Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-01-04
ANOTHER RIVER HORROR.
A COGtOn-Laden Steamer Burned
at Placquemine, La.
Awful Loss of Life Aboard the
BLAZING John J. Hanna.

Cured at Placquemine, La, when the steam
er John Il. Hanna was destroyed by fire and
many persons were either burned to death
or drowned. just how many lives were
lost will probably never be known, as all the
books and apers of the boat are gone. 1t is
said that there were fully one hundred
persons on the boat, inc. uding passengers and
crew, and that no more than dozen have
been accounted for. Another estimate placed
the number of the lost at thirty.
The Hanna had lett Monroe Ark, Sunday
morning we'll laden with cotton. She picked
up freight all along the Ouachita, and when
she entered the Mississippi she carried over
The steamer was headed down the river,
going at her best gait, when the fire was dis
covered. A ma jorIty of the passengers were
asleep, but quite number were in the dining
saloon eating, saying Merry Christmas" to
as Is possible on small and badly
crowded Mississippi River steamer. The
little party was in the best of spirits
about l o'clock in the morning, when
the cry of Fire fell upon it's ears. A
colored roustabout who had been sleeping
near the boiler was awakened by heavy
smoke Before he was well aware he shouted
Fire" John Cullen, stoker, heard the cry
and rushed i'll the direction He saw that
the tier OF cotton piled up close to the boilers
was in a blaze, aud that there was no time to
lose if any one on the boat was to escape.
In less time than it takes to narrate it, the
flames had forced their way aloft and were
licking up the light woodwork of the main
saloon. A moment more and the entire boat
above the waters edge was wrapped in a
sheet of flame. Samuel Powell, one of the
Hanna's clerks, was in the office. Seeing
the flames he herOically rushed along the
smoke-flled cabin, pounding furiously at the
staterOom doors to arouse the slumberlng
passengers.
Meanwhile Engineer Merriman stood at his
post, in spite of the Kissing flames which shot
into the engine room. He set the steam pumps
at work and attempted to fight the fire. He
had hardly done tins when steampipe burst
and filled the room with scalding vapOr.
Further delay was impossible, ana accom-
panied by the stokers, who had bravely re-
manned with him, he dropped over the
steamers side into the water.
Pilot Joles had swung the wheel around
and headed the steamer for the nearer shore.
Like a mad thing she plunged along
under a full head OF steam, but be
was afame AS she struck the
land she bounded Off again, swung round and
drifted slowly down the stream with her
pitiable load of perlshing humanity shrek
ing for relief from the hideOus death which
Clutched them.
Passengers in their night clothes, rushed
frantically through the burning cabin, seek
ing means Of egress. The usual exits were
blocked with huge masses of cotton, and
many dropped from sutfocatlon before they
reached the forward deck.
When the fire broke out the Hanna was in
midstream, but would probably have reached
the shore in time to avoid the terrible loss of
life had not her bow struck bar when
bank. This checked her Roadway
and caused her stern to swing round.
When the boat was nearing the shore the
stage plank was ordered prepared for lower
ing to the bank This being done panic
stricken crowd rushed upon It. 1t gave way
under the great weight and broke. Between
twenty and thirty persons were ecipitated
into the river. Many Of them were drowned.
The Captain and a number of the crew
and passengers had fought their way to the
and bruised limbs. A majority sprang
ten tenn yards ards from from ' Shore va" and the
moment the boat touched the rest sprang
ashore into the mud or water. The Hanna
rested there a few minutes aground, then
bounded away and swung around, drifting
down and burning until she finally sunk in
the water
Although the crew had escaped from the
burning boat they were not wholly saved,
and 10th tie Captain and Bob Smith,
the famous Lilot of the Inflated Ed.
White, met their death after get
ting ashore. They sprang into the
mud on the bank, and becoming fast there,
were slowly roasted to death by the intense
heat from the burning boat. They buried
their faces and hands in the soft mud to pro-
tect themselves, and appealed to the people on
the shore to come to their assistance. This was
impossible. The Captain was finally pro-
tected from the fire by means of box, and
was dragged ashore with ropes. 1t was too
late, however He had suffered too serious in
juries and, although he received medical at
tendance at once, he died before he reached
Placquemine
The people of Placquemine did all they
could to relieve the suferings of the wounded
and to care for the saved. Hotels and
private houses were thrown open, and
the unfortunate people were nursed and
clothed. No attempt was made to
save any of the papers. and everything,
including the clothes of the crew and pas
Sengers, was lost. When the body of Clerk
Powell, who tried heroically to awaken those
in the cabin was found, $1,000 was discovered
in his pocket.
None OF the survivors could say what was
the origin of the fire. The general i'm
threw cigarette among the cotton,
and thereby caused the disaster, Owing
to the GOODNESS of the water many Of
those who escaped the flames persisted
from cramps in the icy tide. Perhaps the
saddest cases were those of men who got so
far toward safety as the banks of the river,
were there mired in the mud, and burned to
death while attempting to Chamber up the
muddy levee.
The Hanna was valued at $1,000; her car
cotton was SO much finder, and as the boat
was built IL years ago, her timbers were in
fine condition for confederation.
THE Rev. Hugh Callan, M. A., of st.
Andrews, Glasgow, Scotland, is home very
70 Palestine, and also to Constantinople,
through Bulgaria, Servia, and so Oh, 270O
miles altogether He narrateS, probably
without exaggeration, that he created much