The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-13
Ante-Bellun Floating Palaces
of the Alabama River and the
Good Old Times In Dixie
No. Is

The following paragraphs are from
the Mobile Daily Register of March 8.
1850:
"The painful intelligence of the
burning of the Orline st. John and the
loss of a number of valuable lives, In
GLIDING among them several of our es-
teemed friends and fellow citizens. was
fully confirmed yesterday by the ar
rival of the Dan Pratt.
The st. John was on her upward
trip with some so passengers, several
of whom were females. On the after
noon of Tuesday, the 9Th inst, as the
boat was turning bend in the river
about five miles above Bridgeport,
near Hurricane Bluff in Wilcox coun-
ty. fire was discovered to have broken
out forward In the woodrack and al
though the alarm was instantly given
so rapid was the progress of the flames
that all egress from the cabin on the
upper deck was cut off. The bow of the
boat was run ashore, but the rope TIL
Ter being burned, the stern swung into
the stream Means were found to low
err the passengers onto the main deck
aft, but the yaw1. which might have
been brought to their relief. was taken
charge of by the carpenter and two or
three of the hands, who sprang into
it without oars and set 1t adrift, thus
totally destroying all hopes of escape
from that quarter
They who could swim sprang into the
stream, but the women and children
| and men untaught of the swimmer S
art were left to perish by one or the
other of the hostile elements.
We learn that of the women and chill
dren on board not one escaped. Among
them were Mrs. and Miss Vaughan,
l.
also Mrs. Cain of South Carolina. OF
our resident citizens we have to re-
port the loss of George B. Lindsey,
Esq, who, 1t is said, could not swim
and Mr.. Brooks, bookseller on Water
street.
There may have been others, but as
all records and papers of the boat were
lost we are without the means, at pres :
ent, Of ascertaining the extent Of the
calamity. There are said to have been
nine women and three children on
board, though some accounts make the
number less We have many interesting
particulars connected with the catas-
trophe, but they do not come to us
in such a connected form as to author
ize publication. 1t Is estimated that
about 40 persons persisted In the dis
aster There was very large amount
of property in money and goods on
board and only small part covered
by insurance. The boat, we are told,
was insured to the amount of $4,000
in three of the city offices.
After having learned the above. friend
who was himself a passenger on the
boat and whose escape was miraculous,
kindly furnished us with the following
account of the disaster:
Dear Sir: At your request will re-
late to you as many Of the circumstances
attending the recent loss of the steamboat
Orline St. John as just now occur to my
recollection About 4:30 or o'clock on
Tuesday afternoon of March s, the alarm
OF fire was given. the boat being then
about three miles above Bridgeport, on
her passage up the river.
Some 30 or 40 cords of pitch pine had
been taken on board short time before
between the piles of which doubtless
some sparks found their way and kindled
into flames before the fact was discov-
cred So rapid was the spread of the fire
that Notwithstanding the commendable
presence Of mind on the part Of the pilot