Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-12-24

were: Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas McLemore
and two children, Bolivar county, Miss;
Mrs Maggie Fields, Memphis; Mrs. John
Queen and five children, Rosedale,
Miss; DR.. Harris and wife, Laconia,
Miss; Mrs. johnson and child, Laconia;
Captain T. C., Gloster, assistant engineer
of the Mississippi levee board; John
Woods Harris, Memphis; Captain Elisha
Evans, Memphis, and W. P. Jackman,
agent of the American Cotton Seed Oil
Trust Company. There were several
other male passengers, but their names
could not be learned. The safe con-
tanned
ABOUT $4,000,
about $4,000 of which belonged to the pas
sengers, who had given it to the clerk for
safe keeping. All the passengers and
crew arrived at Memphis this afternoon,
having taken the Louisville, New Orleans
and Texas Railroad train at RObinsville,
eight miles in the interior from where the
disaster occurred. The citizens of Com
merce rendered the passengers and crew
every assistance in reaching Robinsville.
There were l67 from the Inflated steam
er that came to Memphis, Captain Cheek
defraying the expenses of all those who
did not have funds. The passengers and
crew lost all their clothing and effects,
from the burning steamer
IN DIsHABILLE
who were provided with clothes by kind
citizens of Commerce. Three of the
colored cabin crew who were rescued
from the water died afterwards. Their
names appear in the list already given.
The water was very cold and it numbed
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. The captain, clerks,
pilots and engineers all remained at
their posts until the last
and il was through their efforts and
courage that all the lady passengers were
safely taken ashore. John Woods Harris,
who was a passenger, jumped from the
stage plank before it had been lowered
and was
INTERNALLY INJURED.
Mrs. DR.. Harris of LacOnia, also sus-
tanned a sprained ankle by falling from
cotton bale in descending from the cabin
10 the lower deck.
Captain Elisha Evans, who is an old
steamboat pilot, was passenger on the
steamer. He was in the piiot-hOuse with
Joe Barton when the fire was discovered
and aided in safely landing the steamer.
He then came down and assisted Clerk
Harris to get the women and children
ashore. John d. Adams, principal
owner of the steamer, arrived early this
morning from Little Rock. He was on
the bluff about noon looking for the boat
10 arrive when informed that she had
burned at Commerce.
Colonel j NJ. Hunter of Louisville,
collector of the New York Mutual Life
Insurance Company, who was passen
ger on the Inflated Kate Adams, gives Il
thrilling account of his experience on
board the steamer. When the alarm was
given he was at breakfast, and hastily
repaired to his StateTOom to save
his effects. By the time he gathered his
valise he found his escape by the way of
the bow Of the boat was cut off by the
flames which had spread with lightning
like rapidity and he made for the stern
of the boat. The distance to the stern
was fully 100 yards and he saw at
glance it was to be death or Il swim so he
disrobed himself and securing 4 life pre-
server, he prepared for the struggle. lie
remained aboard until almost suffocated
by smoke and as the wheeIhouSe of the
steamer fell in he jumped overheard and
after
A STRGGLE IN THE WATER
OF ten minutes he succeeded in reaching
shore He had nothing but his under
clothes on, and was given a pair of pants
taken from q white man who had been
rescued from the water, but afterward
died. A negro man also gave him a coat
and hat, and with these coverings he
came to Memphis. Colonel Hunter also
says while he was in the rear of the cabin
he saw cOlored woman throw her three
children into the river and then jump
herself, and all four were drowned.
Mrs. Harry Fields, one of the lady pas
sengerS, said to an associated press re-
porter she boarded the steamer at Friars
Point, Miss. about 2 O'Clock i'll the
morning, and instructed the chamber
maid to awaken her at 10 o CLOCK. IN
stead she was aroused at 1880 O'Clock
and was seated at the breakfast table
when the cry of fire was heard. She paid
little attention to it at first, but when
she saw smoke filling the cabin she ran to
the bow of the steamer, which by this
time had reached the bank, and
TRIED TO JUMP ASHORE.
She failed and fell to the lower deck, a
negro man who was close behind her fol-
lowed her example and likewise failed to
reach the shore, but fell near
her. The fire was scorchng
hot, but the negro gathered her
III his arms and carried her to the bank
and thus saved her from being burned to
death, as she was unable to move after
having fallen from the boiler deck. Mrs.
Fields is positive w. a. Covington, a
planter and merchant of Rosedale Miss,
persisted i'll the flames. She thinks he
must have been suGfocated in his state
room, us he was aboard and nothing has
been seen or heard of him since the dis
aster.
Billy Hodges, one OF the pilots, was i'll
the barber shop getting shaved when the
alarm was sounded. He rushed to the
stern of the boat and providing himself
with life-preserver jumped overheard.
While swimming to shore he found Sam
Robinson struggling in the water and as
sisted him to shore, 1t is reported that
negro murderer who was being brought
back here for trial
persisted ON BOARD THE STEAMER.
He was hanScuffed and the officer in
charge made his escape and left the negro
in his helpless Condition aud he was
burned to death.
The greatest excitement prevailed in
Memphis when the first news of the
disaster was receIve9 here. 1t came
about noon in the shdpe of a private tele-