Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1849-06-08
From the St. Louis Daily Union, May 10.
Tremendous COnlagratlOR.


Tremendous COnlagratlOR.
About ten o'clock last night the steamer
White Cloud, lying near of the levee, was dis
covered 10 be on fire. At the time there was u
stiff breeze blowing from the northeast, which
soon carried The flames across to the Edward
Bates, the next boat below, the heat from these
sci fire to the Euduro. lying above them; the
Belle Isle, next below the Bales then caught fire.
by this time, one or two boats below were drop
ped down, leaving vacancy between those on
fire and the boats below them.
At this time the Edward Bates being about
hall burnt up, was cast loose and went floating
down the levee, setting fire to those boats lying
al the levee, as she approached them in the fol.
lowing order:-The Julia, but slightly injured;
the Uncle Sam, also but slightly injured. The
Bates but barely touched these boats, being those
Immediately below her. The following steam
boats. with a large number Of wood boats, bar
ges, DC. &C., were entirely consumed:-The
Martha, Sarah, Taglion. Montauk, Red Wing,
Alexander Hamilton, Boreas No. 3, Timour,
Mandan, ST. Peters, Kit Carson, Mameluke, and
Prairie State.
We do not presume thar this comprises all the
boats destroyed, but these are all the names we
are able TO get hold Of.
The following boats were saved:-The Auto.
crat, De Witt Clinton, Danube. Embassy, South
America, New Uncle Sam, Julia, Old Uncle
Sam, Marshal Ney.
SO intense was the heat rising from this great
conhagratlon, which extended with short inter-
walls from the head of the evee to the head Of
Duncan's Island, that it set fire 10 the buildings
at various points along the levee, all of which
above Vine street were extinguished, but row
Of shantes extending from Locust up towards
Vine street was destroyed aud now, while we
are wiring, one o'clock this morning, the entire
block bounded by the levee, Main, Olive, and
Locusl streets, is wrapped in flames, as are those
houses in the square fronting the levee, between
Pine and Olive streets.
And various houses on the west side of Main
street from Canters & Simons at the corner of
Locust and Main streets to Olive. Mr.. John
Mader's large cooper shop at the south west cor.
ner Of the l3vee and Elm street, and, also q
large two story brick house on the west side Of
Main below Elm street, and the flames are rap.
idly spreading, and where they may be stayed
man cannot tell This is by far the most awful
catastrophe that has ever fallen to the lot Of any
city west Of the Allegheny mountains.
In addition to the properly enumerated there
was vast amount Of grain in sacks, hemp, ba.
con, &c. &C., on the levee, which caught from
the heat sent off by the burning boats. and was
destroyed, and unfortunately on one pile ol
ktta lin ~ ie
said, four persons were sleeping, and all were
destroyed. We saw the body Of one of them
boy, which was carried into the police office
There were a number Of kegs of powder or
board The different boats, and as the fire reach
cd them, they caught and exploded with terrif
ic crash, scattering the fragments in wild con
fusion in upper air.
By one Of these explosions, man standing
; on the levee was killed by being struck with
fragment blown from the burning wreck of tht
Martha; another was shockingly lacerated il
! different parts Of his body; but how many poo
wretches have fallen victims TO these devourinj
flames as they have gone sweeping in wild gran
> deur from boat TO boat, and from house to hous
and from street TO street, no man can ever tell.
One of the widest aud most heart.rendn
: spectacles ever Witnessed in our city was exhib
lied last night. From Duncan's island, extend
ing perhaps half or lhree.lourIhs of mile u
: the river, in continuous line, the burnin
Q wreck of boat met boat and rolled their unite
T clouds of deep black smoke, and lurd flame i
wild contortions toward the heavens; on the oIt
J. er hand the long, lofty range of stores froniin
+ the river, sent up cloud Of sparks and shee
Of dazzling flames, which threw red and ga
u ing light far away into the darkness Of nigl
IS which hung upon our western borders. Hel
1t aud there were seen half frantic men, runnr
in bewilderment from point to point, scare
e knowing where, or staggering from their burr
y ing homes under load Of their most preciol
. properly, followed by weeping wife and h
70 tender babe.
D. Since writing the above We have taken anot
70 er walk through the burning district, which no'
al quarter before three o'clock, already O
10 tends from the eves, west TO Second street, al
from Locust south Of Elm street. This enli
n space is moi burned over, but much of it is, al
10 much more will be before The flames can be e
tngushed.
es We cannot pretend to particuarize the bull
D. ngs burnt, but will mention the Telegraph c
fee, the United States Hotel, The Reveille 0ffiC
" Republican Office, the Organ Office, and d
m New Fra Office. These comprise all the En-
ish daily papers in the city except our own;
Sd we being on the North side of Locust abo
or Main street, have fortunately escaped. We C
IL form no estimate Of the loss by this fre--l nj
e. probably be put down at FIVE millions Of d,
llars,~