The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-12-23
FEARFUL DISASTER.


Tho Steamer j. NJ. White Burned and Sixty
Persons Reported Lost-A Partial Lie of
the Victims.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, Dec. 14.-It is currently
rumored here that the elegant steamer j.
ID. White, running between Vicksburg and
New Orleans, burned at an early hour this
morning near Bayou Sara, La, and that
fifty lives were lost.
SIXTY LIVES LOST.
MEMPHIS. Tenn, Dec. IA, l0:55 a. H.
The loss of the steamer j. ~ White has
been confirmed. She burned to the
waters edge at eleven O'Clock last
night while lying at the bank near Bayou
Sara, La About sixty lives are lost
largely women and children. Nearly all the
crew were saved. Among the passengers
reported lost is the superintendent of the
Vidalia railroad at Natchez, who, together
with his wife and children, persisted in the
disaster. The books OF the boat are lost
HOW IT OCCURRED.
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 15.-Respecting the
terrible loss of life by the burning of the
j. NJ. White steamboat near Bayou Sara,
William McGreevy, chief engineer of the
boat, says that at about 1910 O'Clock Mon
day night, while at tile landing at DR.. Fer.
retO's place, above the pOSt-Oflce landing at
Point COupee, at which place the boat was
loading cotton seed, fire broke ont amid
ships, just att, between the engines on top
of the cotton below the boiler deck. En-
gineers Barry and Jenny, who were on
watch, gave the alarm and the pumps were
put 10 work, but without avail, The
Waterman then gave the alarm by ringing
the bell, and Clerks Callahan and Bell at
once aroused the people in the cabin.
The fire spread rapidly, and in less than
fifteen minutes the boat had burned 10 the
waters edge. There were four kegs of
powder in the magazine and the moment
the fire reached them the flames shot up
about one hundred feet high. The Shrek
ing of women and children for help was
awful. The superintendent of the Eidalia
railroad was seen standing aft, outside the
ladies' cabin, throwing his TWO little daugh-
tiers into the water. lie stood there and
was burned to death with his wife. There
were in the cabin nine lady passengers and
about eight men. At New Texas twenty
supposed to be lost.
1t is learned that Andrew Pierce, sailor,
and Antonio Rebatta, a fireman, are the
ones to whom all the credit of saving the
survivors is due.
The fire Illuminated the river and the
country for miles, and the burning floating
cotton made CHASTITY procession down the
river.
THE MEAN
The following is a list as far as ascer-
tanned of the white persons missing:
5. III. POffOrd, wife and daughter, of VII
dalia; Captain &. w. Floyd, wel-knOwn
steambOatman; Mrs. Murray, of Naichez;
Miss Agnes McCabe. of West Feliciana;
two other lady passengers, names I'M
known. Three men and one woman were
walking OH the hurricane deck when it fell
in and disappeared in the flames. Two
white men, names unknown, who were in
charge of the premium OK, jumped over
board and We're drowned.
The following is list of the colored per-
sons lost: Levi Robinson, captain of the
watch; two unknown negro women; Dick
Randolph, fireman; Oscar Landry, pastry
cook; Lewis Martin, second cook; Albert
Brown, cabin boy; John Parker, cabin boy;
Perry Williams, cabin boy; Amos Morse,
porter; Edward Jackson, cabin boy; Penny
Walker, chambermaid; Martha Washing
ton, chambermaid; Duncan Fourth, cook;
two negro preachers, names unknown;
negro woman from Port Kicker and her
son, aged sixteen; VOlSin Bell, laborer;
two negro women, each with all infant
Two white men. William Daily, of Ne
br@ska, and Mr.. Oberchain, of Kentucky,
are supposed to he lost. Mrs. Wade, of
West Feliciana, had ali almost miraculous
escape. She speaks in glowing terms of the
heroic and gallant conduct of Captain Floyd,
who sacrificed his life in trying to save the
lady passengers. All of the officers of the
White were saved. Among those who es-
capped were J. L. Carew and wife, of Otta-
VIZ. LII.
The j. NJ. White was built i'm 1873 at
cost of S225,0O0 and was the finest and
fastest boat ever run on the Mississippi.
She was owned by Captain john w. TObin,
and was valued at sou, 900, while her cargo
was worth S150,0OO. The insurance on the
boat is 100000, and the cargo is doubtless
fully covered by insurance.