gers and crew to Vicksburg. S. C. Rawlings and
Robert Smith, pilots, were both burned and
otherwise hurt. The fire, it is supposed origi-
mated in the pantry-room. So rapidly did the
flames spread that it was impossible for pas
sengers or officers to save anything except
what they had on at the time. Captain w. S.
Cannon states that the st amer was owned by
the estate of his father. John W. Cannon, and
her Commander, Captain William Campbell.
She was valued at $4,000. The crew was COM
posed almost entirely of men who had been on
the river twenty thirty years. The boat,
besides supply-pumps, had a new fre-pump
with fourteeri-inch cylinder and 700 feet of
hose. There were always three watchmen On
deck.
The Lee had ON leaving here about AS bales
of cotton She took some few more at
landings below and about sixty-five bales
from small cotton-seed boat, so that when
burned she had about 5l2 bales, also q large
cargo of boots, shoes and dry goods reshipped
by the Vicksburg s. Mississippi Railroad from
points north and east of Natchez and other
points below this city, 0,0G0 feet of lumber, a
large quantity of doors, blinds, sash, etc., to-
gether with large lot of miscellaneous
freight. She stopped to wood about twelve
miles below here at II 80 this morning, and re-
manned some time. The last landing made be-
fore the fire was at Ashwood, about twenty
five miles below this city. AT the time the
alarm was given the boat was under way. She
was Immediately headed for shore, and struck
the bank in three or four minutes.
Whenever q survivor was seen on the street
Immediately large crowd would gather
round, eager to learn whatever he knew of the
sad occurrence. Numbers were seen with
heads and arms bound up, some Of them in
considerable pain, while others were not SO
badly hurt. 5..... f.....
Mr.. Ovice Bell. second clerk of the Lee, who
was up at the time the accident occurred,
stated: 81 never saw anything burn so quick.
Twas aft at the time, and when [ heard the
alarm, knowing my partner, who sleeps sound
ly. and other officers were in the tie as and in
great danger, 1 rushed up to awaken them.
The fire followed me so fast that by the time
had them all up my partner had his hair
singad 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 and a passenger who was inter-
viewed think the fire originated in the pastry
room of the cook-house though don't see"
there so early, as the cooks are not called be-
fore four O clock.
Mrs Dan Searls, with heroic presence of
mind and motherly devotion. .grasped her
sleeping infant, and, arranging life preserver
in her state-room about her person, jumped
boldly into the water. By disarrangement Of
her life-preserver she was thrown upon her
back and lost her grasp upon her child.
The saved owe their lives to the admirable BIZ
wheel and gave hope to all by his firmness,
and as the steamer rounded at Yucatan Land
the brave man in the pilot-house, who,
despite the fire around him, with almost the
last hope OF escape gone, remained ut ms post
boat had made the shore. Not until this was
done did he for one minute take his hand from
the wheel. He made his escape by the hurri-
cane roof down the hog-chain TO the lower
deck and from there ashore. Some think the
ers believe it accidental.
Engineer Perkins first saw the flames issu-
ing from the pastry-room in which there we're
Carrnahan. states coal Oil other com
bustible material was ever kept in the kitch en-.
pantry or pastry-room. He thinks it was of
Engineer Perkins, instantly after discover
ing the fire, notified the pilot, and the boat was
headed for the Mississippi side. and plunged
with such force against the bank as to become
firmly fastened. The passengers not cut off
from the bow escaped to the shore The
casualties occurred among those having berths
aft. Some of them, however, were rescued
after jumping overheard. Those who sue
half-clad. some hatless, others shoeless. and
others still with scarcely enough clothing to
cover their nakedneSS.
The steamer was insured for $50 0C0. The
total loss by the burning of the Lee and cargo
is $4,000. The merchandise was fully in
sured.
Captain John Hall, clerk of the boat, said
that he was in the office about three o'clock
when he heard the cry of fire below. He did
not desire to create a pane, because there
were several parties around him, but when
the cry was repeated in manner which left
no doubt of the truth of the cry, he ran to his
room to procure sachel in which to place
the money and valuables of the boat When
he reached his room it was filled with smoke.
He hurried back to the Office and emptied all
of the money in the safe into the sachel. BY
that time the cabin had become dense
with smoke, extinguishing all the lights. He
CROPPED his way TO the stairs, and was almost
suffocated He was so exhausted that he fell
half way down stairs to the platform. It was
with great difficulty that he reached the lower
deck, aud was assisted to the shore. He saved
about $500, of which amount $3.50 was in
silver, weighing sufficient to make it hard
task for him to carry it out in safety. While
going down stairs he met Maii-Agent Beebe
going up to the locker to try and save the val
liable packages in the mails. The smoke
was SO dense, however, that the lantern
which Mr.. Beebe carried in his hand was eY-
tinguished, and in self-preservation he was
compelled to hurry ashore. Captaid Hall said
that the fire either originated in the pantry.
storeroom or pastry-room. Captain Campbelt
and several of the crew who were ON watch
had been in the pantry just five minutes pre-
viotIs to get some coffee. They did not smell
any smoke, and there were no indications of
the fire. Over $500 of the boats money IN