The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-05
LOSS OF THE CORONA.
euRvIVORs TELL THE STORY IOF
THE EXPLOSION.

Pernerkable Escape of Mrs. Banks and
Her Two Children-Her Husband and
Sister Among the Lost-The Cabin
of the Steamer Blown Into Two
Parts
NEW ORLEANS, La, Oct. A number
Of survivors of the Corona disaster reached
This city to-day Seven Of them came by
rail and Others by the City of st. Louis.
Those who came by train were Capt T. c.
SwesDev. who was a passenger; Pilot L. W.
uawlips. BIZ Clerk Billy Higgins, Jack
Craen. CAPTAIN of the deck watch Robert
Carnes. carpenter; Seoond Steward Will
lam Fleminga d Engineer William Handy.
Mrs. Henry Blanks was among those who
came down by the Anchor line steamer City
of 81. Lo1is. Sae was on the Corona with
her sister, Mrs Huff and two children, en-
route to Columbia as passenger.
HER NARROW ESCAPE.
She saws: 81 was standing with my sis
ter and Youngest child in my arms in the
rear of the boats cabin when the explosion
TOOK ulgce: a caambermaid came unning
ms with life preservers, which we fastened
on A pantrvman then came running to us
and told US 10 go up on the hurricane roof
until he could get the life-boat down,
which he did in a hurry. We then
cot INTO the yawl, aud hardly had we been
Seated when the boat was swamped, throw
ing us all into the river. |, with my 3-year-
old child in one arm, held on to a piece OF
wreckage u til one of the st. Louis boats
came and saved us. l told the child.
Hold tighE daughter; God will save US.
Mrs HrItf who IL a yvidOVU
from Opel usas, l saw no more after our
boat oapsized."
BLOWN INTO THE AIR.
The little 6-year-old boy of Mrs. Blanks,
who was blown into the air by the explo-
sion, said: II was out looking at Capt &.
Sweeney fixing the elect ic light, and then
went into the cabin, and hardly got as far
as the Office when l was blown away into
the air, aud when l came down 1 fell into
the river on my back. Nhsn l came TO the
surface I caught on to a sack, and
an old man was near by holding piece Of
wood and bowling for yawls to come and
save him. 1t was then tn | was frightened
and began to yell also, when skitf came
and picked me and the old man up, and took
us on their boat, the City of st. Louis. "
The brave little fellow is badly hurt about
tire head. He stated that this was caused
by a man throwing a plank on him.
CAME LIKE THUNDER-CLAP.
Capt Sweeney stated that the whole thing
came on SO suddenly that he hardly had
time to see anything.
Capt Blanks, who was sitting in the bar
ber's chair, was hurled through the cabin
roof and instantly killed The others in
the cabin were struck by flying timbers,
among whom was Shrimp Hanna, who was
sitting near the clerks Office. The explosion
seemed to go downward, and the full force
was in the rear part of the boat. The cabin
parted and one half of 1t fell into the river
aud the other half hoated with the wreck.
These who were not killed by the flying
timbers were pinned down and scalded to
death.
THE SCENE INDEsCRIBABLE.
Capt. Sweeney said that the scene was
indescrbable. When the explosion TOOK
place he was on the forecastle, and thus es-
capped the heavy timbers that were fyi G
around. He renamed on the wreck as long
as possible, and as there was no chance tt
rescue any one, he sprang overheard and
was picked up by the yawl of the City of
st. Louis.
Henry Baughman, a passenger Of Dan
vile; Peter LIE lnard, roustabout, and
Alexander Seymour, night watchman-the
latter last night reported lost-were al
badly urt, but were rescued by boats from
the City of st. Louis, and came down o.
her aud were sent to the hospital.