The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-24
THE MORNING NEWS,
ESTABLISHED 1850. INCORPORATED 1883,
j. H. ESTlLL, President.
A RIVER STEAMER AFIRE.
THE LOSS OF LIFE ESTIMATED AT
FROM 35 10 80.

Many of the Deaths the Result Of
the Benumbing of Limbs in the Cold
Water-The Monetary Loss Heavy.
MEMPHIS, Dec. 23.-The elegant pas
senger steamer Kate Adams, running as a
semi-weekly packet between Memphis and
Arkansas City, was burned this morning
near Commerce, Miss, forty miles south of
this city. She was en- route for Memphis,
and had about 200 people aboard, including
her deck and cabin crew Of SC, and 25 cabin
and 60 deck passengers, and % colored
cabin passengers.
THE ALARM AND THE PANIC.
The fire, which caught in some cotton
near the forward end of the boilers, was
discovered about o'clock. The passengers
were at breakfast, and when the alarm was
given they all made a rush for the forward
deck At the time, the steamer was about
300 yards from the Mississippi side of the
river, and her bow was at once headed for
the shore.
HEROES OF THE DISASTER.
Pilot J. A. Barton was on watch, and he
remained heroically 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 chill
dren forward and assisted them ashore.
Captain Mark Cheek, who was on the
hurricane deck. remained there giving his
commands until the stage plank was safely
lowered.
DRIVEN FROM HIS POST.
The fire by this time had spread through
all the cabins, and he was compelled to re-
treat to the rear and climb over the rails,
and descended to the cabin.
Here he found Chief Clerk w. G. Banker,
who had made an effort to save the money
and papers of the steamer, which were in
the safe.
HEMMED IN BY THE FLAMES.
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 val ables he had secured, and it
was with great difficulty that he succeeded
in reaching the rear through the binding
smoke and flames which filed the cabin.
FLOATING FOR THREE MILES,
Capt. Cheek seized life-preserver and
placing it on Chief Clerk Banker, 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.
THE CAPTAIN swMs ASHORE.
Captain Cheek assisted several others in
securins lite-preservers, and when it was
no longer possible for him to remain with
out being burned, he, too, jumped into the
river and swan ashore.
cabin passengers, who were saved along
with the white passengers.
ON THE LOWER DECK.
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 over
board to save their lives. The stern of the
burning steamer had swung ut into the
river, and an effort was made to launch a
yawl 1t was copsized by the crowd which
TILED it. and many of its occupants drowned.
They were mostly colored men, but there
were three or four women in the crowd.
SOME OF THOSE LOST.
The lost, SO far as can be learned, are as
follows:
GEORGE CoRBET. third clerk, aged SO
years. who had launched the yawl and was
trying to save the colored women on the
lower deck. He leaves wife, who resides
in St. Louis.
JOSEPH PORTER.
ANDREW REEs.
MONROE JACKSON
JAMES NELSON.
SENATOR COLEMAN.
HILLIARD HORTON.
The six last named were part of the col
ored cabin crew.
LEE FINLEY, a colored roustabout.
FRANK WELLS, a colored roustabout.
FIFTEEN DECK PASSENGERS DROWNED.
In addition about fifteen deck passengers,
four of whom were white men, were also
drowned. In this list Of unknown were
three colored women and two children.
They were Dming to Memphis to spend the
holidays. TIE whites had been working on
the levees and their names and destination
are unknown.
THE BLAZING HULL AFLoAT.
The burning steamer drift ed away, after
lying at the bank twenty minutes, and
hoated down the river, her null sinking at
the head of Peters island, four miles below
Commerce.
The Kate Adams was owned by the
Memphis and Vicksburg Packet company.
She was built by James Rees & Sons of
Pittsburg, IN 1882, and cost S102,OOO
BEST OF HER TYPE.
She was the finest and fastest steamer of
ner type, and ner owners tnlS su nmer sFenC
$50, 900 in repairing her at Paducah. She
was insured for $33, $50 in st. Louis, Gin
cinnati and other foreign Offices. This
would have been the completion of her
6O2nd trip in the Memphis and Arkansas
City trade.
HER OFFICERS.
Her officers were: Mark r. Cheek, cap
tain; w. c. Bunker, Harry Best, George
Corbett and William Donahue, clerks
William Hodges and Joseph Barton, pilots
Lewis Bolto and Richard Young, engineers
Thomas Allen and Frank Brady, mates
Jeremiah Matson, steward.
HER CARGO.
Her cargo consisted of ,16l bales of cot
ton, 1000 sacks Of cotton seed, 81 bags OF
seed, aud good list of sundries. The cot
ton was consigned to Memphis merchants,
and was fully insured in their open policies.
Fader, Frank S1 Co., Hill, Fontaiue g. Co.,
and Thomas Hallen 81 Co., were the largest
consignees
THE CABIN PASSENGERS.
The cabin passengers who were on board
were Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas McLemore and
two children. of Bolivar county, Miss. {;
Mrs. Maggrefeld, of Memphis; John Cuehn
and five children, of Rosedale Miss. A. NJ
Harris and wife, of Laconia, Miss. Mrs.
johnson and child of Lac1nia: Capt L. &.