The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-10-10
FORTY LIVES LOST.
Total Destruction of q Lower Misis-
sippi Steamer by the Explosion
of Her Boilers.
Caught in the Great Cyclone, the
EarnmOre Is Abandoned by
Her Crew.

SSAASS'ANAN~S>@
here for the Ouchita river with full cargo
of freight and good list of passengers. She
exploded her boilers at False river, nearly OPP
posite Port Hudson, causing the loss OF
the steamer and about forty lives The An
chor line steamer City of St Louis, Capt
James ONeil, was near by, and with his crew
and boats saved many lives. The surviving
passengers and crew were taken on board by
Capt O'Neil and very kindly cared for by
him and his crew. Following are lists OF
lost aud saved as far as known:
Crew Lost. w. Blanks, captain: ]. V. Jor-
dan, first clerk; Charles Cellos. second clerk;
Swimp HAMA, third clerk; Fred Dinkle, bar
keeper: Fred Verman, barkeeper; Pat Ryan,
steward: Dick Curtis, fireman: Tom Shook en-
gineer; Henry Doyle, porter; James swlpe'
porter: Mr. Tate. barber: Henry Davis deck
hand; Tom Cook, sailor man: Billy Young, sec
ond mate: Sam Steel, texas boy: both captains
of deck watch: eight rousters.
Passengers Lost--Dr. Atwell. corn DOCTOR and
four negro musicians: Mr.. Scott, Smlthland:
Mr.. Davis, stOckman, Texas; MIR. koench, Mrs
Huff of Opelousas: Mrs. kaufman, nurse and
oldest child; Mrs. Thomas Hough Of Orelousas
sister of Capt Blanks, Mr.. Wilson of Red River
Landing: fifteen rousters, names unknown
Wounded-Capt. b. G. Cornwell. slightly ;-
Baughman residing on Black river, hurt inter-
naly. not dangerous: MI Comstock. Donald
sonville, slightly; J. J. Meredith. Columbia, La
slightly: Wayne, a little of Henry Blanks
slightly hurt about face: Charles A. Pearce OF
New Orleans scaldcd None of the injured are
expected to die. Pilot Rollings, badly scaided
on the hands; Capt T. c. Sweeny slightly hurt
by flying timbers: Mrs Z. w. Robertson. slightly
hurt.
Crew Saved-H. H. Jolle, pilot: L. Rawllns,
pilot; Charles Pierce, steersman: j. w. Handy.
engineer: Jack Miller, mate: Billy Higgins. bill
clerk; Robert Carns carpenter; William tlem-
ing, second steward: Sam Gree, watchman; Iom
Burns, deck hand; Milt Glover, fireman; Dan
Sle1nock. pantryman; Frank Reeves, cook; Jo-
seph Steel, baker, Charity Lambert, chamber
maid; Miss ReillN second maid: Joe Rayman,
greaser; several cabin boys.
PASSENGERS Saved-Mrs. Henry Blanks and
two children, Mrs. Mann, Mrs. Robert Robert
son, Mrs. kaufman and children. Capt B. G
CoInwcll, Mrs. J. r. BrowE, Mrs. J. J. Meredith,
Mr.. L. E. Mason. Mr.. Baughman. Mr.. Comstock,
Donaldsonville; Mr.. John Carr, Harrisonburg.
Mrs. kaufman and infant of Smithland, Hon. l..
E. Mason of Baton Rouge.
The CorOnet was on her first trip of the
season, and had but recently come out of
the dry dock, where she received repairs
amounting to nearly $12 600.
EXPERIENCE OF THE SAVED.
Mrs Robertson says when the Corona ar
rived opposite False River Landing, about
sixteen miles below Bayou Sara. one of her
boilers exploded, tearing the boat to pieces,
when she sank in deep water in 4 few seconds.
Mrs. Robertson says she was wedged in the
ladies' cabin with some OF the debris laying
across he1 lower limbs, but was suddenly re-
leased and found herself + aung in the
river She sank twice, but luckily she was
picked up and escaped with only few pain
full bruises on her limbs. J. c. Rollings, pilot
of the Corona says: Il was asleep in the
texas at the time of the explosion" He
does not know how the exp p!osion occurred.
! He was awakened by the noise it made. He
was painfully burned on both hands Hon.
l. F. Mason, secretary of state, who was a
passenger on the Corona, states that he was
in the cabin talking 70 Mrs Robertson at
about 10, o'clock when the explosion oc-
Cured He escaped with life preservers and
assisted i'll saving Mrs. Robertson and another
lady. There was verv little time for prepar-
alton for escape, as the boat went down like
lead q few seconds after the explosion oc-
CURED. AS the steamer City of st. Louis
board all the passengers and crew who were
not lost in the river. No one seems to be
abe to give any explanation as 10 the cause
of the sudden disaster.
CAPT T. C. swEENY,
one of the owners of the line, who assumed
command on the death of Capt Blanks, says
the explosion was not due to too high
pressure of steam. He had Just had occa-
sion TO examine the gauge, and is positive
there was not pressure of more than 130
pounds. The boat had a moderate cargo.
She was in midstream, just below the land
ing at Arbroth, and had just whistled to pass
the City of St. Louis, fortunately coming
down at the time The explosion had a
downward tendency, and blew out the bot
tom of the boat, causing her to sink imme-
diately. The cabin was torn in two, the rear
portion floating down stream and bear
ing number of the saved. Capt
Sweeny happened to be forward, and
started ut once to put out the
flames, which began to burn at several
places He says the boat would undoubtedly
have burned had she not gone down imme-
diately. None of the books, papers or other
valuahles were saved The City of st. Louis
which was about 500 yards above, at once
DuU OuL ueE DodISi anu Sue uIu uOUlo NOEh LII
saving lives. The Anchor lines stayed there
several hours, rendering all the assistance
possible and taking on board the rescued
passengers and crew. When nothing more
could be done she came on down to Baton
Rouge, where physicians were summoned
and everything possible done for the i'll
iured. The only dead body recovered wa
that of Fred Overman, the second barkeeper
The remains were put off Mt the wharf office
here they were viewed by Coroner Jones