New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-15
LOST ON ABURNING STEAMER
DISASTER ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.
THE STEAMER J. NJ. WHITE DESTROYED BY FIRE AT
BAYOU sARA-FRTGHrPrL LOSS OF LIFE.
fBr TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUSE.I

BAYOU sARA-rRTGHrFrL LOSS OF LIFE
fBr TELEGRAPH TO TIE rRrsUSE.I
NEw-ORLEASs, Dec. 14.-The steamboat J. NJ White,
next to the largest steamboat plying the Mississippi
River was burned at IL o'clock last night while lying at
landing known the Blue Store, about six miles ABOVE
Bayou Sara There were on board eighteen or moro
cabin passengers, including eight lades number ex
actly how many s unknown Of colored passengers on
that part OF the boat devoted people OF that race many
deck passengers and q crew of about seventy
men. The boat had O cargo OF $500 bales
OF cotton 5000 sacks Of cotton seed ana
800 barrels of OIL The manner In which inc
cotton piled either side Of the boat created sort
OF ue through which strong current OF air rushed ana
famed the ames and sixteen minutes after the re was
discovered the magnificent boat burned to the waters
edge and her immense had either been consumed
fallen into the river and total loss Most OF the
passengers had retired when the watchman OF the boat
discovered small fame the donkey engine situated
in the centre Of the boat He the ALARM and Thomas
Barry, engineer and his assistant, steve" Rainey I'M
mediaely turned stream Of water on the fire. but so
rapid was its spread ercey did 1t thatth water
had no effect whatever and they compelled to run
from the ames and barely escaped with their ves Doth
being scorched Steve" Callahan the third clerk or
the boat had just retired to his and was partly u
dressed when he heard the alarm Of fire. He Immediately
out half undressed he and met g. W. Floyd'a
steamboat who had been in command OF the steamer
W. 8. Hays lust before che was laid up short
time ago. He was passenger on the White
He said to Callahan LET us rouse
the passengers" and the two through the cabin
knocking at the stateroom DOORS There was no uhe 10
do anything but hammer on the doors and cry fire
Having passed entirely through the cabins they started
to seek safety for themselves Floyd advised going 10
the hurricane deck and from there jumping into the
river, but Callahan urged return through the cabin ana
depart from the boat by the plank The decision
reached in and in less time than 1t takes
to tell 1t they were OH their way throueh
the cabin. Scarcely had they started now
ever, when smoke burst through the caoh
floor quickly followed by flames They were surrounded
second. The smoke sitting and the heat was In
tense. Callahan became almost unconscious. hut man
aged sagger the furnace to the guards ana 10
life preserver The air revived him ana aduse
ing the life preserver he Jumped into the river ana sue
ceeded in reaching the shore Floyd was never seen
again after Callahan parted with him in the cabin lie Is
supposed have been by the smoke to have
fallen the floor and thus pershed He sacrificed his
life to those OF other people.
As Callahan swan for the shore he saw three negro
in the clnging to the rudder OF the burning
When he reached land he turned to see wnat hao
become of them but they had disappeared and were no
doubt lost. Andrew Pearson. white man. who held the
position in the steamer known saorman as soon as
alarm givcn lowered OF the yaw ooats i'o
the river As gotit down threcother men, whose names
could not be learned, his assistance The four
men were badly burned getting the boat into thc
water and Callahan sustained severe injuries otherwise
by fall he stepped from the burning steamer ihlo tne
boat But Notwithstanding their hurts the lour gianI
men rowcd around the burning boat ana SUCCEEDED III
picking M between forty and fifty ncone VINO were noa
ing in the river The number Included three women VINO
were completely surrounded by burning cotton DaIes
Among the passengers was superintendent SILoIu "
the Nandaa Railroad. with his wife and two chlhiren IL
Is stated that on finding retreat 10 the shore cut OIL nc
buried to the hurricane deck with Ills iniy ne TOOK
the children and threw them into the river, noplhS no
doubt that they would be picked up but before he couu
get his wife over where lie doubt intended 10 foloW
the deck fell i'm the two carried down mo lne
roaring flames. The number or Nes lost Is not
knon ana II Is varonsly estimated at between nitech
and thirty Among those known TO be osare the oow-
ipg
BELL yofsIS.-Iaborer.-
BRowS, ALBERT-c oored. cabnboy.
FLOYD G. VA wcIl-known steamboat man.
Jackson, EDwARD-COlored cabinboy.
LANDRY OsCAR-l 'Oored, pastry cook
MCC ABE AGNES, Mss, OF West Felcien, Louisiana.
MARTIN, LARIs-SccOnd cook.
MURRAY, Mrs. of Natchez.
OBERCuAIS, Mr., OF Kentucky
PARKER, JOIIN-Colored. cabinboy.
RoBINsON, LEVI ColOred. captain OF the watch
RANDOLPH, RICHARD-C Coored the fireman
STAFFORD. |. H., wife and daughter. of Vdala.
WALKER, FANNIE-Colored, chambermald ,
WAsIIINGroN. Manufactured chambermald
WILLIAMS BENJAMIN-COlored, cabinboy.
-FOUR COLORED observation-disclosures unknown.
The j. NJ White was built at IA cost of S225,OOO. but
was only insured for $2750O in local and Louisville
agencies The cargo most OF 1t insured no doubt
OH opcn pocies but as the books OF the boat were lost II
is not known who shippers consgnees were ana II
will many days before the insurance loss OF the co