STEAMBOAT DISASTER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 9424, 29 June 1882, Page 3

STEAMBOAT DISASTER.

A terrible steamboat disaster is reported from America as having occurred on the Mississippi. The steamboat Golden City, from New Orleans for Cincinnati, on approaching Memphis about daylight on March 30th, caught tire. She was headed for the wharf and was moored within four minutes, but the line parted before many persons could get ashore, and the swift current swept the steamboat in one mass of (lames down the river. She had forty passengers and a crew of sixty on board. About thirty-five persons; mostly women and children, were drowned or burned to death. All the officers but the second engineer escaped. This officer first discovered the fire in the cargo. He gave an alarm, and then remained manfully at his post till the fire prevented his escape. Most of the persons saved were in their nightclothes, and were rescued by breaking in the stateroom. The entire cabin was in flames about five minutes after the fire had been discovered. The burning steamboat set fire to a tug, and also to some coal barges at the wharf. Stowe's circus company were among the passengers. All their animals, birds, and paraphernalia were burned. The proprietor, his wife, and two children were lost, the others escaping. The fire is said to have been caused by the bottom of a watchman's lantern dropping among some jute in the cargo on deck. The jute ignited, and the wind quickly carried the flames throughout the steamer, which, according to the latest reports, was still floating down