Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1882 — ROASTED ALIVE. [ARTICLE]

ROASTED ALIVE.

A Steamer BanaeA mb «»• Mtaairertppl, and Upward Tteirty Humaa Live. Extinguished. The Mississippi river passenger steamer Golden aty, bound from Orleans to Cincinnati, was burned just as she was approaching the landing at Memphis, at an early hour on the morning of the 80th nit She carried a crew of about sixty and forty cabin passengers, tadudtag fifteen hidies end nine children. It is believed that at least thirty of the passengers were lost Most of the officers and crew managed to save themselves. The story of the disaster, in full, is embraced tn the appended telegrams from Memphis: The Golden City approached the city near the foot of Beale street and signaled for a landing. Just then the boat was discovered to be on fire. She was directed to shore notwitbstanding, and ran into a number of coal-flats. The fire sprerd with the rapidity of lightning almost, and 800 barrels of oil fed it into a fury in a moment. The boat tried to attach itself to the city dump-boat, but could not succeed in doing so. The flames began in the center of the boat, and spread both ways, and people rushed pell-mell out of their sleep and jumped over upon the dump-boat and coal flats. Efforts to attach the boat proved unavailing, and she drifted away down the river, a thing of glittering splendor. Quite a number of people were on board, and as the whole boat was a mass of flame, fed by the oil, they must all have been burned to death. It was unlike most fires. It was so quick and deadly in its results that women did not have time to shriek nor men to call for help. Everybody was paralyzed with horror. A great crowd soon collected on the river banks and watched the fire. All sorts of rumors were soon spread about the disaster.- The loss of life was variously reported from twenty to 100 souls. The fire was caused by the captain of the watch, who went through the engine room to see if any one was in it. Accidentally the bottom dropped from his lamp into some hemp, which caught fire immediately and spread rapidly, and in almost an instant the boat was doomed. Those who escaped had to do so immediately, and they were not very particular how they got away. Ono individual was seen to leap over upon a coal flat in his night shirt, holding his clothes in bis bands. When he reached terra Anna he was so possessed with fear that he ran away up the levee with the speed of a Kentucky thoroughbred. When last seen he had stopped and was pulling on his pants. One gentleman aboard, who had two or three ladles and the same number of children under his charge, £ itched the children over upon the float, knowig that they never could get off otherwise, and tbeu jumped over with the ladies. Several persons who were about to be left jumped into the water and were pulled ashore, or swam ashore, or were drowned. The condition of those wbio escaped with their lives was pitiable in the extreme. The women had but scant clothing on, and the men were ho better off. Many of them had sustained pecuniary loss. One gentleman sat alone by himself m his night clothes, shivering and crying. His wife and children were lost He seemed to be totally unconscious of his plight For some time so great was the excitement that no attention was paid to him; but a kind-hearted lady living on Shelby street sent him her husband's dressing gown. As the boat was carried away by the current it was noticed that several women and children in their night clothing stood in the stern, with the alternative of rushing into the flames or jumping overboard. As no one saw them fall over it is supposed that they were literally burned to death. Additional fuel was furnished the flames by several tiers of oakum which were consumed like tinder. Those on board hardly knew how they were awakened. The main point was how to escape. The flames had the completest possession of the boat in five minutes, and fearful sheets of flame shot into the air. while immense clouds of smoke enveloped the scene. The one rope holding the boat was unable to stand the strain, and the GoldenOity began gradually to be drawn into the current. Down the river she floated, furnishing to those 'on shore a picture of unrivaled and fearful beauty. The waters gleamed in crimson, and the Arkansas shore was distinctly drawn in red. The steamer did not make a long trip to her doom.

A trail of fire followed her close to shore, then out a short distance into the current. All the time the boat was burning furiously and the fire was eating its way to the water. The boat drifted off beyond President’s island, some 300 or 400 yards, and when withm 100 yards of the Tennessee shore the vessel, with its poor, dead bodies, its cargo and everything, was imprisoned in the waves, and the fierce elements wore soothed in the twinkling of an eye. It is the general impression that those who died wore suffocated to death rather than burned. Afterward those who passed the place saw only a part of the debris and a few chairs upon it. That was the only evidence of the wreck. It was a wonder to most people that there was not an explosion, and the only way this can be accounted for Is that the steam pipe burst, and thus allowed the steam to escape. The most horrible feature of the fire was the death of children. It is supposed that several others in addition to those reported were lost. The little ones were kindly lent a helping hand. The struggle of all classes to get from the boat resulted in great confusion. Agreat number of those on board had to leave without making their toilets. Stowe’s circus was taken aboard at Vidalia, La., and six cages of animals and birds, together with the ticket and band wagons, tents aud horses, were lost. Marion Purcell, one of the pilots, was in the clerk’s office when the alarm first sounded, and he lushed through the cabin, bursting in stateroom doors, awakening passengers. Bo rapidly jjid the flames spread that within five minutes after discovering the fire, which broke .amidships, the after part of the steamer was all ablaze. Those that were saved had to flee in their night-clothes. When the burning steamer touched the wharf the fire communicated to the coal-fleet and the tug Oriole, which also burned. i As near as can be ascertained there were twenty-three ladies aboard the ill-fated steamer, but two of whom, as far as known, were saved. Felix Lehman, who was a passenger, says there was a merry party aboard, and nearly all the passengers remained up until midnight; They had one or two gentlemen aboard who played the piano, and they entertained the passengers with music and singing. He was awakened by having his state-room bursted in, and beard the cry of “Fire!” Seizing his clothes he ran forward and leached the barge just in time, as the next minute the vessel floated down stream. The books of the steamer were lost, so it is mpossible to gather a complete its t of the lost and saved.