Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-07
LOSS OF THE MASCOTTE
SURVIVORS or THE CREW TELL
TRE,E STORY.

Collapse of One of the Boiler Fines the
Immediate Csuse OF the GaIamity-The
Pilot Heads tho host for Shore, But
Ia Driven from Wis Post by the Flames.
ST. LOUIS, Mo, Oct. GA special from
Cape Girardeau states that the wreck Of
La Masc0tte resulted from the collapse
OF one OF the boiler fiues. The explosion
spent it's force directly backwards into
the engine room and the crew and roust-
abouts suffered from beng scslded by the
escaping steam. Eleven OF the latter
were so terribly burned that huge scales
of flesh peeled from their bodies. Six Of
them have died. Alter the bodies of the
killed and injured had been brought
ashore they were placed on the steamer
Eagle, which brought them to this city,
where local and visiting physicians are
now caring for them. The register OF
passengers was lost with La Mascotte and
it is thought that some were drowned or
killed whose bodies have not been recov-
cred.
THE PILOT LEAVES HIS POST.
The pilot, taking advantage OF her mead
ing, turned the boat towards the shore,
but the flames caused MIN to abandon his
post before the stage plank could be low
cred. After ne lett mis- post the current
turned the boats how out into the river
again and her stern swung close to the
bank, which afforded means of escape for
several who were at that end OF the boat,
! tla pilot and one cabin boy getting ashore
without injurie5 or even a wet foot. The
stage PLANK was lowered and many were
placed upon it, mostly women and chill
! dren, who would have been saved had not
h4z rel /
| and all who were not killed by it were
| drowned.
THE CAPTAIN SwIMs ASHORE.
Capt. Thompson, after doing all in his
! power to save the passengers and crew,
| jumped overheard and swan ashore, the
boat having by this time drifted fully 200
yards out into the river. La Mascotte
dritted over to the Illinois shore opposite
! Willard's landing and sank, the only
thing visible at present being her wheels.
Lew Braham, the second clerk, tells the
following story OF the disaster: I'VE had
landed at Neely's and were pulling out,
and | walked upstairs and into my room,
when heard n small explosion like that
! OF SKY rocket, and opened the door to
| the cabin and saw steam coming into it
| from the barber shop.
HANDING OUT THE LADIES.
II saw The ladies in their cabin and
called to them to come forward. / saw
fire coming from under the boiler deck,
aGd | took che ladies' forward to the boiler
deck and started down stairs when Pilot
Geaveau gave life preservers to them,
calling them all to put them on imme-
diately. ordered the stage plank thrown
| overheard, which was promptly done,
and we put all the ladies on the plank.
The rigging broke and tho plank swung
out. Mrs. L. Seimers jumped into my
arms and landed her on
the stage, while 1 was thrown
into the river myself. l swan
alongside OF the stage and made the men
get off so it would bear up the ladies.
then swan to a ledge of rocks and crawled
ashore. man from Illinois with a skIff
took the people Off of the stage and also
saved a number that were swimming, but
| | don't reo0lIsct the skitfman's name. He
did some noble work, however"
THE EAGLE IN BAD LIGHT.
j. Hanlon, the second pilot, SAYS:
sThe Eagle was near us wnen the disas-
ter occurred and could easily have pushed
US ashore without much trouble and dan
ger, but | understand the Captain did not
care to render any assistance. Adolphus
| Evelyn, the pilot of the Eagle, told me
that the Captain ordered him not to go
near La Mascotte, as he did not wish 10
endanger his boat If ne would only
have pushed US ashore not person would
have been injured except from scaIds and
| burns."
THE FATE OF THE PASSENGERS.
The passengers ON the Mascotte were
Judge j. Z. Hager and wife OK Cape Cir
srdesu, missing; Fred Lird, missing;
Mrs. W. H. Wheeler and two children,
Daisy and Lilly, of Cape Girardeau, miss
| ing; Miss Amelia Kruger, OF Cape Girar-
deau, missing; Miss julia X. Abch, of
Cape Girardeau, missing; Mr.. and Mrs.
Miller and two children, of Shelbyvile, Iii.
Mrs. Miller and the two children were
drowned and were brought here last
night. j. 5. Miller swan ashore, but Is
badly burned on the head. Miss Lena
Buehrmann, of St. Louis, is badly burned
on the head, hands, arms and back from
fire. She will recover,
TWO ESCAPE TOGETHER.
Louis SEWERS and wife. OF Cape Girar-
deau, were both saved uninjured. j. N.
Russell, of Cape Girardeau, was saved
but is slightly burned. Mrs. G. Z. Phelps,
of Cape Girardeau, was saved, uninjured.
A. j. Howard, OF Cape Girardeau, was
saved with slight burns on the head and
back. Capt. Thompson is uninjured.
J. Roy Perkins, first clerk, is missing.
His home is at Evansville, and he is a
son OF Capt. Perkins, one of the owners OF
La Mascotte. Ed Branham, the second
clerk is uninjured. Ed Dougherty, the
first mate, was blown overheard,
but was saved uninjured.
Lew Adams, the second mate,
was badly scalded and died in the hos
pital this morning. James DOnohue, a
blot, was uniniured. j. j. Hanlon,
pilot, was uninjured. Henry Wsrdeau
was knocked overheard and injured in the
right side, but will recover.
BLOWN ovERBoARD.
Billy O'Brieu, first engineer, was blown
overheard and Is now missing. g. s
Davidson, a acarpenter,is is severely scalded
He is at the hospital. Mac Shearer,
deck hand, was severely soalded, and
died at the hos pital this morning. Joseph
simmons, a scrubber, was scalded in the
head ana right arm. He will probably get
we'll. Charley Waugh and Clarence Givins
were watcnmeu. Vaughn was slightly
burned. Porter Steve Wells is missing.
One of the chambermaids, Cinderella
Peoples, is missing, and the other, Maggie
johnson. was drowned and her body
brought here last night.
THE RoUsTABoUTs.
There were eleven roustabouts and two
firemen. all colOred, soaided and taken to
the hospital. OF these Jack Finnegan,
William Jones and Theodore Lach, OF st.
Louis; viii DavIe, OF Midway, ky.;
| lo..v Ioxdor nf EVanaVtl and Wfllfa IN