Morning journal and courier., 1888-12-24
HAITI GIVES UP THE SHIP.
BURNED ON THE m1ssrssIPP1.


 Destruction of the Passenger Steamer Kate Adams Bound For Memphis S ith Two Hundred Passengers On Board-TWenty-Fve Lives Lost Fly Fire and Drowning.
 MEMPHIS, Tenn, Dec. 22.-The elegant passenger steamer Kate Adams, running as a semi-weekly passenger packet between Mem phis and Arkansas City, was burned this morning near Commerce, Miss, forty miles south of this city, and about twenty-five lives were lost. She was enroute to Mem phis and had about two hundred people aboard, including her deck and cabin crew of eighty and twenty-five cabin and sixty deck passengers, besides twenty-five co1ored cabin passengers. The fire, which caught in some cotton near the forward end of the boilers, was discovered about eight o'clock. The passengers were at breakfast, and when the alarm was given they all made rush for the forward deck. At the time the steamer was about three hundred yards from the Mississippi side of the river and her bow was at once headed for the shore. Pilot J. A. Barton was on watch and he remained hero. ically at his post until she was safely landed.
 FUTILE EFFORTS TO SAVE vALUABLEs.
 Second Clerk Best was seated at the table when the alarm was given. He brought all the ladies and children forward and assisted them ashore. Cadtain Mark Cheek, who was on the hurricane deck, remained there giving his commands until the stage plank was safe- lY lowered. The fire by this time had spread all through the cabin and he was compelled to retreat to the rear ana climbed over the rail and descended to the cabin. Here he found Chief Clerk w. Q. Banker, who hed made an effort to save the money and papers of the steamer, which were in the safe. He managed to grab the money, but was cut off from the bow and forced back into the cabin. As he was groping his way aft he stumbled and fell over some chairs and lost all the val uables he had secured and it was with great difficulty thst he succeeded in reaching the rear through the blinding smoke and flames which filled the cabin. Captain Cheek seized 8 life-preserver and placing it on Chief Clerk Blanker, helped him overheard into the water. He foated down about three miles before he was rescued by parties who had walked ashore and followed him down the river.
 Captain Cheek assisted several others in securing life preservers and when it was no longer possible for him to remain without being burned he too jumped into the river and swam ashore. There were about twenty five colored cabin passengers who were saved along with the white passengers. On the lower deck, however, fearful panic seized the crew and deck passengers. Those who were cut off from escape from the bow were compelled to jump overheard to escape the flames. The stern of the burning steamer had swung out into the river and an effort was made to launch the yawl, but it was cap sized by the crowd which filled it and many all colored men, but there were three or four women in the crowd.
 NAMES OF THE LOST.
 The lost, so far as can be learned, are as follows: George Corbet, third clerk, aged thirty years, who had launched the yawl and was trying to save the colored women on the lower deck; Joe Porter, Andrew Reese, Mon- roe Jackson, Jim Nelson, Senator Coleman and Hillard Horton of the colored crew; Lee Findlay and Frank Wells, colored roust- abouts. In addition to the fifteen deck pas senRers, four of them white men, three col- ored women and two children were drowned. Three of the oolored cabin crew who were rescued from the water died afterwards. The whites had been working on the levees and their names and destination are unknown. John Harris, passenger jumped from the stage plank before it had been lowered and was internally injured.
 VALUE OF THE STEAMER,
 The burning steamer drifted away after laying at the bank for twenty minutes, and floated down the river, her hull sinking at the head of Peter's Island below Commerce. The Kate Adams was owned by the Memphis and Vicksbury Packet company, of which Major John B. Adams of Little Rock is presi- dent. She was built by John H. Reese & Sons of Pittsburg, Pa, in 1882 and cost $102, ,000. She was the finest and fastest steamer of her type the Mississippi river, and her owners this summer spent $20, GOO in repairing her at Psducah. She was insured for $33, ,750. This would have been the com pletion of her 602d trip in the Memphis and Arkansas City trade. He cargo consisted of 1 161 bales of cotton, 300 sacks of cotton seed, S7 bags of seed and good list of sun- dries. The cotton was consigned to Mem phis merchants and was fully insured in their Fontaine & Go. and Thomas Allen & Co. were the largest consignees.
 The safe contained $5,000, and $2,OOO of this belonged to passengers who had given it to the clerk for safe keeping. The passen- gers and crew lost all their clothing and eff I fects and some made their escape ashore en deshabile. The water was very cold and be- numbed the limbs of those who jumped overheard. To this is attributed the greatest | loss of life. All speak in highest terms of I the coolpess and bravery displayed by the officers of the boat, all of whom remained at | their posts until the last, and it was through their efforts and courage that all the lady passengers were saved.
 l A later despatch reports that it is impossi- | ble to definitely ascertain how many lives were really lost, but conservative estimate l places the number at not less than 35. It ! may possibly reach 50.