The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-12-26

{ A1OIlF0E AfCR-k
first cook; Jack Duff, second cook /:
Joe Harvey. cabin boy; Jim Watson,
second baker; JohR Crofton. earpen-
ter. Among those who are baily
burned are Dan Carroll, steward: Jim
o'Neil. deck hand; John Gibbons.
sailor Louis WEIGH, roRstabout, and
number OF Others. Coming down on
the boat as passengers were n number
OF the crew Of the steamer Josie W.
ali OF whom were saved. The saryiy-
ofs are warm IN praise OF the humane
people at Piaquemine. who spared
No pains and money 10 furnish them
with clothes and shelter after the ter
Eible experience ". l.. Brule. mayor
OF the city. was especially kind 10 the
survivors.
CIGARETTE FIESp'S CRIME
None OF the men could say what vas
the origin Of the fire. The general
Impression. however, is that some
careless smoker threw a cigarette
among the cotton bales and thereby
eaused the disaster.
The death of John Grafton, the car
penter. was sad one. He was il. the
upper portion of the boat. struggling
70 get near the front end. The DANES
we're twisting and Seething all about
him. He tried TO reach the bow. but
dropped and burned 10 death before
scores Of people who were unable to
render him any help. The second
baker of the boat said Mr. PoTeii was
standing near him when they both
jumped into the water. Powell, who
could not swim. climbed on floating
cotton bale, but two deck hands
jumped on the bale. turning il over
and throwing Powell into the water.
and he disappeared.
STICK IL THE HUB AND ROASTED.
The boat was abont Is feet from
shore when a great many people
plunged into the river, and several
who reached the bank in safety he
came begged in the soft mud and so
intense was the heat from the boat
that they were burned to death before
they could climb up the steep bank.
The fire was 80 rapid that the ri OF
had not finished sounding three
alarm whistles when the entire boat
from stem TO stern was a roaring mass
Of flames. and the scene that ensued
was terrible in the extreme Men
yelled and ran about the decks of the
burning steamer like maniacs. and
others. screaming at the tops of their
voices, threw themselves into
the dark waters and were lost
to sight in the twinkiing OF an eve.
The second barkeeper said several
persons near him struggling in the
water begged for help. but he could I
not render them anv assistance be- I
cause the water chilled him TO the I
marrow and his clothing clogged his 1
every movement. A cahin-boy who /
was an assistant of the steward, said Z
the crew, who were in the texas, /
were aroused from slumber by the 4
flames. Which roared over them, and /
were compelled to dive beadlong from I
the roof of the boat into the river. and /
many OF them were burned to death I
while in the water. This evening an I
impression prevails that the number 1
OF lives lost may not exceed 20, /
although, owing TO the fact that the l
steamers papers were all burned, it is !
difficult % get at the exact number on F..
board Of the Inflated boat
70 fassExGERs Issl.
NEw 0ELEaSs, Dec. 25.-0u the ar
Tiva! of the train in this city ambu- /
lances were at the depot and all the
survivors of the disaster who were suf- I
fering from severe burns were at once
10 Charity hospital. Stew
ard Carroll says that the last OF the
lady passengers on the boat coming
down got eff at Baton Rouge He
claims that the only passengers that
were aboard at the time of the fire
were Capt. Z. c. Montgomery, Mr..
Harpin. OF the board of underwriters
and droyer aHd his son. They were
all saved.
ONLY TwENTY-oSE LOST.
LATER-A PicGutHe special from
Plaquemine place the number known
TO be lost by the Hanna disaster "a
five whites and l6 colored.
The names of the additional persons
saved are Mary Ramsey. Priscilla I
Wright and Mile Gentry, colOred
passengers, VIII Marshall cabin boy, /
John Jackson and Thomas Garrow,
both seriously burned. There were
on the Hanna ;iS roustabouts and IL I
belonging to the Josie W, which had
heen laid up at Monroe. OF these S3
are known to be saved, leaving IL I'm /
accounted for.
Following are additional names of
the lost: John Barlow and Jim
Blank, (colored) roustahouts; Dick
Blawe, tcolored) mesS-room tender
SteptOe John and Monroe Diggs.
cooks; child Of Priscilla Wright,
colored.
HORRIBLE DEATH OF CAPT. HOLMES.
\ Tines Democrat special from
Plaquemine gives the following ac-
count of the death Capt. Holme-: The
brave Captain met a most awful death.
He remained al his post OF duty till
every chance To save the lives of pas
sengers had gone. Then he at
tempted 10 swim 70 shore but
it happened to he foggy and
he was seen 20 make frantic endeavorS
to extracate himself without avail.
The burning boat was fast nearing
him. and while be was on his knees in
the mud he put his hands up 10 pro-
tect his hack from the intense hea'.
Ii was an awful moment for those on
shore, who were making every en-
dravor to relieve him with sbiiis and
with ropes from the bank. One man
went out 20 him and placed box b.
tween him and the flames, to protect
him from the increasing heat He
said, Never mind me: III be dead in
a few minutes. ANYWAY" He was d
naliv freed from his terrible situation
by tying 4 rope around his body and
dragging him on the shore: bat too
late. he died about half an hour after