Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-12-15
AWFUL DISASTER.
A MIssIssrPPI BOAT BURIED AND
MANY LIVES LOST.
Fire Destroys the Magnificent Steamer
]. n. whits-The Loss Of Life
Variously Estimated.
Ky telegraph 70 the Dispatoh.I

rentiy reported here that the eleg ant steam
er j. NJ. White, running between Nicks-
burg and New Orleans, was burned at an
carly hour this morning near Baton Rouge,
IA, and that fifty lives were lost.
MEMPHIS, December 14-11:55 a. NJ
The loss Of the steamer j. M. White has
been confirmed. She burned TO the wa
ier's edge at II O'Clock last night while
lying at the bank near Bayou sara, u.
About sixty lives were lost, con'isting
LARGELY Of women and children. Nearly
all the crew were saved. Among the pis-
sengcIs reported lost Is the superintendent
Of the yidalia railroad at Noschez, who,
together with bis wife and children. per.
Ished in the disaster. The books OF the
boat were lost. These meagre details were
received here over the wires Of the Louis
vile, New Orleans and Texas railroad.
The j. NJ. White was the finest steamer
on the Mississippi river. She was en- route
to New Orleans, and had cargo OF cotton
on board estimated at not less than 1000
bales. The surviving passengers and
crew were conveyed 10 New Orleans this
morning.
CHICAGO. December IA private dis.
patch from New Orleans confirms the re-
port from Memphis about the loss Of the
| Js vi. w ullt. H' ulNl'ttSn "a. >
the steamer v bite took fire and burned TO
the waters edge during the night few
miles above Bayou Sara. Many lives were
lot. 1t is impossible TO getany particulars
as yet, as there Is no direct Geographic COM
muDcation with Bayou Sara.
NEW ORLEANS, December 1.-THE
steamboat J. NJ. White, from Nlcksburg
for New Orleans, was burned at 10 O'Clock
last night at Blue Store, Point Coupe,
thirty miles above Baton Rouge. She had
a lumber OF passengers on board. Her
cargo consisted of cotton and seed. Seyc-
raj lives are reported lost, but Captain
James i. Muse, who was in command,
telcaraphs that only one person. the porter
Of the boat, is known to be lost. The boat
and her cargo are total loss.
The J. VI. White was built in 1873 al q
cost OF S225,C00. She was regarded by
many n the finest and fastest boat ever run
on the Mississippi river. She was owned
by Captain John W. TObin. The insurance
on the boat l. $4,000, and her cargo IL I'M
doubtedly fully insured.
when the White took fire she was lying
at Point Coupe taking on cotton. She had
on board $500 bales OF cotton and 5000
sacks OF seed. This makes the cargo
valued at Sl5O,O0O. Thomas Barry, second
cnglnecr OF the White, was on duty when
the ire broke out in The cotton amidship.
He saws that for q time he thought the fire
WAS under control, but II finally gained
such Roadway that they could do nothing
with il. He states that the fire spread 80
rapidy that the boat in few minutes
was wrapped in flames. lie thinks
there were ten or twelve lives
lost. including cOlored fireman and
two colored chimbermaids. one Of them
named Martha Washington. The second
cook (co!ored) was also lost. lie also re-
ports the loss OF Captain Bird Floyd, the
Superintendent of the Nidaia railroad, with
his wife and daughter, who were paSsen'
cels. He knows nothing as TO the number
of passengers that were aboard, but thinks
nClc were not very many. He believes
tt,re were some women and children on
dc"k.
Evidence is accumulating that there were
many more lives lost than the story OF the
cncinCer given above would indicate, no.
outstanding the reas>uring telegram from
Tie stcamcT'- captain.
several survivor, Of the disaster reached
this city tO.Cay by the Valley
railroad from Baton Rouge. They had
been taken to that point by the steamer
Stella Wilde, which came along soon after
the destruction OF the White. Colonel ;.
l.. James. a passenger, who was taken to
his room, No. ~ Prytania street, on his
arrival, is in a critic Il condition. He states
that the sight was hOrrilying and could
not be described. Colonel James positively
declared that there must have been sixty
persons lost.
William McGreeyy, the chief engineer OF
the boat says: About 1910 O'Clock last
night, while lying at DR.. Frette's place,
above the pOstOllice landing at Point
Coupe, at which place the boat was loading
cotton-sced, a fire broke out amidship be-
tween the engines, on top Of the cotton
below The boiIer.dcck. Engineers Barry
and Jenny, who were on watch, gave the
alarm, and the pumps were put 10
work, but without avail. The watch
man gave the alarm by ringing the
btl. Clerks Callahan and Bell aroused
the people in the cabin. The fire
spread rapidly, ard in less than fifteen
minutes the boat had burned TO the Yates
edge. There were four kegs OF powder in
the magazine and the moment the fire
reached them the flames shot up about 100
feet. The sight was the most heartrending
ever witnessed. The slricking oil the
women and children for help was awful
He saw the superintendent of the Nidalla
railroad, standing aft Of the ladies caDin,
throw his little daughters into the water.
lie stood there and burned to death with
his wife. There were in the cabin
nine lady passengers and abOHt eight men,
At New Texas twenty deck passengers
were taken on board. All are supposed to
be lost. II is learned that Andrew Pierce,
a sailor, and Antonio Rcbutia. a fireman,
are the ones 10 whom all credit OF saving
survivors i due. Al Of the officer, and
nearly all Of the crew escaped. -Four or
five OF The cabin crew only are known 20
be lest. No authentic liz, OF the lives lost
can be maze. The name, given are OF
those personally known TO some Of the sur
yiYOrS.
a Graphic Account of the Di&asfer.
NEW ORLEANS, December 1.-THE states
ha, the following account, gathered fIom
The officers and crew: The boat had
landed to take on pile OF cotton seed, and
there were between thirty-ive and f0ItY
roc,tabouts engaged In this work, when
precisely at 1915 O'Clock everybody VA,
startled BY the loud ringing OF the bell by
Waterman Miller. Immediately after the
c.v Of fire /" was taken mp hy twenty
voices. III an instant the drc.t confusion
rCioucd. Men daTtcd 10 and fro, and the
work OF arousing the sleeping passengers was
beeun. Tie fire was discovered by Thomas
Barry, the second engineer, who, with his
partner, Steven Janncy, was on watch At
Tie time. The first intimation he bad OF
the fire was small light on top Of row Of
cutlou-balcs amidships which greatly re-
.embled the flame Of lantern. Barry left
his post TO investigate, and was astOnished
10 discover that the light was caused by
bslc ot cotton briSkly burning. He gave
Toe alarm. and bi. voice rang through the
dcck.room Of the vessel. Waterman Miller
took in the situation at once and rang the
huge bell locked On the second deck. Mil
Ter
STOOD 10 HIS rOs1,
ringing the bell until hc was forced 10 re-.
treat by the fast-cncroaching flames. The
noi,e Of the Changing bell aroused William
McGreeyy. chief engineer, who was asleep
in the Texas. lie spfang ont OF bed
and CROPPED his way through the smoke 10
wake up his partner. John Pallaser, the
second assistant engineer, who was asleep
in The forward part Of the Texas.
About midway he Net Pallaser. who had
also been aroused by the bell, and was on
his way TO hunt for NcGreeyy. The two
men then looked a. best they could through
the sitting smoke iOr others who slept in
the Texas. but not seeing any one. and be-
lieying that all but themselves had LETT
ihty crawled out on the hurricane deck