The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-12-25
The Loss s.. Of Life Estimated
at ThiFty-Fiye.
OFFICERS HEROIC CONDUCT.
Many Narrow Escapes- The missing
May Run the Casualties Up to
SIxty-Heavy Loss 6,ys ,t

was discovered about O'Clock. The
passengers were at breakfast, and
when the alarm was given they all made
2 rush for the forward deck At the
time the steamer was about
800 yards from thu Mississippi side CT
the river, and her bow was at once
headed for the shore. Pilot Joe.
Barton was on watch and he
REMAINED HE9oICALLY AT HIS POST
until she was safely landed. Harry
Best, the second clerk, who was seated
at the table when the alarm was given,
had brought all the ladies and children
forward and assisted them ashore.
Captain Mark II. Cheek, who was on
the hurricane deck, remained there,
giving his commands until the stage
plank was safely lowered. The ire by
this time had spread all through the
cabin, and he was compelled to retreat
to the rear and climbed over the rails
and descended to the cabin. Here he
found.
CHIEF CLERK GLANKER,
who had made an effort to save the
money and papers of the steamer,
which were in the safe. He seized the
m 9ney, but nearly lost his life in the
burning cabin. He was rescued by Cap
tain Cheek, who also assisted several
others in securing ifepreservers, and
when it was no longer possible for him
to remain without being burned, he,
- Infn VIZ ctry m
ashore. There were about twenty-five
colored cabin passengers, who were
saved along with the white passengers
On the lower decH, however. @2
A FEARFUL PANIC SEIZED THE CREW
and deck passengers. Those who were
cut off from escape from the bow Yere
compelled to jump overheard to save
their lives. The stern OF the burning
steamer had swung out into the river
and an effort being made to launch her
yawl, it was capsized by the crowd
which filed it, and many occupants
drowned. They were mostly colored
men. but there were three or four women
in the crowd. The lost, as far as can
be learned. are as follows: George
Corbett, third clerk, aged 80 years, who
had launched yawl and was trying to
save the colored women on the lower
deck, he leaves wife, who resides in St.
Louis; Joe Porter, Andrew Reese, Mon
roe Jackson, James Nelson, Senator
Coleman and HIllyard Horton, of the
colored cabin crew Lee Finley, Frank
Wells, colored roustabouts. In addi-
ton, about fifteen deck passengers,
four of whom were white men. were
also drowned in this list.
THE UNKNOWN WERE
three colored women and two children.
They were coming to Memphis to spend
the holidays. The whites had been
working on the Ievees, and their names
and destinations are unknown. The
burning steamer drifted away after
laying at the bank twenty minutes, and
foated down the river, her hull sinking
at the head OF Peters Island, four
miles below Commences. the Kate
adams was owned by the Memphis and
Vicksburg Packet Company. She was
built in 1882, and cost $40, 200. She was
THE FINEST AND FASTEST STEAMER
of her type Oh the river, and her
owners this summer spent 81 800 in re-
pairing her. This would have been the
com. l9t;on of her six hundred and
second trip in the Memphis and Arkan-
sas City trade.
All the passengers and crew arrived
at Memphis this afternoon at o'clock,
having taken the Louisville, New Or
leans q Texas Railway train ct Robin
sonville, which train is eight miles dis
tant in the interior from where the
disaster occurred. The citizens of Com
merce rendered the passengers and crew
every assistance in reaching Robinson
vile, conveying them there in wagons
and every conceivable vehicle that
could be secured. There were 167 from
the Inflated steamer that came to
Memphis. Captain Check is defraying
the expenses of all those who did not
have funds. The passengers and crew
LOST ALL THEIR CLOTHING AND EFFECTS,
and some made their escape to the
shore from the steamer en- diShGbiLle,
but were provided with clothes by the
kind citizens of Commerce. Three of
the colOred cabin crew, who were
rescued from the water, died after
wards. Their names appear in the list
already given. The water being very
cold, benumbed the limbs of those who
jumped overheard, and to this is at
tributed the great loss of life. All
speak in the highest terms of the calm
ness and bravery displayed by the of
6cers. The captain, clerk, pilots and
engineers, all remained at their posts
until the last, and it was through their
efforts and courage that all the lady
passengers were safely taken ashore.
Mrs. John Woods-Hsrris, who was
passenger, jumped from The stage plank
before it had been lowered, and was in
jured internally. Mrs. D. Harris, of
La Coma, also sustained a sprained
ankle bv falling from cotton bale in
descending from the cabin TO the main
deck.
A PRIVATE ACCOUNT.
Colonel J. NJ. Hunter, OF Louisville,