Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-12-26

J. s. Holmes, Master of the boat Samuel
Powell, Chief Clerk Bob Smith, the pilot,
from Smlthland, La; Mike O'Neill, night
watchman; Joe Crane, cabin watchman /;
Monroe Deck, first cook Jack Duffa, sec
ond cook; ice Harvey, cabin boy Jim
Watson second baker; John Grafton,
carpenter.
Among those who were badly burned are
Dan Carroll, steward Jim O'Neill deck
hand; John Giboons. sailorman Louis
Welch, roustabout, and number Of
others.
Coming down on the boat as passengers
were number of the crew of the steamer
Josie w, all of whom were saved.
Survivors were warm in their praise of
the humane people of Plaquemine, who
spared no pains and no money to furnish
them clothes and shelter after their terri
bic experience. w. L. Brule, Mayor of
the city. was especially kind to the surviy-
ors.
THE DEADLY CIGARETTE.
None OF the men could say what was the
origin OF the fire. The general impression,
however, is that some careless smoker
threw cigarette among the cotton bales,
and thereby caused the disaster.
SHOCKING SCENES OF DEATH.
The death of John Grafton, the carpenter,
was sad one. He was in the upper Dor.
ton OF the boat struggling to get near the
front end. The flames were twisting and
sweeping all about him. He tried to reach
the bow, but dropped and burned to death
before scores OF people, who were unable
to render him any help.
The second baker of the boat said that
Mr.. Powell was standing near him, when
they both jumped into the water. Powell,
who could not swim, climbed on floating
cotton bale, but TWO deck hands Jumped
on the bale, turning it over and 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
| reache the bank in safety became begged
in the soft mud, and so intense was the
heat from the boat that they were burned
to death before they could climb up the
steep bank to the top OF the levee.
The hre was SO rapid that before the pilot
had finished sounding the alarm whistles
the entire boat, from stem to stern, was a
mass of flames, and the scene that ensued
was terrible in the extreme Men yelled
and ran about the decks of the burning
steamer like maniacs, and others screaming
at the tops of their voices, threw themselves
into the dark waters, and were lost to sight
in the twinkling of an eye.
The second barkeeper said that several
persons near him struggling in the water
begged for help, but he could not render
them any assistance, because the water had
chilled him to the marrow, and his cloth
ing clogged his every movement.
The cahin-boy, who was the assistant of
the steward, said the crew, who were in
the texas" were aroused from their slum-
bers by the flames which roared over them,
and 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.
This evening the impression prevails
| that the number of lives lost may not ex-
ceed thirty, although, owing to the fact
| that the steamers papers were all burned,
1t is difficult to get at the exact number of
people on board the ill-fated boat.
On the arrival of the train in this CITY
| ambulances were at the depot, and all the
survivors of the disaster who were suffer-
ing from severe burns were at once con-
veyed 10 the Charity Hospital.
NO LADIES ON BOARD
Steward Carroll says that the last of the
| lady passengers on the boat coming down
got of at Baton Rouge He claims that
among the passengers that were aboard at
the time of the fire were Captain C. z.
Montgomery, Mr.. Harpin, of the Board OF
Underwriters, and drover and his son.
They were all saved.