The daily gazette., 1883-03-05
SIXTEEN LIVES LOST.
TERRIBLE DISASTER ON rHE
MISSISSIPPI.
THE STEAMER YAzoo SINKS.
Running Into snag and sinking Near
shore In the Dark--A Wild struggle
for Life.

NEW ORLEANS, March 4.--Reports of thu
sinking OF the steamer Yazoo were circu-
lated this morning stating that the vessel
hao been caught in an eddy and ca psized.
and about 30 persons had been drowned.
Captain Sullivan, Chief Clerk Foulke apd
u others Of the crew and passengers Of the
Yazoo reached the city tonight on 4 tue
despatched by the Times De,aocrdt to the
scene Of the disaster, and on the steamer
Jessie Bell, ana from this source the true
story Of the disaster was learned
The Yazoo left this city at s O'Clock
Saturday afternoon, On her way 20 BMvnli
Sensss and Macon, with two-thiris 81 =
cargo aboard, and about 40 people among
her passengers and crew. At a Quarter IL
O'Clock this morning, when the steamer
was opposite thirty-five mile point, Captain
Sullivan who was standing In the cabin at the
time felt a sudden and heavy lar. He rushed
on deck and found that the steamer had
struck some obstruction and had stove
large hole In her port side. The shore wss
near BY, and he ordered the pilot to put her
into the bank. This was done and a num-
Der Of rousters and Pat Clark, the watch
man, got ashore with a line
Captain Sullivan then instructed the first
mate, Chris kerns, to arouse the passengers.
Captain Sullivan descended to the lower
deck to assist in steering the boat to the
shore, When he reached it he found the
water rushing over the deck from the port
side, aud he saw that further effort was use-
less, as the boat had caught in an eddy and
drifted from the shore. He reached the
upper deck, climbed up by the cabin stan
chions and, supporting himself by the hog
CHAIN, made his way to the rear of the cabin
rooI, where number of the passengers and
crew had congregated. w.
At this moment the boat went down and
all who had gathered on the roof as place
OF safety were thrown into the water.
Several OF them went down with the boat.
which at this time was $50 yards from the
shore. Others supported themselves on
planks and other flooring material until the
cabin rose to the surface, when Is Of them
succeeded IN reaching IL. After floating
down the river about four miles they were
rescued by the steamer st. John, whose
oihcers'and passengers received them with
the utmost kindness, provided them with
clothing, and carried them up the river until
the steamer Bell was met, when they were
transferred to that vessel and brought back
10 the city.
Captain Sullivan says that the night was
raw and the water very cold, and those who
escaped on the floating cabin were nearly
frozen when taken off. He says he never saw
Mate Kerns after instructing him to awaken
the passengers. He is placed among the
lost.
The captain and clerk place the loss rs
follows Mrs. G. 2. Lewis OF Chicago, cabin
passenger; Chris Kern, first mate: Lee
Carpenter, second clerk; John Franks, car
penter; colored chaTnbermaid, name un
known; Daniel Lightner, eoloFed steward;
q colored woman, name unknown, passen-
ger; an infant child of pilot r. E. Celey:
four or five deck passengers, names un-
known; five negro roustabouts, names un-
known.
1t is probable that larger number of
rousters were lost. About fifteen are known
to have been saved. There were twenty
aboard, according TO Captain sullivan's
statement, and twenty-seven according to
that OF Patrick Clark, the second mate.
The latter was brought more directly in con-
tact with the rousters, and his estimate OF
the number is probably correct.
Second Clerk Lee and carpenter Franks
are supposed to have gene down with the
boat, as they were not seen to leave their
state rooms. The manner of Mate Kern's
death is unknown. He was not seen after
he was Pent into the cabin to arouse the pas
sengers and officers.
The Ya2oO sunk in less than eight minutes
after striking. This fact and the darkness Of
the night and swiftness of the current ac-
counts for the heavy loss of tife, She was a
small steamer and was valued at S75, 600.
She was insured for S. 900 in the Peoples
OF New Orleans and Eureka of Cincinnati.
The personal effects OF the passengers and
crew were lost.