The historic times., 1891-10-31
RIVER DISASTER.
Burning of a Steamboat on the
Lower Mississippi.
HINTS THAT 1T WAS SET on FIRE.
Twenty Lives at Least Lost BY Drowning
or Burning-Names of Some of the
Unfortunates-SOmeN Narrow
Escapes.

VICKsBURG, Miss, Oct. 30.-The
handsome steamer Oliver Bierne was
burned to the waters edge at $50
o'clock yesterday morning near Milll-
ken's landing, twelve miles below Vicks-
burg Twenty persons at the least cal
culation are believed to have perlshed.
The Oliver Bierne was a new and
handsome passenger boat and was
built in Jeffersonville, Ind, four years
ago. She has been used in the excur-
sion business on the Mississippi for the
past two summers and during the win
ter season has piled between local points
at the lower end of the river. The
boat was valued at $50, 900 and owned
by the Planters & Merchants Packing
Co., of New Orleans She left this city
last Wednesday with over 100 deck pas
sengers and carried fifteen cabin pas
sengers. This list was increased by
additional passengers taken on board
at Cairo, Memphis and other landings.
The Bierne, after getting to the Mis-
sissippi river, accepted freight on her
way down and when she reached Milll-
ken's bend she had aboard several hun
drcd bales of cotton in addition to a
quantity of miscellaneous freight She
reached Milliken's bend at night and
landed there, intending to resume her
trip down the river in the morning at
day break. The passengers and crew
were asleep when at $3.50 o'clock an
alarm of fire was suddenly sounded and
almost before anyone was awake the
boat was in flames.
The blaze originated in the lower
deck from what cause no one has yet
been able to learn. and communicating
to the dry cotton was soon burning
with great ferceness. The crew of the
boat were aroused and with the pas
alarm to those who were asleep. A
rush was Immediately made for the
forward part of the boat and many got
off in safety, but that avenue of escape
end others were soon cut off and the
unfortunate passengers and crew were
compelled to plunge into the water.
The crew of the boat displayed com
mendable GOODNESS and every effort
was made to save those who had rot
reached the shore. The chief engi-
neer, Bird, launched the yawl of the
boat and he with others succeeded in
picking up many of the struggling un-
fortunates.
The vessel had about eighty deck and
about twenty cabin passengers. 1t is
difficult to ascertain the loss of lives,
the several reports differing as to the
1nn 1r,f rc%s
mates are that twenty were lost The
following are known to have been
among those who perished:
Mrs. Waddell, an elderly lady of New
Orleans; San Entricken, son of the
clerk; two daughters of Dr. Worren, of
Baton Rouge; a chambermaid; daugh-
ter of Mrs. Adams, of Omaha.
The barber, the second cook and
pantryman, five cabin boys and two
white levee laborers are also among
the missing.
Capt. Thorwegen was the last to
leave the boat, having to slide down
guy rod from the upper deck
Pilot Massie made his escape by pass
ing through the flames to the stern of
the boat and jumping into the river.
He was severely burned.
The m ate let himself down by rope
holding a little child by the clothing.
The bodies of the pantryman, cha-a-
bermaid and her daughter have beer
recovered.
The crew and passengers all left Cor
Vicksburg by the steamer Sheffield last
evening with the exception of Mrs.
Frazer and child, Mrs Dr. Worrell and
f. NJ. Howell, whose injuries are too
severe to permit their travelling i~st
yet
At Greenville the mate had some
trouble with the rouSters, many of
whom quit work, after which the mate
hired the levee men, paying them 25
cents per hour. This enraged the nc
groes, who made open threats against
the mate and the boat
The body of very old white lady
was found on bale of cotton floating
down the river about 10 o'clock by a
fisherman, John Mason. She was alive
when he found her but speechless He
took her in his sliff, where she died a
few minutes later. 1t is thought that
she was at least 60 or 20 years of age.
Nothing was found on her person to
identify her. Her arm was slightly
burned, also the robe.
B. NJ Adams, travelling companion of
Mr. Howell, also of Omaha, is missing,
and it is feared is lost
William Massie, Tony Burbanks'
partner in the pilot house, is seriously
and. it is feared dangerously burned.
His face. head, back and hands are a
solid blister and fearfully swollen He
left for his home in St Louis by train
last night in charge of Burbanks.
A cabin passenger, aged about 20
years. sandy hair, who got on the boat
at Greenville, is missing. As the books
and cabin register were lost it is inn
possible 10 get a complete list of the
passengers
Mrs Grandson Jones and her daugh-
ter were both drowned. Their bodies,
with those of four colorcd men. " ere
recovered Capt Thorwegen had drag
hooks male and used every possible
means to recover the bodies of the lost
passengers
The third deck of the boat was
crowded with levee laborers. Many of
them ran forward and got ashore, but
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