Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-15

Barry, tho second engineer, who with his
partner, Steven Jauney, was on watch at
the me. The first intimation he had OF
the fire was small light on top of row
OF cotton bales amidship, which greatly
resembled the flame of lantern. Mr..
Barry lett his post to investigate, and
was astonished 20 discover that the light
was caused by bale OF cotton briskly
| burning.
BARRY's SHOUT.
Mr.. Barry gave the alarm and his voice
rang through the deck room OF the vessel.
Watchman Miller took in the situation
and rang the huge bell located on the
second deck. Miller stood at bis post
ringing the bell until he was forced 10 re-
treat by the fast encrOaching flames. The
noise OF the Changing bell aroused William
McGreevy, the chief engineer. who was
asleep in the texas. He sprang out Oi
| bed aud CROPPED his way through the
| smoke to wake up his partner,
John Pallasier, second assistant eng neer,
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 others who slept In the
| Texas, but not seeing anyone and be-
| iieving that all hut themselves had LETT,
they crawled out on the hurricane deck
and were compelled to climb down on one
OF the stanchIous to the right side Of the
boat. 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 engin-
| eers back.
FORCED TO FLEE.
They fought the flames step by step but
| were at last forced to drop the hose and
save themselves. The fire burned with
| trightful rapidly, and in less time than
1t takes to tell it the entire left eide OF the
boat was a mass OF flames. The fire soon
caught the railing OF the cabin deck and
| before any assistance was TO be had the
boat looked as il she was encircled by a
stream of fire. The cracking OF the
| flames and the shrieks OF the pnsee nGers
| and crew caused most intense exciteme Mt.
! When the alarm was first sounded Alex.
| McNeay, the head clerk, was sitting AT
the stove In his cabin. The first peal OF
the bell caused him to rush outside, and
seeing the flames leap high In the air
| he ran back TO the cabin and endeavored
to get the books and money. The fire
gained rapidly on him and he was com
| PEELED 10 leave the Office. but not before
| he had secured sum of money.
WHAT HE SHOULD HAVE DONE FIRST.
Mr.. McVeay then turned his attention
| TO saving the cabin passengers, of whom
| there were about fifteen or eighteen, in
cluding eight ladies'. He first awoke
Second Clerk John Callahan, who ran out
| of his room In bis undershirt and trousers.
| Messrs, Callahan and McVeay went to
each room and awOke the inmates. The
terrified passengers quickly got out,
nearly all Of them in their night garments.
| Among them was gentleman whose
name Is unknown, but was recognized as
| the Superintendent OF the Vidalia South
ern railroad. He had his wife and two
| children, girls of 0 and IL years, with him.
He 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 panic
stricken passengers quickly made for an
| entrance, some to the stern and others TO
the front.
BURNED TO A CRISP.
The gentleman referred to was among
! those that went to the stern. Upon reach.
ing the deck he threw bis children one at
| a time into the river. Before be and his
wife could follow the flames had reached
them. and they were burned TO death.
The two pilots on watch, John Stout and
| Bob Smith, were I'm the pilot house, and
were compelled to jump into the river,
where they were picked up. They had a
narrow escape from death. The fire
| burned 80 quickly that IL was impossible
| 10 see who was saved and who was lost.
| The deck was crowded with roustabOuts
and deck passengers, thirty OF the latter
| having got on the vessel at New Texas
landing, just above where the boat was
| burned. Nearly all OF these were lost.
AN EXPLOSION.
While the passengers aud crew were
escaping from the boat a steam pipe
y nd ri I'd In, ha
air. The force of the explosion caused
over twenty bales Of burning cotton TO be
| hurled high in the air, where they revolved
several times and then fell into the river.
Immediately after the explosion sbrieks
were heard coming from the stern Of the
vessel. For an instant two colored women
we're seen Standing on the gal
! lery, Just back OF the wheel
! house, and the next instant they
were hidden from view by smoke and
] flames. The first part Of the boat TO give
| way was the wheelhOuse. IL fell Into the
! water and draft being created the flames
swept through the centre OF the boat.
| Those who escaped were taken away from
the scene by rhe steam boat Stella Wilde
which plies between Bay ou Sara and
! Natchez. AS the Wilde was backing
out four kegs OF gunpowder that
were in the hold exploded, and cotton and
burning tlmbers were hurled IN all direc-
| tions. This virtually put the fire out, and
| what was once II palatial steamer was
now u backened wreck. A loud cry for
help,came from the middle Of the stream. A
boat was lowered from the Wilde aud was
quickly pulled in the direction Of the cry.
Through the darkness The crew saw the
figure OF man graeping bale OF cotton,
but before they could reach him the bale
turned over and when it was rIgnted the
man was gone.
36 LIVES ESTIMATED AS LOST.
Capt. Henry &. Brown, state Engineer,
who was PASSENGER on the White, esti-
mates the loss OF lie at tbirty-six. He
gives the names Of the following persons
who were saved, but were all slightly in
Jured and were lett at Point Coupe: ,lohpt
Stahl, pilot; Hortense Smith. Mrs. Smith.
OF Racine, Wis, and a gentleman aud !
his wife from Chicago whose names are
unknown. There were about thirty cabin
passengers and number OF negro cabin
passengers in the bureau. The num-
ber OF deck passengers ie unknown.
Capt. Brown says:"W ash Lloyd, formerly
a clerk on the viii 5. Rays, ran through
the cabin calling up the passengers and
nohly lost bis life trying 10 save others.
"Capt. Muse, the commander OF the
White, had been i'll all day and was in bed
when the fire broke out. The chief mate
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