The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-15
TIE DETAILS


OF the BIrninE OF the StcamOr-somO
Thrilling Scenes.
New ORLEANS, Dec. l4-Ths States has
the following account of the loss OF the j.
NJ. White, gathered t.om the officers and
crew: The boat had landed 10 tako on q
pile Of cotton seed, and there were between
95 and 40 roustabOus engaged in this
work, when preCllcly at l0:l5 o'clock
everybody was Diarled by the loud ring.
ing Of the bell by wstChman Tom. Miller.
In medistely after the cry Of "hrU"
wan taken up by twenty voices.
The FIRE was discovered by Thomaa
Barry, the second engineer, who with his
partner, Steve Janney, WAS on watch at the
time. Miller stood at his post ringing the
bell until he was forced to retreat by the
enCroaching flames, The noise OF the
Changing bell aroused William MCGTeevy,
the chief engineer, who was asleep In the
Texas. He aprang out Of bed and gropsd
his way through the smoke to waken his
partner, John Pallasier, eCCond assistant
engineer, who WAS asleep In the forward
paTt OF the Texas. They CERwled out Of
the hurricane deck and were compelled 10
climb down on one Of the EtanChions to
the right OF the boat from whence they
got ashore.
In the meantime two streams Of water
we're brought to play on the fire. They
fought the flames step by step but were at
last forced to drop the hOgB and cave them.
selves. The fire burned with irightful
Tapidity and In less time than it takes to
tall 1t the entire left sido Of the boat was q
mass OF flames. Tho cracking Of the
flames and the shriekg OF the passengers
aud crew aroused the most intense excite.
ment.
When the alarm was first sounded
Alex McVay, head CLERK, was sitting at
the stove in tho cabin. He turned bis at.
tention to saving paggengers, Of whom
therO were about 10 or Is, including eight
ladies'. HO was assisted by John Callahan,
second clerk, aud went to each room and
awoke the inmates, The terrified pRssan.
gerG quickly got out, nearly all OF them in
their night gSrmentG.
FLAMES ovRRrAHE THEN.
Among them was gentleman unknown
but recognized as superintendent Of the
vandalia Southern railroad. He had his
wife and two children, girls OF 0 and 12
Year,, with him. HO called them around
him and bade them follow him. by this
time the flames had reached the cabin,
through which thick smoke was rolling
The gentleman referred 10 was among
those passengers that went 10 the stern.
| lJpon reaching the deck he Rrasped his
two children one at a time and threw
them into the river. Before he and his
wife could follow the Qames reach.
ed them and they were burned
to death. The fire burned 30 quickly
that It was impossible to seo WHO was
saved and who YVES lost. The deck was
crowded with rouslabOuts and deck pas.
aengers, 80 oil the latter having got on tho
landing jnst above where the boat was
burned. Nearly all Of these were lost
While the passengers and crew were 90.
Gaping from the boat the steam pipe blew
up and was hurled 800 yards In the air
The forCO Of the explosion caused over 20
bales Of burning cotton 10 be hurled high
In the air.
Immediately after the 4 plosion, ,BhfiekH
were heard coming from tho stern of the
veBnel. For an ingtnnt Two Colored women
were Beon standing on tho gallery lust
back Of the WheolhOuse and the next III.
slant they were hidden from view by
the smoke and flames. Those who 0BGap.
cd were taken away from the steamer by
tho steamboat Stella Wild. When the
Wild reached the river loud cry for help
came from tho middle Of the stream. A
boat was lowered aud WIS quickly pulled
In the direction oldhe cry. Through tho
JSrkpess tue GREW saw tho figure Of o man
graeping q bale u cotton but before they
could reach him 1t had turned over and
when II wa0 righted the man was gonO.
STORIES or SURVIVORS.
Several survivors Of the disaster reach
ed the city to-day, among them Col. 81
James, who was taken to hiu homo, where
he Ia in q critical condition. IIo utatrt
that the sight was horriiylng and could
not lie told. He positively declared tbR
ihetb must have been 10 peta Ons LOST, bB
CRuBa out OF B5 In Tho cabin, he could only
SEQ hiinheli aud four others,
Denny, d barber, said he never
would forget the stght hU behsld at the
81. Morris plantation whSn tho White
was enyeloped In ilames, lie was sure
one child had been rescued and bfough
into 81. Morris.
To hiB knowledge Of the boats ON
ployes, there were two cabin boys, twt
Chambsrnialds and one fireman lost bs
eIdes I'D. jackson, Amos Morse, Lswl
Walker, Plnoy Walker and another col
ofed woman named llu0y.
VI do believe" continued Denny 'LhA
the boat burnt up IN about 10 minutes AI
TOT tho alarm was tE8t glVeh.n
The wreck was In ohatgO OF Captain ]
N. Nose, second tnata Tom Tlmbiell an
Waterman Tom Miller,