Evening journal., 1888-12-26
DEATH IN THE FLAMES.
An Awful Christmas Morning
on the Mississippi.
a VESSEL BURNED LIKE TINDER.
The John II. Hanna Cotton laden. Do
stroyed I'm Few nIinutes-Th Thrilling
Scenes and Acts OF Bravery Terrible
Denth OF the Captain aud Pilot.

NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 26-The steamer John
II. Hanna, loaded with cotton, from Ona-
chita, burned at Paquemine, nine-fve miles
north Of here, yesterday morning. The boat
aud cargo are total loss The number of
persons who perished Is estimated at thirty,
and the loss Of life may be much greater, as
the boat had nearly 100 persons ON board,
and only about n dozen 80 far have been ac-
counted for.
AT the time the Gre was discovered the
crew were at their posts Capt Jolles was
at the wheel, and in the pilot house with him
was Bob Smith, a famous Mississippi river
pilot, who was one OF the men on the Robert
f Lee when she burned TO the water's edge
some years ago. Second Engineer Merrimnn
was in the room on duty, and Capt J. s
Holmes, ono Of the finest steamboat men ON
the river, was IN command Of the steamer.
The boat left onroeSunday morning well
laden with cotton She picked up freight all
along, and when she got out Of the Ouachlta
and into the Mississippi she had over $500
bales of cotton
II was Just before Christmas day was be-
Ing ushered in when the fine steamer caught
fre She had reached point a short dis
tance above the town when a negro roust-
about near the boilers ran aft and cried out
that the boat was all afire John Cullen,
stoher was near the place at the time, and
seeing the flames bursting forth from big
tiers Of cotton near the boiler, ran hastily 10
the engine room aud gave the alarm Imme-
diately Engineer Merriman took in the stua-
uorl, and at once sounded the alarm by blow
ing the steam whistle and ringing the bells
In an Instant the flames shot through the
cabin and over the sides Of the cotton, wrap
ping the entire boat In fire
Top Clerk Powell was up stairs at the Time
bld when be saw the flames be heroicaliy ran
through the smoke filed cabin and tried to
arouse the sleeping passengers He kicked at
the doors Of the staterooms, and in short
while everybody was awake
Then there was confusion worse confounded,
and the frantic persons on the boat ran 10
the different exits to make their escape, but
the boat was piled high with cotton and the
passageways were filled with binding smoke.
Many dropped before they were able to get
10 the forward part Of the boat, and were
dead when the steamer went down.
As soon as the fire was discovered Engineer
Merriman set the steam pumps working and
tried 10 battle with the flames, but the fire
swept through the boat like blaze ON the
prairie, aRd the engine room was soon In
flames Then, to add further 70 the con-
sternatiou, the steam pipe burst and filed
| the place with scalding steam. Merrimnn
was forced 10 abandon his post, and he, the
stokers and others ran TO the sides and
climbed through the pitman, In order TO save
their lives
When the smoke and flames began TO shoot
over the sides of the boat Capt Jolies swung
the wheel around and headed her for the
shore A full head Of steam was on at tho
\ time and the boat was soon run into the
bank Before she did, however, she was
doomed, and there was scarcely a bit OF
timber that was not fnriously burning
I When the Hanna struck the bank she
1 bounded away again and swung around,
/ drifting down as she burned Then Capt.
Jolles jumped out over the cotton, and
| springing into the river swan ashore
Floating cotton charred timber and other
debris filed the river, and many people were
struggling desperately in the water for their
lives Some Of them were able 20 swim
ashore, but nearly all We're badly burned or
so exhausted that they struggled but few
moments and sank to rise no more.
As 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 OF them
with scarcely any covering. Among those
who managed to get OFF were Capt Holme.
and Bob Smith, the unfortunate pilot Of th,
III fated Lee, who was passenger on his way
down 70 this city. Both men were burned
nigh unto death When the captain jumped
ashore he was horribly burned, and in hi
frantic desire to be relieved OF the pain h
t,L 4
the soft mud, and begged most plteously fo
some one 70 help him. Smith was just be
hind, and lay down beside the dying captain
Nothing could be done for the suffering men
and the two died together on the river bank
The death of John Crofton was sad one
He was in the upper part Of the boat strug
Cling TO get near the front end The flame
were twisting and sweeping all about him
and soon enveloped him He tried to reac
the bow, but he dropped and burned to deaf
before the eyes Of persons who were not abl
10 render him any assistance
When the discovery was made that Ia
Hanna was burning the entire population @
the town OF PlaGuemine hoczed to the rive
bank and watched the vessel burn Th
struggling unfortunates who reached III
shore were taken care of, and doctors an
others came to their assistance and tried {
, alleviate their sufferings
The following are known to have persisted
Captain J. s. Holmes in command, burne
to death; First Clerk Samuel r. Powell
drowned; Robert S Smith, the old pilot q
the ]. NJ. White; Mike O'Neil, Joe Cram
Monroe Deck, Jack Duff, Jim Watson, job
I Grafton; twenty deck hands
J The engineers and pilots were all saved.
No reliable estimate as 10 how many peop
! were lest can be obtained. One of the dec
I hands who escaped says that they had a ere
Of nearly 100, and only about dozen can b
found
None Of the men could say what was Il
origin Of the fire. The general impression /
r however, that some careless smoker threw
5 cigarette among the cotton and thereb
I caused the disaster.
D ]. W. Hnnley, chief engineer Of the boa
] arrived In this city with the rest of the crew
? He said the fire started in the cotton Just a
5 Of the boilers little before y o'clock. Hanle
continued: II think that Of the crew Of Il
Hanna and that Of the Josie W., who WEI
passengers, the loss Of life is from twenty
, twenty-five The boat, when burning, WI
= lying at the bank of Plaquemine, and Il
D people OF that town treated US with gres
t kindness, and furnished US literally with foe
5 and clothing. Among the lost was negl
}, child Her mother and two colored wome
/ were on the boat and were saved
STILL ANOTHER STEAMER FIRE.
Rurnad 20 fha xv.tarss rdoe-stw ~,