Show A Colored Torch MOBILE Ala March 3News of the I burning of the steamer Gardiner is coming j in slowly None was received until yester day afternoon The fire was discovered by I Captain Stone A negro deck hand threw j water on a burning bale and rnIhrd ring another bucketful his clothes caught fire I Panicstricken he ran from place to place setting fire to cotton bales and in a few moments the boat was in flames all over She was in midstream and in motion The pilots were driven from the wheel and the crew and passengers jumped overboard Those lost were drowned It is not thought that more than one or two were burned Captain Stone saved himself swimming ashore The steamer Tally was behind the Gardiner waiting to psss As soonas the flames broke out the Tally lowered her boats and threw over bales of seedsacks and planks to help the people who were jumping from the Gardiner The heat was so intense that the Tally did not dare to go near the boat Had it not been for the presence of the Tally but few would have been saved When the fire broke out the Gardiner was ordered to run ashore She backed and the bells were rung for going ahead but the engineers were driven from their posts by the flames and the boat drifted into the woods on the opposite aide from the place where there was a practical landing Pilot W H Wilson remained in the pilothouse until he found that his signals sig-nals were not obeyed and that the flames were licking the side of the pilothouse when he fled for his life The report of the loss of life is confirmed cabin boy of the Tally named Barber colored performed heroic deeds in saving five lives which he did by swimming ashore with those in the water The screams of those on the boat were heartrending Mrs W T Rembert threw one child into the water her husband taking the other two She then jumped in herself All but her husband were lost Mrs Jos Rembert was also on board but was saved from drowning She is at Demopolis and is in a precarious condition The boat was not insured and was valued at 12000 The cargo was insured for 23000 |