, 1888-12-27
ANOTHER DISASTER.
Nanv Lives Lost on Y MiSsis-
sippi Steamer.
rHR JOHN IL. HANNA BURNED.
a r.rr,bic Taio OF Suffering Among the
Passengers and Crew OF the Ih-Fsssa
Craft-DctaiIs of the Disaster.

NEW ORLEANs, Dec. 26-The burning
Of the steamer john Il. Hanna Monday
night, near this place, WAS one OF The most
Serrible river disasters that ever happened
in Southern waters. The loss 10 very
heavy. About thirty perished in the
I, 1ames and . large number jumped ever
BOARD and were dDwned. Among the
lost are Captain James S. Holmes and
First Clerk Samuel Il. Powell. Their
bodies have been recovered, Capt Holmes
body was terribly burnt. One OF the deck
hands who escaped says there were about
100 persons on board and that only about
. dozen could bs found alive. The enRi-
neer and pilot were saved. All who CO.
saped were burned more or less severely.
CONFUSION ABOARD.
The boat was but a short distance above
town when q negro roustabout near the
boiler room ran out on deck and shouted
chat the boat was on fire. John Cullen,
stoker, was at his place at the time, and
seeing the flames bursting forth from the
big tierces OF cotton, ran to the engine
room and gave the alarm. Engineer
herriman took in the situation at a glance
and ut once sounded the alarm by blowing
the steam whistle and ringing bells. In an
Infant the flames shot through the cabin
and over the sides Of the cotton, enveiop-
ing the entire boat in fire. Clerk Powell
WAS up stairs at the time and when he
saw the flames he heroically ran through
the smoke. which filed the cabin, and
tried TO arouse the sleeping people. lie
kicked at the doors of the staterooms, and
in q short time almost everybody
was awake. Great confusion fol-
lowed, and the frantic people ran
70 different exits to make their escape, but
the boat was piled high with cotton and
the passage ways were filed with smoke.
Many dropped before they were able to
the forward part OF the boat and were
dead when the steamer went down. As
soon as the Ere was discovered Engineer
Nerriman set the steam pumps working
and tried TO battle with the flames, but the
xre swept through the boat like the blaze
on prairie, and the enRine-room WAS
soon in flames. Then, 10 add to the con-
sternation, u steam. pipe burst and filed
sho place with scaldinR steam. The en-
Rineer was forced to abandon his post
and he, with the stokers and others. ran to
the sides OF the boat and rushed through
!. nall NELL to save themselves. As soon as
smoke and flames began TO start up
J the sides Of the boat, Captain Jolles, the
pilot, swung the wheel around and headed
the boat for the shore. A full head OF
steam was on and the boat ran into the
bank. Before she did 30, however. she
was doomed All her timber was furious
ly burning. When the steamer struck the
bank she bounded away again, swinging
around and drifting down stream as she
burned. Then Captain Jolles jumped out
over the cotton bales, and springinR into
the river swan ashore.
The sight was weird one as viewed
from the bank aud the town was aroused.
THE STRUGGLE PoR LIFE.
Floating cotton, cburred timbers and
other debris filed the river, ana many
people were struggling desperately In the
able TO swim ashore, but most OF them
were 80 badly burned or thoroughly ex-
hausted that they struggled bnt few
moments and sank to rise no more.
sPRANG Ashore.
A the burning boat struck the bank of
the river, the crew and passengers who
had been able TO reach the forward end of
the boat sprang ashore, some OF them
with scorched faces and bruised limbs,
and many with scarcely any covering.
HEARTRRHDIsa SCENE.
Among those who managed to get of
were Captain Nolmes and Bob Smith, the
unfortunate pilot of the ill.fated boat. who
WAS passenger. Both men were burned
nigh unto death, and the story Of the man
ner in which they suffered is most heart
rending. When the captain jumped
ashore he was horribly burned, and in his
J frantic desire TO be relieved from the pain
he was suffering he buried his face and
hands In soft mud and begged most pit
eouely for some one TO help him. Smith
vas lust behind and was laid out BY the
side of the dying captain.
Nothing could be done for the suffering
men and they died together on the river
bank.
PEOPLE FLOCK TO THE BANK.
Plaquemine was not slumbering when
the IRE broke out, and when the discovery
was made that the Hanna was burning al
moet the entire town flocked 10 the river
bank and watched the vessel burn. StruR-
Cling unfortunates who reached the shore
were taken care OF. and doctors and others
came to their assistance and tried to al
leviate their suferines. The City and
Central hotels, and private houses, were
thrown open to all the ill.fated people, and
food and clothing furnished them.
SENDING THE NEWS HOME.
Survivors telegraphed accounts of the
Eisaster to their homes.
No one saw Clerk Powell, who displayed
much heroism in waking up passen-
gers after he had raped at their doors,
and It Is quite positive he was burned ,tc
death and went down with the steamer
NO attempt was made to save any of the
steamers books or papers and everything
was lost.
I The boat burned rapidly after she
reached the bank, and In very shorl
nme after the alarm was given she had
burned to the waters edge. Her hui
sank and nothing was left Of the Hams
oup noating timber and burning cotton.
THE BOAT cRKw.
The crew OF the boat were. J, 8. Holmes