Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-12-15
Josie HARRY TURNED.
Loss Over Fifty Five Thousand Dol
lars.
Scene OF the Disaster Fifteen
niles Below Here Hester-
day Afternoon.

The fine steamer, Josie Harry, com
manded BY Captain Milt r. Harry, with
a cargo Of b6t bales Of cotton, and 964
sacks OF cotton seed, was totally de-
stroyed yesterday afternoon about three
o clock, fifteen miles below the city.
The vessel was on her way from
Jaeksonport, on White river 10 THIS place.
at the time Of the disaster When the
flames were first discovered among the
cotton bales near the forward part OF the
boilers, the boat was under full Roadway,
and some forty or hfty yards from the
Arkansaw shore A high northwest
wind blew at the time, tanning the blaze
with such force that all efforts 10 suppress
il were futile, and In few moments :.i;or-
ward the boat was on Ere from stem to
stern. The pilot on duty, Captain james
kinman, promptly headed the vessel to
the shore as soon as the alarm was given.
and landing was quickly effected. The
passengers, some IL in number, together
with the crew, numbering perhaps 80 or
40, including the officers, all succeeded In
reaching the shore in safety, though sew
nj made narrow escapes, and two were
compelled 10 jump into the river to save
themselves. Captain Harry was the last
man TO leave the burning boat,
and all on board report that
he exhibited remarkable GOODNESS and
bravery during the ordeal. The Captain
lost his entire effects, including clothing,
furniture and other outfit, while Mrs.
Harry with her I've children, who were
passengers on board, also suffered the loss
Of their entire wardrobe. On the other
hand, the mate, Mr.. Pbinn Starr saved
all Of his possessions evensto fine gun.
The boats safe contained be ween three
and five thousand dollars, and the clerk
having no time to open II, the contents
went down with the burning wreck.
After the lines we're made fast to
the shore and the stages were put out,
but before many of the passengers coul,,
reach land one end of the stage swung
loose, and for time II seemed Inevitable
that lives would be lost A passenger,
however, aided in rearrrnging the stage
in proper order 50 that all got oil
safely, two or three receiving a slight
searching about the ears, hair and hands.
Members Of the crew worked faithfully
to get out the passengers baggage, stored
in the baggage room on the forward part
Of the boiler deck. The trunks wore
thrown out to the bank, and the passen.
gers suffered only small loss in this par
ticular.
The FIRE first broke out on the larboard
| side in the cotton stored on the guards.
and is supposed to have been iguited BY
sparks from the FIRE doors. Shortly after,
all hBnds, including the Captain, had got.
ten ashore, the hawsers holding the burn
ing vessel to the bank were burned, and
the wreck swung off into the stream,
being carried by the drifting current sew
eral miles down the river until the re-
mains lodged on the bar at the head of
Cow Island, about 20 miles below here.
Some fifteen persons, mostly the deck
crew, came up to the city afoOt by way of
the Arkansas woods, reaching here be-
tween Z and 8 o clock last night. One Of
the passengers named Charles Mason, also
made the tramp with this party. The re-
mainder of the passengers and crew, in
GLIDING Captain Harry and family
reached the city about IL o'clock last
night on the steamer Rene Macready.
AfJer the boat burned, and while they
were awaiting the coming Of the Ma
cready, all were Hospitality entertained
by Mr. Frank Mcdonnell, whose planta-
ton is situated near the scene of the dis
aster
The steamer Josie Harry ranked as the
handsomest and best sternwheel boat that
ever piled from this port to Whita river.
She was built in 1878 at cost of over
i35OO and was in her sixth
! year, yet she was staunch
and IN such excellent condition that her
commander would not have accepted less
than $50, 600 for her an hour before she was
lost. The Harry has been remarkably
successful during her entire career. She
was insured through Q. B. Wexford d
Coz agency in this city, for $4,000, the
risks all being in eastern companies.
OF the cargo of GA bales Of cotton E2s7
bales we're consigned to Porter& Mscrea,
and is insured at $50 per bale, in the Plan
ter's Of Memphis, while 22l
bales Consigned to Stewart, GwynnC
x Co. was insured at the same
rate in the Factors Mutual and Marine
Company, This leaves 226 bales, con.
> signed to various parties, and which wal
mainly insured in our local companies
} The cotton seed consigned to the City oil
Exchange, amounting TO ga SKIS, worth
nearly 1900, was insured in the Wander,
bilt OF Memphis At the time the boa
burned the manifest had been made ou
and was hanging at the usual place in th,
q forward part Of the boat and it wa
burned, but a detailed list Of tn,
cargo is herewith given though
r boats books were all.lost The amour
} Of cotton discharged at Terrene, at the
mouth Of White river, for reshipment {,
Z New Orleans was 255 bales. The com
bined loss, however to the insurance com
J panies is about $4,000 Of which $1,000
on the steamer is in companies outside o
the city, and the larger part Of the re
mainder is in the local companies Of thi
city.
The list Of the cotton freight on boar,
J and the Companies in which II was in
sured are as follows;
CoSsIeSEEs NO. RLLEs co. EsuRISG
]. ". Caldwell & Co q Fac ac oTs
Mallory. Crawford 4 Co. Sc
W. Y. Taylor 4 Co. Is
> A. B, Treadwell 4 Co. &"
N. Gavin a Co. Q Bluff City
j. 5. d. 4 son Phoenix
Meacham 4 Horton 2 fernando
Stewart, GyWnne 4 Co go Factors M
tual, except l06 bales at the risk Of tn
shippers, Hamblett a Penn. at Augusta
Ark.
1t will be seen from the foregoing tina
the Factors Mutual had risks on 254 bale