Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-11-20
COTTON STEAMER BURNED.
The Oliver Beirne Destroyed
on the Mississippi.
Nearly Score Of Passengers and
Deokhands Perish.

The steamboat Oliver Beirne from st.
Louis, was burned to the waters edge at
Milliken's Bend, twenty-five miles above
Vicksburg, Miss, shortly after 3 o'clock
few days ago, and twelve lives were known
to have been lost.
The cargo consisted OF about 700 bales Of
cotton and 100 tons Of freight. The boat
and cargo are a total loss She had about
eighty deck and twenty cabin passengers. Is
was difficult on the day after the tragedy to
ascertain the loss OF life. the several reports
differing as to the exact numoer. Conser-
vative estimates are that twenty were
lost. The following are known 20
have been among those who persisted:
Mrs. Wadder an elderly lady of New Or
leans: Sam Entricken, son of the clerk; two
daughters of DR.. Worrell, OF Baton Rouge,
a chambermaid q daughter of Mrs. Adams,
of Omaha, barber, a second cook, pan
tryman, five cabin boys and two white levee
laborers.
The passengers and crew lost nearly
everything they had in the way of clothing
and baggage, many leaving the burning
boat in their night-clothes and bare feet.
There was quite a number OF narrow ea-
capes. Captain Thorwegian was the last to
leave the boat having TO slide down a guy
rod from the upper deck Pilot Massie made
his escape by passing throug ID the flames to
the stern Of the boat and jumping into the
river. He was severely burned. The mate
displayed his bravery by letting himself
down by a rope, holding little child by the
clothing The bodies of the pantryman, the
baker. the chambermaid and Miss Adams
have been recovered
Most of the passengers and crew were
asleep when the alarm Of fire was sounded,
and before any one was awake the boat was
ahame.
The blaze originated on the lower deck,
from what cause is not known, and commu-
nicating 20 the dry cotton was soon burning
with great fierceness. The crew OF the boat
were aroused, and, with the passengers who
were awake, gave the alarm to those who
were asleep.
A rush was Immediately made for the for
ward part of the boat and many got off in
safety, but that avenue of escape and others
were soon cut off and the unfortunate pas
sengers and crew were forced to plunge into
the water.
Chief Engineer Ed. Bird launched the
yawl of the boat, and he, with other men,
succeeded IN picking up many of the strug
Cling unfortunates in the water. Some,
however, were beyond reach and were either
burned to death or sank beneath the waters
20 rise more.
The alarm was communicated to the peo-
pie of Milliken's Bend, and the bank of the
river was soon crowded with the villagers,
who assisted in the work of rescue and
Hospitality threw open their homes to the
survivors.
The fire spread so rapidly that the escap-
ing crew and passengers were unable to save
any of their goods. which were completely
destroyed, together with the furnishings
and effects Of the boat. The Beirne
burned rapidly from the time the
fire was first discovered, and in less
than an hour after the alarm was 81 ven
nothing remained but wreck. The cotton
fell from the sides of the boat, and, still blaz-
ing, floated down the river, much OF it being
picked up by people living along the banks
of the stream.
The steamer Oliver Beirne was a new
and handsome passenger boat and was
built at Jeffersonville, No, four years ago.
She has been used in the excursion traffic on
the Missouri River for the past two sum-
mers, and during the winter she has piled be-
tween local points at the lower end of the
Mississippi, and was owned by the Planters
and Merchants Packet Company of New
Orleans. She was fully insured. The boat
cost over 500, 900 At the time she burned
she was valued at SCI, 666.