A Thrilling Story of Heroism.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3127, 12 February 1889, Page 3

A Thrilling Story of Heroism.

The steamer John H. Hauna was destroyed by fire on Christmas Eve on the Mississippi Biver at Plaquemine, Louisiana. The first accounts received stated that, there had been fearlul loss; of life, thirty persons being burned and sixty persons Tmrowned, but later telegrams reduce the causalties to thirty. The fire was discovered by.a negro' boatman about midnight, when most of the passengers were asleep, The steamer was laden with cotton, in'a very dry condition, and the flames spread ' with fearful, rapidity. They sprang from bale to bale like flashes of

. lighting, and in three minutes from •A the discovery of the fire the vessel was 'one sheet of flame from stern to stern. The scene that ensued was terrible in the -extreme, Some of men yelled and ran about the deok ~ ' like maniacs, others, screaming at the top of their voices threw themselves into the river. The chief clerk went to every door waking the passengers, and urged them to hurry to the front of the boat before they wero cut off. They did so, but were thrown into confusion by the blinding smoke and the fright. The smoke jKs' so thick and suffocating from ■ m high pilo of burning cotton, that a number of persons, in trying to force their way to the bow, were overcome by it and suffocated on the deck,'where they died before the ' flames reached them' or the boat sank. In.the meantime the crew were fighting the flames as best they could, but without success. Soon the fire reached the enginoroom, bursting the steam pipes and releasing great volumes of steam that severely scalded several of the men who were driven from the room. Tbe pilot headed tugboat for the shore, and Bbe touched the bank in three or four

minutes. Tbe captain, orew and 4 passengers endeavored to leap ashore, but immediately the vessel touched : she swung round and drifted down 'stream, A great deed bi heroism was then perlornied by a deck hand named Joe Girens.'.' When the burnt steamer. touched the bank and ded away, the piloot left the • wheel and sprang overboard, Girens v quickly realised that the salvation of all on board depended upon the steamer being brought back to the bank. The pilot house was surrouncted by flames, but the brave fellow spang to the wheel, and headed the steamer again to the bank, and In order to 'keep her there, mado the wheel fast ■ in the proper- position, -. The fire swept' over the pilot house, "and he ;was imprisoned by the flames, to escape, it was necessary ! that he should push through the wall of fire; He then made a dash for the side of the vessel, and although frightfully burned, succeeded in reaching the bank with his clothing' all ablaze. He jumped into the river and struggled to the bank, where he 'was pulled ashore by willling hands in a horribly!burnt and exhausted state. He died; in indescribable

agony a few hours later. The majority of those on board sprang from the boat when about ten yards 'wtei shore. Both the captain and 7*BBl Smith, the famous pilot of the burnt steamer, met their deaths after getting ashore.' C They .sprang into; the mud on the bank, and becoming fast were slowly roasted to death by the intense heat from the burning, boat. They buried their facoa and hands in the soft mud to protect themselves, and : appealed to the people on shore to come to their assistance. This, however, was impossible.- The.captain was finally protected- from the fire by means of a box, and dragged' ashore with ropes; too late, however, as he

had suffered too serious injuries; and

although he received medical care at \ once, he died before he reached Flaquemine. Others also met then' death by being burned when fast in , the mud. The boat was about fifteen yards from shore, when the intense heat compelled almost all the crew to spring from her. Some reached the shore, and tried to climb the steep, muddy, slippery bank, but were caught in the flames before they ' could do so. Others clung to bales ontton in the river, but in many , inronces tbe -bales" floated - "againa t .. : the burningwsel, and the occupants .. were either roastedio death, or comI*, jelled to let go into the water and T drown, It is believed that 'the fire ■was due to a carelesssmoker throw-; jng hu cigarette amoi)g,tbe cotton: •