Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-26
Careless smoker threw a cigarette among the
cotton and thereby caused the disaster.

INCIDENTS OF THE HORROR.
The death of John Crofton, the carpenter,
was a sad one. He was in the upper portion
OF the boat. struggling to get to the front
end The flames were twisting and sweep
ing all about him, and soon enveloped him.
He tried nobly to reach the bow, but he
dropped and burned to death before the eyes
of people who were unable to render him as
sistance
The body of Mr. Sam Powell. the chief
clerk of the boat, was found yesterday
morning at about o'clock near Sunshine
plantation, seven or eight miles below Pla-
quemine, floating in the river. The second
barkeeper of the boat said Mr.. Powell was
standing near TO him when they both jumped
into the water. Powell, who could not
swim, got on floating cotton bale. but two
deck hands jumped on the bale also, and
turned it over, throwing Powell into the
WATER and he disappeared
The boat was about fifteen yards from the
shore when great many people plunged
into the river, and several who reached the
bank in safety became logged in the soft
mud, and SO intense was the heat of the
burning boat that they were
ROASTED TO DEATH
before they could Climb up the steep bank to
the fevee. The fire was so rapid that before
the pilot had finished sounding the alarm
whistles the entire boat from stem TO stern
was roaring mass of flames, and the ensu-
ing Scenes were terrible in the extreme. Men
yelled and ran about the decks OF the burn
ing steamer ike maniacs, and others. scream
ing at the top of their voices, threw them
selves into the dark waters and were lost to
sight. The second barkeeper says that sew
eral persons near him struggled in the water
and begged piteously for help, but he could
not render them any assistance because the
water chilled him to the marrow and his
clothing clogged his movements A cabin
boy, who was assistant to the steward, said
that the crew, who we're in the texas, were
| aroused from their sleep by the flames which
roared over them and they were compelled
to dive
HEADLoNG FROM THE ROOF
of the boat into the river, and many of them
were burned to death while in the water.
Dan Carroll, the steward said the first in
timation he had of the fire was when he was
awakened by Lew Rawlings. a Immediately
jumped on the roof from my room, and there
found the fire so strong it knocked me down.
Being unable to rise, l rolled over the best
way | could and fell into the river, and then
swan 200 yards" Mr. Carroll is badly
| burned about his back, arms, hands, and
face, and his left leg is also severely Spraned
He said that the last lady passengers that
we're on the boat on her down trip luckily
| got off at BATON Rouge.
Among the passengers aboard at the time
Of the accident We're: Capt. T. C. Mont
geometry and Mr.. Harpin, of the board of
underwriters, and a drover and bis son, all
of whom were saved.
Mr. j. W Handley, chief engineer OF the
boat, says that the fire started in the cotton,
Just aft the boilers, at little before II
O'Clock Monday night The second engineer
YVES On watch and Immediately blew an
alarm, but so fast did the flames spread, that
in three minutes the entire boat was ablaze
He Jumped overheard from the shore end
and reached the bank Turning round he
saw Capt Holmes struggling in the water,
| and made every effort TO rescue him The
| mud was very deep near the shore and Capt
Holmes could not extricate himself quickly
enough, and the flames soon became too hot
| TO render his rescue possible
Mr. Handley further said: II think that
VI 'ue CRU" VI Tue Iiauiia anu Vi the jose
| W, who were passengers, the loss is from
| twenty to twenty five"
Among the lost was small negro child
Her mother and two other colored women
were on the boat and were saved There
| were no white female passengers aboard as
| far as known. The boat was valued at SIS.
| coo insured for $1,000
| The following are additional names of the
| lost: John Barlow and Jim Blank (colored)
| roustabouts; Dick Blank tcoloredl, mess
room tender; Steplos, John and Monroe
Diggs, cooks; child of Priscilla Wright
| tcoloredl. There were forty-fo roustabouts
| on the Hanna. Of whom thirty three are
| known to be saved leaving eleven unsc
| counted for One thousand dollars vert
found in the pockets of Clerk Powell