The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-01-23
SUNK BY 4 SNAG.
The Steamer Paris G. Brown
Wrecked at Hermitage, La.
The Ninth Mississippi River Dis
aster in Three Weeks.

A dispatch from New Orleans, La, says:
The ninth steamboat accident on the Missis-
sippi or its tributaries in this vicinity in the
past three weeks has just occurred in the
sinking of the Paris C. Brown, Of the New
Orleans and Ohio River line near Hermitage,
about $50 miles above New Orleans and four
miles from Bayou Sara.
The Brown, while passing Hermitage, was
signaled by the Steamer Oliver Beirne to
land there. The Brown waited for the
Beirne to back out. AS the latter did so she
attempted to land, but struck snag or some
other obstruction. It went completely
through her hull, broke her hog chains in
two, the cabin fell in, and the vessel col
lapsed and became q complete wreck within
two or three minutes.
The shock OF the accident aroused every
one in the boat, and the passengers and ere"
rushed to the front to see what means OF es.
cape there was for them. Nothing could be
done to save the Brown, and 1t was evident
that she would be at the bottom Of the river
in very few minutes. The Captain ordered
the crew to cut the lifeboats loose and
launch them.
Fortunately the accident was seen by .
happened to be on the river bank at the
time He sprang into his skif and rowed to
the sinking steamer. which was only few
yards from shore. He took the lady paSsen-
gers. chambermaids and others to the land,
returned and carried the other passengers
ashore and number Of the crew.
The river was filled with ho2sheads, lum-
Der and other wreckage from the steamer,
and therefore difficult of navigation. The
crew who were not taken OF by Glass s!siff.
endeavored to reach the land by means OF
these floating articles, but. although the dis
tance was very short. nine of them were
carried away into rnidstream by the strong
current OF the river and drowned.
One OF passengers, man named Mitcs.
ell. from Vicksburg. could not be found, and
is supposed to have been locked in his state
room at the time the steamer went down.
the Brown sank within fe & minutes Of the
accident, only the top of the pilot house and
portion Of the 'ttexas' being visible Size
is a complete loss, and so is her cargo
A cabin passenger named Miller, from
Vicksburg: one Of the cabin crew named
William Mitchell, from GaDipolis, Ohio;
ladies' cabin man William Marshall,
of Cincinnati: barber and porter,
names unknown, from Cincinnati;
James Harrison. second pantryman, from
Memphis; William Taylor, night watchman,
from Cincinnati; John Bo'an, sinner. from
Cincinnati; Suel Grey, fireman, of Cincin-
udUtt uiCuou, VI ~'O"
Orleans, were lost.
The cabin passengers saved were: DR.. Gra-
ham and wife of Pawtucket, R. L: Messrs.
Donly and Shafer, and another cabin passen-
ger and wife, names unknown. Of Boston, and
Ben Jolly, of Bayou Paul. A of the crew, ex-
cept as above stated. are accounted for and
saved. One Of the cabin boys got to the river
bank, but could not climb up the slippery
mud, fell back into the river and sank before
aociota ma pnJ,1d ba rapdorad him
The Brown left for Cincinnati on Friday
evening at 5 o'clock. Her cargo consisted
of about 400 TONS mainly sugar and molasses,
and she picked up about 300 tons on the river
on the way up. She had fifteen passengers
aboard her when she left here.
She was owned by Cartain A. NJ Halliday,
Of New Orleans. and Captain Chris. F..
Young. her clerk, who was in command at
the time Of the accident She was valued
at s25.000, and insured for Sl4, 900 in the in
surance agency Of George w. Neare, of Gin.
cinnafI