Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1900-06-22
SINKING or rHK r. r. LExrHERs.
an Insssss1ing Aeepuas OF that Unfertn-
nate Essnt by Clerk \. g. saehss.
New ORLEANS, June 10, 1900.
Editor TensaS Gazette,
st. Joseph. La.

NEW ORLEANS, June ~, lVUU.
Editor Iensas Gazette,
st. Joseph, La.
DEAR SIR:-Your kind letter of
the 18th inst, was received, and
il is almost useless to express to
you how grateful l feel for the
sympathy of my friends, expressed
in letters which receive daily
from all sections. Ny Tensas
friends are especially dear to me,
q ID their kind expressions come,
80 to speak, from home, and are of
course more appreciated. anyway.
/ presume you read several differ
emit versions of the loss of the
feathers, but knowing that a state
ment from myself would be Of in-
terest, / will endeayor to give you
the facts as near as my recoliec-
ton serves me. ~
Thursday, the 9TH, was q partic-
ularly bright day, if you recol-
lect, and we blew our whistle for
Bougers landing, which is located
about twenty miles above Fort
Adams, and perhaps fifty five
miles below Natchez, just at 2
O'Clock in the afternoon. Cap
tain Duke, Capt. Bachino and my
self had just finished dinner, and
walked to the front of the cabin,
as the boat made a landing. At the
handing, partially covered by Wa
ter, was a large stump, to which
our attention was attracted, and
which we felt apprehensiye the
boat would run Into. Hardly O
second elapsed before she touched
it, puncturing hole fully the
size of a bale of cotton. The
sheck was hardly felt by anyone
ON board; hence, inexperienced
steamboatman that ] am, I was a
that moment not apprehensive o.
danger. Tarpaulins were gottei
out to stop the rush of water int
1.-THE hold, and while this was beins
Fdone, / walked back into my Office
Captain Bachino came to me ana
told me that In bis opinion, tn,
Eboat vasdoomed, and that ] voult
barely have time to save the live
of the passengers then on board
1 at once called my assistant, Mr.
Baumgartner, turned with hin
tinte the Office, gave him my key
to the safe, told him to do the bes
he could, and directed him to pm
the silver out of the cash drawe
land books into the safe. tool
IAN the cash into my cash drawer
put it in my pocket aud rnshe'
back, intent upon saving the live
of the lady passengers, if possible
III notified them all at once, an
/ lost no time in taking them as ia
las the Porter's Lodge, down stairs
turning them over to Captain Ba
lchino and other willing hands
'twho assisted me to the extent O
their ability. You truly say I wa
lplaced in trying position by m
1 daughter-in-law and her child be
ling on board, aud she was slmos
1.-The last that was taken off of; tn
lboat. If my recollection serve
me right, however, Miss Gertrud
EBaker, of your town, was the las
Indy who went off / only regre
-tmy inability to save the baggag
Eof the ladies, every one of whor
Host personal effects, and you. ca
easily understand what tina
means Capt. Duke states that it wa
twelve minutes from the time til
bbcat struck until she turned owe
land foated down the river. It wa
Fully five minutes before l Ina
tsuficient notice Of the affair to nc
ut all. Hence, all that / say
you as having been done by m
lassistants and myself, happene
lmithin seven minutes, certainly
short time to do all we did. Aft
l had taken off three of the ladie
and not before, was notified b
Capt. Dslke that I had better loo
I pfteS the safety OF the passenger
and / notified him then that I ha
already sent three of the ladies 0
, shore.
Feeling thai al lives had bee
|, saved, / naturally questioned M,
self if anything else was to be dor
and recollected that the trip bool
|, giving the entire business of Il
boat ON her up-trip, had prebabl
not been taken care of. Quick,
, than thought ! rushed back inl
the Office, but before reachir
same, ] felt the boat careenin,
aud the cries OF those on shore
save myself, prompted me to n
DOWNSTAIRS as last AS ] coul'
,,lWhen I reached the stage plar
ths boat was careening so fast tf,'
: Ethe hook plank attached to ii
.. stage was almost perpendicula
land II was impossible for me
ascend it.. Joe Duke, mate OH II
: lboat, ran up and caught me by Il
, arm, aud thus helped me to NAL
my escape from the doomed boa
l had barely left the stage, wht
: the boat broke loose, and with h