The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-15
A RIVER DISASTER.
Burning of the Magnificent Steamer j. III.
White-Forty to Sixty Lives Lost.

Burning of the Magnificent Steamer j. III.
White-Forty to Sixty Lives Lost.
New ORLEANS, Dec 14-The steamboat j.
NJ. White, bound from Vicksburg, Miss, to
New Orleans, was burned last night at Blue
Store, Point Coupe, thirty miles above Baton
Rouge. She had quite number of passengers
aboard, . 100 bales of cotton, and 5000 sacks of
seeds.
William McGreevy, chief engineer of the
boat, gives statement of the Disaster At
about 1910 O'Clock last night, while landing at
DR.. Ferrette's place, above the postofice landing
at Point Coupe, at which place the boat was
loading cotton Seed fire broke out amidships,
just aft the DOCTOR between the engines, on top
of the cotton, below the boiler deck. Engineers
Barry and Jenny, who were on watch, gave the
alarm, and the pumps were put to work, but
without avail. The watchman gave the
alarm by ringing the bell. 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 to the waters edge. There were
moment the fire reached them the flames shot
up about one hundred feet high The sight was
the most heartrending one ever witnessed by q
human being. The shrieking of the women and
children for help was awful He saw the super
intendent of the Vidalia railroad standing aft
outside the ladies cabin, throwing his two little
daughters into the water. He stood there and
burned to death with his wife. There were in
the cabin nine lady passengers and about eight
men, At New Texas twenty deck-hands were
taken on board all are supposed to be lost 1t
is learned that Andrew Pierce, sailor, and An
tonic Rebatta a fireman. are the ones to whom
all the credit of saving the survivors is due.
The following officers are known to be saved:
Capt. Muse clerks A. McVay. o. Bell and
Callahan; pilots John Stewart and Bob Smith,
engineers William McGreevy. Tom Barry, F. G..
and Tom Trimble watchman Tom Miller
sailor Andy Pierce; stewards Pat Ryan and
Nunse.
COL L. S. James, who was in state-room,
managed to get ashore, and had to walk two
miles without coat hat or shoes, in the chilly
winds. before ne could reach railroad station
The States has the following account of the
loss Of the ]. NJ. White, gathered from the off,
GERS and crew:
The boat had landed to take on pile of cot
ton-seed, and there were between thirty five
and forty roustabouts engaged in this work,
when. precisely at 1O:15 o'clock, every ybody was
startled by the loud ringing of the bell by
watchman Tom Miller. Immediately after the
cry of 'fre" taken up by twenty voices
In an instant the direst confusion reigned Men
darted to and fro, and the work of arousine the
sleeping passengers was begun. The fire was
discovered by Thomas Barry, the second en-
gineer, who, with his partner, Stephen Jenny
was on watch at the time. The first intimation
he had Of fire was small light on the top of a
row of cotton bales amidships which greatly
resembled the flame of lantern. Barry left his
post to investigate, and was astonished to dis
cover the light was caused by bale of cotton
briskly burning. Barry gave the alarm and his
voice rang through the deck-room of the vessel
Watchman Miller took in the situation at once
and rang the huge bell located on the second
deck. Miller stood at his post ringing the bell,
until he was forced to retreat by the encroach-
ing flames.
The noise of the charging bell aroused William
Mct1reevy, the chief engineer who was asleep in
the texas. He sprang out of bed and groped his
way through the smoke to wake his partner,
John Pallaser, second assistant engineer, who
was asleep in the forward part of the texas.
About midway he met Pallasier, who had also
been aroused by the bell and was on his way to
hunt for McGreevy. The two men then looked,
as best they could. through the sitting smoke
for the others who slept in the texas, but not
seeing any one and believing that all but them
selves had left, they crawled out on the hurri-
cane deck, and were compelled to climb down on
one of the stanchions to the right side of the
boat from whence they got on shore.
In the meantime two streams of water were
brought to- play on the fire, but the heavy black
volumes of smoke drove the engineers back.
They fought the flames step by step, but were
at last forced to drop the hose to save them
selves. The fire burned with frightful rapidity.
and, in less time than il takes to tell it. the
entire left side of the boat was mass of flames.
Fire soon caught the railing of the cabin deck,
and, before any assistance could be had, the
boat looked as if she were encircled by stream
Of fire. The cracking of the flames and the
shrieks of the passengers and crew caused the |
mostintense excitement
When the alarm first sounded. Alex McVay, |
hAa6 clark was sitting at the arLren In HE |