The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-05-19
TELEGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE,
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TREMENDOUS CONFEDERATION.
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HAL OF THE CITY
ST. LOUIS IN RUINS,
Three Hundred Houses and Twenty.
Five Steamboats, Burnt.
sEvERAL. LIVES LOST.
&C., &C., &c.

Our city was visited with most destructive FIRE this
morning which consumed nearly half of the business
portion of the city before it could DO arrested.
Included in the buildings destroyed five bank
ing houses, and every insurance Office in the place
twenty steamboats, lying at their whares caught
fire and shared in the general oonaagraton.
The telegraph Office, which subseq uently removed
to the other side Of the river, also consumed
The loss which is very heavy cannot, In the present
confused state Of things, be correctly given
ANOTHER DESPATCH
ST. LOUIS Mo, May Is, 1S49.
At ten O'Clock, last night fire broke out on board
the steamboat White Cloud lying near the head of the
landing, and the wind at the time, blowing gale
from the north-eas) spread from the. White
Cloud to other steamboats, lying below along the Lee
vee and from them to the warehouses and
tnuing its work Of destruction during the night and
to-day, until lat the time forward this despatch)
one-haf of the richest the business portion of the
city of St. Louis has become heap of ruins and yet
the progress of the fire continues.
The whole river-front of warehouses;, from Locust
street to Chestnut-three squares-were destroyed;
and extending to Main street, the flames swept both
sides to Market streetcrossing to Second street. dag
onally; thence taking a course southwark.
More than mile in length, by three blocks in width
Of the centre of the city has been laid waste and the
fire will probably continue until it reaches St. George
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street.
On the river at Market street. the progress of the
fire stayed by blowing up the drug store Of Messrs
Messrs Doenich Valloux.
About twenty five steamboats, lying at the Levee
were destroyed.
Three persons were killed by explosion on board
the steamboat Alice; and it Is probable that as many
twenty lives have been lost during the progress Of
the destroyer.
The printing offices Of the Republican, the RepeiAe
the Era and the Organ, were all destroyed-only one
daily paper printed in the English language the Unions
being left.
At least three hundred houses are burned and the
loss will be several millions of dollars.
Many robbercs committed, of course.
The telegraph Office was among the buildings de-
sroyed and in consequence this despatch is forward
ed from Shawneetown the opposite side of the river
All is confusion and can forward no further particu
lars at present
THIRD DESPATCH.
ST. LOUIS, May 1S-P. NJ.
Mr. Thomas b. Fargo an auctoneer, of those
killed during the fire. He threw keg Of powder into
the store of Doenich vaoux for the purpose of blow
ing 1t up and stopping the progress of the flames at
that point but, unfortunately the explosion took
place before he could get away from the building
Among the steamers burned we're
White Cloud, Tagoni, Boreas,
Alice, Sarah, Montauk
American Eagle Kit Carson, Timour,
Acadia Mamaluke, Prairie State,
Edward Bates, Eudora st. Peters,
Alexr Hamilton, Eliza Stewart, Martha,
Mandate, Beleisle, Gen Brooke,
Frolic, Rcd Wing, and a ferry boat
The value Of the steamboat stock was about 1880 900
insured for 100000.
Value Of the cargoes of the steamboats,, $780, 0O
Freight on the landing valued at $4,000.
The total loss by the fire is about $5,O0o,OOo
Full particulars will be forwarded tomorrow
FOURTH DESPATCH.
ST. LOUIS, May 1s-5P. NJ
The intense heat from the burning steam
boats, fred the stores the levee, commencing at
Lewis [probably Locust street, and the very heart of
the business portion Of the cty-almost every build
ing, for threequarters Of mile y down the evee
and extending back to Second streets in ruins.
The extensive printing establishment of the St.
Loeis Republican entirely destroyed Some of the
other newspaper establishments portion Of their
materials
The banking houses of Benoist j. ]. Anderson Pres
bury & Co., Clark Il Brother, Nesbitt & Co., and E. p
lesson, all destroyed Their vaults are supposed
to be secure.
Most of the extensive business houses are located in
the burnt district, and all had large stocks on hand
very little of which is saved.
Besides the steamers heretofore named there are
probably others Acknowledgements with borges wood
boats, &C., &c.