The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-29
A FIERY D. ATa.
Many Lives Lost on a Burning
Mississippi Steamboat.
A Stately Vessel Burned Quickly to
the Waters Edge.

The steamboat j. NJ. White, from Vicks-
burg for New Orleans, was burned at 10
o'clock the other night at Blue Store, thirty
miles from Baton Rouge, La. She had about
forty-fivo passengers on board, and many
fatalities occurred. Her cargo consisted
of 2,l0O bales of cotton and 6,00C
sacks of seed, AMI was valued at $50, 1000.
The steamboat was built in 1878 at cost Of
$3.50 She was regarded by many as the
finest and fastest boat on the Mississippi
River.
When tie alarm first sounded Alexander
McVay, the head clerk, was sitting at the
stove in the 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 too rapidly on
him and he was compelled to leave the Office,
Lut not before he succeeded in getting sum
of money out Of the safe. Mr.. McVay then
turned his attention to saving the cabin pas.
sargers, eight ladies and nine or tan men.
The terrified passengers quickly got out,
nearly all OF them in their night garments
Among them was MIR. Stafford, Superinten-
dent Of the Vidalia Southern Railroad. He
had his wife and two children, girls aged nine
and twelve years, with him. He called his
family around him and bade them follow
him. By this time the flames had reached
the cabin and the thick smoke was rolling
through it. The panic-stricken passengers
quickly made for an entrance, some to
the stern and others to the front. The
Superintendent was among those who wentto
the bow. Upon reaching the deck he grasped
his two children. one after the other, and
Al fI,nr, tnfN f1,a riy nfo hn md
his wife cou'd follow, the flames had reached
them and they were burned to death.
The two pilots on warh, John Stout and
Bob Smith, were in the pilot-house and were
compelled to jump into the river, where they
were picked up. 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
burned. Nearly all of these were lost.
While the pas 'enoers and crew were es,ap-
ing FROM the boat the steampipe blew up and
was hurled 800 yards in the air. The force
of the explosi; n also caused over twenty
bales of. burning cotton to be hurled high in
the air, where they revolved several times
and fell back into the river Immediate.
ly after the explosion Shriels were heard
coming from tho stein of the vessel. For an
instant two colore1 women were seen stand
ing on the gallery Just back of the wheel
from view by tie SMOKE and flames and
were not seq again.
The first rart of the boat to give way was
the wheelhCuse. When it fell into the water
the flames swept through the open space it
left in the center of the boat, devouring all
in the way. Those that escaped were taken
away from the S enc by the steamboat Stella
Wild, which plies between Bayou Sara
and Natchez. As the Stella Wild was
l. xI.s,, 30 yIarf h0t
were in the hold of the steamboat White eS-
ploded, and the cotton and burning timber
were hurled in all directions. This virtually
put the fire out, and what was once palatial
steamer was then a blackened wreck. When
the Wild reached ruins, loud cry for
help came from the middle Of the stream.
A boat was lowered. and those in it quickly
pulled in the direction Of the cry. Through
the darknes' they saw the figure Of man
grasping bale Of cotton, but before they
could reach him the bale turned over, and
when it was righted the man was gone.
VIM. McGreevy, chief engineer Of the boat,
makes this statement:
SAT 1910 o'clock last night, while we were
at Points Coupee load:lg cotton. fire was
discovered amidskips on top Of the cotton
below the boilsr de *. Engineers Barry and
fanny, WHO were on watch, gave the alarm.
The pumps were put to work, but with
out avail. Tom Miller, the watchn;ah
gave the alarm by ringing the bell,
and Clerks Callahan and Hill at
once aroused the people in the cabin. The
fire spread rapidly, aud in less than fifteen
minutes the boat had burne1 to the waters
edge There were some kegs Of powder in the
magazine and the moment the fire reached
them the flames shot up over 100 feet high.
The sight was the moss heartrending ever
witnessed by human being. The shouting OF
the women and children for help was awful. "
There were in the cabin nine lady passen-
gers and about eight men. At New Texas
twenty deck passengers were taken on
board. All are Supposed to be lost. 1t is
learned that Andrew Perez, q sailor, and
Antonio Rebatta, a fireman, are the men to
whom oil credit OF saving the survivors Is
due.
Capt. Henry C. Brown, State Engineer,
who was q passenger on the White, esti-
mates the less of life at thirty-six.