Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 October 1882 — RIVER HORROR. [ARTICLE]

RIVER HORROR.

Burning of the Mississippi Steamer B. E. Lee. Twenty-one Passengers Perish Before the Boat Reached the Shore. The famous steamer R. R Lee was burned on the Mississippi river thirty miles south of Yicksburg, causing the loss of twenty-one lives and the total destruction of the boat and freight The Lee was valued at #187,000, and carried insurance amounting to #50,000. Many acts oi daring and heroism were performed by employes of the fatal boat in warning and assisting passengers to places of safety. The story of the disaster is thus told by the Captain, William Campbell: “Wo left Yicksburg about 6 o’clock on Fridav evening with about 460 bales of cotton on board, about thirty passengers and a crew of about ninety or 100, including oflicera We first discovered the fire just below Brooks’ Lamling, Misa, about thirty-five miles below Yicksburg. The fire was firs seen in the kitchen a little after 3 o’clock {Saturday morning. Pilot Stout, Engineer Perkins, Ihe second mate, Kilpatrick, Clerks Hall, WelJs and Bell and myself were on watch at the time. I shouted to the pilot to laud the boat as quick as he could, which he did We ran a line out, made the boat fast, aud lowered the stage. All persons forward got ashore safely. Those aft were cut off irom the stage by the fire and smoke, and went to the stern of the boat to save themselves. Some were saved and some were lost. The yawl was lowered and picked up many persons in the river who sprang overboard to escape the flames. All my men did their duty as long ns the flames' allowed them to. 'One lady from Pittsburgh, going to Natchez, saved herself and seven children. She displayed great presence of mind, and was cooler than many a man would have been under such trying circumstances. Our sailor man, a Greek, and two of the tiremen behaved sp’cndidly with the yawl. Pilot Stout, a brother of -Mrs. Manuon, one of the owners of the boat, and Engineer Perkins behaved nobly. Second Mate Mike Kilpatrick ran tlie lines out and lowered the stage, showing coolness and heroism. All the cabin-boys who were lost gave up their lives in trying to save those of others. Ovid Bell woke up all the persona on the texns deck, not trying to save himself until all were awake. Mate Hines was everywhere, displaying great energy. We worked the engines as long as the fire would let us, and they did a great deal of service in holding the boat to the bank. Tlie hose was worked, but all to no purpose. Our outlit was complete. We had 700 feet of hose, and the inspectors had been very particular in seeing that we bad a full outfit the day before we left New Orleans—last Tuesday. The flames spread quicker than I can tell. When the shore was reached tlie flames had already wrapped -some portions of the boat. In an hour the boat was burned to the water’s edge. We gathered up all we could and waited for the dawn of day. We saved nothing but a little money out of the office. The books, papers, United States mail, cargo and all were lost. At the time of the fire our cargo consisted of 512 bales of cotton, 20,000 feet of lumber, sundry freight and express packages. The cargo, I think, was valued at about $20,000. Tne boat was worth #IOO,OOO, and was insured for $50,000. At about 6 o'clock in the morning the J. M. White came along and took the whole crew on board. I left the second mate and two men in a yawl to gather up floating cotton and take care of the wreck until I received further advices from the insurance companies. I reached Vicksburg about 0 o'clock. The lady and her children from Pittsburgh I placed on a tug and sent to Natchez. My mate was also instructed to hunt up the bodies of any of the lost and offer rewards for their recovery. The new Robert E. Lee was built in 1876 by the Howards, of Jeffersonville, Ind. She was considered one of the best boats on the river. 'She never met with any accident except the breaking of a shaft last year.”