The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-04-05
A PILOTS HEROISM.
Further Particulars OF the Burning OF the
Steamer Rebecca EyerinQham.


Steamer Rebecca EverinRham.
A Euiaula (Ala.) special to the New
York Times gives the following additional
particulars OF the burning OF the Rebecca
Everingham:
The steamer Rebecca Everingham, one
OF the Central Line boats plying between
Columbus, Ca. and Apalachicola, Fla,
was burned TO the waters edge at Fitz-
gerald's Landing. four miles above
Florence, Ga, and twenty-eight miles
above Euiaula, at 4:05 O'Clock Thursday
morning. She was loaded with $50 bales
of cotton. and carried about thirty passen-
gers. The fire is supposed to have been
caused by falling particle Of carbon from
an electric light. The boat was midstream
when the alarm was given, and she
was quickly enveloped in smoke and flame,
lighting up the sky for miles around. The
shrieks OF the terrified passengers and
crew mingled with the roar OF the flames
were heart-piercing. Men and women
rushed hither and thither in their night
garments imploring help. The boat was
headed for the land by the pilot, but
before a landing was effected nearly every
part OF the vessel was surrounded by fire.
Within thirty minutes after the bank was
touched. and the few that it was possible
to save had landed, the boat was burned
down to the hull. The flames severing
the mooringS, the hull diifted into the
stream and sank half mile below.
Among those known to be lost are w.
l.. Kennedy, OF Euiaula; Mrs. Avant, Of
CuthbeTt, Ga. Miss Simpson and her sis
ter, OF Fort Games, Ga. Julia Adams, the
colored chambermaid; Adolph Thomas,
Randall Singer. and A. s. Stephens, color
ed deck-hands; Robert Griffin, a cOlOred
steyedore; a colored woman, name uD-
known, and a child. The missing are j..
II. Hightower, OF Euiaula, aud two other
white passengers, whose names are un-
known. L. b. Williams, OF Lagrange, is
fatally burned. Captain George White
side, who commanded the steamer. and
Second-Engineer j. +. Carey are seriously
burned.
Two wagon and two bateGu-loads Of
survivors and effects reached Eufaula at
9 O'Clock, among whom was Pilot G.. H..
LaDham, 10 whose heroism and that OF
his Young son those who did escape are
indebted for their lives. When the pilot
saw the danger they were in he did not
wait for the boat TO make O landing to
make fast, but ordered his son overheard
with rope. He swan ashore with the
rope, made it fast, then swan back to the
boat, and heroically went to work to save
| life. The noble pilot was the last to desert
the deck, and then only after saving the
J lives OF two women and his wounded cap
tain, besides aiding others.
| Pilot Lapham gave the gloomy report
| that il was impossible at present to arrive
| at the number that may have perished, as
the names given above, received from him,
and the smaller number seen alive after
the disaster, make it apparent that the roll
OF missing is larger. Among the missing
may be others burned or drowned. One
lady saved herself by jumping from the
cabin TO the deck below, twenty-five feet,
and another by clinging to the motioness
wheel. One Of the passengers, Mr. j. b.
Yates, bad presentiment Of disaster, and
spoke Of it the preceding night. So strong
! lv impressed was he that when retiring he
refused to disrobe. but slept in rubber
coat with his valise at hand. Sleeping
nervously. when the alarm was sounded
he was quickly on his feet. He reached
for his grip. sack and looked for shore, with
no thought Of the safety OF Others. None
of the officers were lost or seriously hurt.
Inc ENerlnguaul udu ~ CdlSO WI O0O
bales of cotton, which was valued at
$4,000. OF the number 234 belonged to
III. L. Hull & Co.. OF Eufaula. and was
covered by insurance in the Sea-Insurance
Company of Liverpool. The remainder OF
the cotton was not insured. The steamer
Everingham was built about two years
ago, and was the newest and handsomest
craft on the Chattahoochee river. She be-
longed to the Central railroad, and was
valued at about $4,000; probably insured.
| The almost nude lady and gentlemen
passengers were provided as well as possi-
BILE with raiment at Fitzgerald's Landing,
and, together with the under officers in
com mand Of the heroic pilot Lapham,
spent the afternoon in the city. and left
there by the night train for their respective
homes, the officers going TO Columbus, Ga.
This is the most shocking river disaster
that has occurred for years-in fact, since
the explosion OF the Confederate gunboat
near Fort Gaines, when eighteen lives
were lost.