The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-12-24
A RIVER STEAMER BURNED.
Between Thirty.fiVe and Fifty Believed
to Have Perished.
The Fast and Fine Packet Kate Ad.
ans the Victim Of the Flames.
She is Run Aground and Many Reach
the River Bank.
UDfOrtunatpS on the Lower Deck Cut
Off by Smoke and Flame.
Officers Calamity Stick TO Their Posts
Of Duty.
Doing Their Best to Save the Lives
Under Their Care.


MEMPHIS, Tenn. Dec. 23.-The elegant
passenger steamer Kate Adams, running as
semi-weekly packet between Memphis and
Arkansas city, was burned this morning
near Commerce, Miss, 40 miles south Of this
city, and about 25 lives were lost. She was
en- route to Memphis, and had about 200 peo-
pie aboard, including deck and cabin crew
of 80, and % cabin and 60 deck passengers,
besides % colored passengers. The fire
caught in some cotton near the forward end
of the boilers, and was discovered at about s
O'Clock. The passengers were at breakfast,
and all made a rush for the forward deck
The steamer was about 800 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 remained hero
ically at his post until she was safely landed.
Harry Best, the second clerk, was seated at
the table when the alarm was sounded. He
brought all the ladies and children forward
and assisted them ashore.
Capt. Mark Cheek, who was on the hurri-
cane deck. remained there giving, command,
until the stage plank was safely lowered.
The fire by this time had spread all through
the cabin and he was compelled to retreat to
the stern. He climbed over the rails and
descended to the cabin. Here he found
Chief Clerk w. c. Banker, who had 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 cropping his way aft, he stumbled
and fell over some chairs and lost all the
valuables. With great difficulty ha succeed
ed in reaching the rear through the binding
smoke and flames. Capt. Cheek seized a life
preserver, and placing it on Chief Clerk
Bianker helped him overheard into the wa
ter. He fioated down about three miles be-
who walked along the shore and followed
him down the river. Captain Cheek assist
ed several others in securing life preservers
and when 1t was no longer possible for him
to remain without being burned, he too
Jumped into the river and swan ashore.
There were about 25 col0red cabin passen-
gers who were saved along with the white
passengers. On the lower deck, however, a
fearful panic seized the crew and the deck
passengers. Those cut off from escape from
the bow were compelled to jump. overheard
to escape the flames. The stern had swung
out into the river and an effort was made to
launch the yawl, but it was capsized by the
crowd which filled 1t, and many Of its 0ccn-
pants drowned. Nearly all the colored were
men but there were three or four women in
the crowd.
The lost, so far as learned, are George Cor
bet, aged 80, who had launched the yawl, and
was trying to save the colored women on the
lower deck; Joe Porter, Andrew Rees, Mum
roe ns Jsesson Jim Nelson Senator Coleman
crew; Lee Findley and Frank Wells, colored
roustabouts. In addition, about fifteen deck
hands, four of them white men, three color
ed women and two children, were drowned.
They were coming to Memphis to spend the
holidays The whites had been working on
the levees and their names and destinations
are unknown. The burning steamer drifted
away after laying at the bank twenty min
utes and fioated down the river, her hull
sinking at the head of Peters Island, four
miles below Commerce.
The Kate Adams was owned by the Men,
phis and Vicksburg Packet Company, of
which Major John ID. Adams, of Little Rock,
is president She was built by James Rees
d Sons of Pittsburg, In 1882, and cost $l02,-
600. She was the finest and the fastest
steamer Of her type on the Mississippi. The
her at Paducah. She was insured for
$33, ,750. The cargo consisted of 1161 bales of
cotton, 1900 sacks Of cotton s. ed, 81 bags of
seed and a good list Of sundries. The cot
ton was fully insured. The safe contained
about $4,000, about $1,000 belonging to pas
sengers,, Tie passengers and crew
lost all their clothing and effects
but were provided with clothing by citizens
of Commerce. Three Of the c0lored cabin
crew we're rescued from the water but died
already given. The water was very cold
which benumbed the limbs of those who
jumped overheard, and to this is attributed
the greatest loss Of life. All speak in the
highest terms of the GOODNESS and bravery
Displayed by the officers, all of whom re-
manned at their posts until the last. 1t was
through their efforts and courage that all the
lady Passengers were safely taken ashore.
John Woods Harris, a passenger, jumped
from the stage plank beforeeit had been low
cred and was internally injured.
Over Thirty-five Lost.
MEMPHIS, Dec. 23.-[Later.]-It is impos-
sible to definitely ascertain how many lives
were really lost. but conservative estimates
place the number at not less than 35, and it