Destruction or The
Steamer Judge Porter by Fire.
Eighteen Lives supposed to be
Lost.
—This day, the steamer Judge Porter, from
Montgomery (Ala.) to New Orleans, took fire, in the morning about
nine o'clock, when about one mile from the lake-end of the
Carrollton & Jefferson Railroad. The Judge Porter had on
board about fifteen passengers and about eight hundred bales of cotton
and sundries. The fire commenced in the engine-room, supposed to have
been caused by the friction of a hog-chain. In about five minutes after
the fire was first discovered, the entire boat was enveloped in flames,
and all aboard had to take to the water. The second engineer, steward,
second cook, and Mr. Farrar, the second clerk, are missing. It is
supposed that they either perished in the flames or were
drowned.
Of the passengers, but one is known
to have been saved. He, together with the captain and crew, was picked
up by boats from some vessels which were near by. The pilot, Mr.
Henderson, was the last to leave the boat, which he did after heading
her to shore. He was slightly burned in getting off. The boat and cargo,
together with the books and baggage, are a total loss. The Judge
Porter was owned by her commander. Captain Shields, and insured in New
Orleans for $8000.
The following dead bodies were
afterward washed on shore and inquests held on them.
No. 1. Alfred Farrow, second clerk,
aged twenty-eight, a native of England and a resident of Mobile.
No. 2. A young man with s large scar on the left arm near
the elbow, fair complexion and red hair.
No. 3. A man aged
fifty-five, dark hair, apparently dyed, supposed to be Joseph Smith, a
planter from Caddo Parish, La.
No. 4. Young man aged twenty-one,
red hair.
No. 5. Walter, the colored steward of the boat,
belonging to a gentleman of Montgomery, Ala.
No. 6. Fireman of
the boat, nicknamed Flat-nosed Jack.
No. 7. Supposed to be Edw.
Sullivan, known by the name of Big Ned, five feet high, several figures
and the letters E. S. tattooed on
his body.
No. 8. A man aged
twenty-eight, fair complexion, black hair, sandy-colored mustache and
goatee; had what appeared to be a railroad baggage-key, with the letters
L. V. R. R. on it.
No. 9. A man six feet high, black hair
and heavy block beard, about forty years of age, dark
complexion.
No. 10. A man six feet high, brown
hair, slight beard on chin, a boatman.
No. 11. A young man
twenty-five years of age, brown hair, slight moustache and
beard.
No. 12. A man about thirty years of age, dark hair, heavy
long beard, first joint of left thumb amputated.
No. 13. Old man
aged fifty-five, supposed to be from Alabama, no whiskers, good teeth,
had back part of black frock-coat with velvet collar burned off.
No. 14. A man six feet high, about thirty-five years of age,
brown hair, reddish-colored moustache, had tattooed on left arm a heart
pierced by two darts.
No. 15. Supposed to be Dr. Hudson, about
twenty-five years of age, auburn hair, had lancets, a cross-shaped hair
breastpin set in gold, and a gold watch.
[Transcribed by C. Anthony] Monday, March 12, 1860,
Vincent's Semi-Annual United States Register, by Frances Vincent,
1860.
