Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-12-15
HORRIBLE CATASTROPHE.
Sixty Lives Lost on a Blazing
River Steamer.
Nearly all on Board Except the
Crew Perish.
Many of the Unfortunates Women and
Children.
MEMPHIS, Tenn Dec. IA.

MEMPHIS, Tenn Dec. IA,
The loss of steamer J NJ. White has been
confirmed She burned to the waters edge
az IL last night, while lying az the bank ne Ar
Bayou Sara, La. About sixtv lives were lost
Consisting largely of women and children.
Nearly all the crew were saved Among the
passengers reported lost is the superintendr Mt
Of the V-ndslia Railroad at Natchez, who,
together with his wlte and children, persisted
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. II
The J NJ. White was tue finest steamer on
the Mississippi river. She was en- route to
New Orlean, and had cargo of cotton on
board, estimated at not less than 2000 bales.
The surviving passengers and crew were con.
veyed TO New Orleans this morning
Thos. Barry. second engineer. was on duty
when the fire broke out in tie cotton amid
ships. For a time. he says, he thought they
had the fire under control, but it gained such
headway they could do nothing with 1t. He
says it spread so rapidly that in few min
utes the boat was wrapped in fl ,mes.
He thinks there were 10 or IL lost includ-
ing the colored fireman, two colored cham
bermaids one of them named Martha Wash
ington. The second cook, colored, was also
lost.
He reports the loss of Capt. Birt Floyd
and the superintendent of the Vandalia rail-
road, with his wife. who were Passengers.
He says he knows nothing as TO the num-
Der of passengers aboard the boat but thinks
there were not very many. He believes there
were some women and children on deck.
VIM. McGreary, chief engineer of the boat.
gives the following statement:
At about lilo last night, while landing at
DR.. Ferrett's place, above the post Office land
ing at Pointe Conpee, at which place the
| boat was loading cotton seed, fire broke out
| amidships on top Of the cotton below the
boiler deck. Engineers Barry and Johnny
who we're on watch at the time, gave the
| alarm. The pumps were put to work, but
without avail. Tom Miller, watchman, gave
the alarm by ringing the bell, and Clerks
Callahan and Hill aroused the people In the
cabin.
The fire spread rapidly and in less than 5
minutes the boat mad burned to the waters
edge.
There were four kegs of powder in the
magazine and the moment the fire reached
them the flames shot up over 1000 feet high.
The sight was most heart rending. The
shouts of the women and children for help
was awful. | saw the superintendent of the
Vandalia railroad standing aft, outside the
ladies cabin, throwing his two pretty babies
into the water. He stood there and was
OuIueu w uedtii WIN HIS WIG. huouS tuose
lost are the second cook, Lewis Baker Oscar,
Amos Porter, Dick Randolph, fremen, and
Capt. Bird Floyd
A prize OK, taken on at Vicksburg, was
roasted to death, and two of the five keepers
also persisted. There were in the cabin nine
lady passengers and eight men"
McGreary had his hair .inged while crawl
ing under the cotton in saving himself
At New Texas 20 additional deck hands
were taken aboard. All are supposed to be
lost 1t is learned that Ansry Pierce, sailor,
and Antonio Nebatta, fireman, are the once
to whom the credit of the survivors is due.
The J. NJ. White was making the mssi
successful trip of the season. She was
owned by the New Orleans & Greenvile
transportation Co. of this city. The in
surance on the vessel is said to be lower than
ever before in her history, being only S27,.
500. OF this amount $500 is in home com
psnes and S20.0 900 in Western companies
1t is estimated by her owners that the White
has paid upward of $4,000 in premiums tC
insurance companies during her career Of
| eight wears This is the first serious acc
dent she has ever met with.