The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-10-21

ence d1sporpeo
Destruetion OF Steamboats, ON tho Western
Rivers-Three Burned and Four Sunk.
From the st. Louis Intellgencer, Oct AL
On the 18th inst, fire discovered in the after
deck room OF the new steamer Montauk, and in very
short time the entire boat was wrapped in flames The
passengers, officers and crew barely escaped with their
lives SO rapidly and suddenly did the flames progress in
the work Of destruction They, however, succeeded in
baggage &C., to their fate. From the Montauk the fire
very soon communicated to the Robert Campbell which
was lying Immediately below, and to the Iunete next
above, and in about hour all three boats were
sumed TO the waters edge The fire. has been stated
Missouri river trade, and was then receiving freight
but owing to the scarcity of shipments to the
Missouri, she had on board but a very small
portion Of cargo perhaps about thirty TONS more
less n Corwth Co.. of Galena the owners of the
boat She built at Ptsburg during the present sea-
and cost about So 900 She insured for only
$4,000. BY the exertons Of Captain f. Glenn and the
officers the books and papers saved but they los, all
their clothing and and nothing belonging to
the Montauk and burnt almost at tine time was
also Missouri river boat and She too fortunately had
but little cargo board The greater part of what she
had taken consigned to the firm of Impey Walker
OF Ezabethtown. The amount of freight would not ex
coed thirty tons small portion of which for Kansas
and St. Joseph. Captain McCoy Mr.. Mcintyre, and
of the engineers of the boat owned her She lately
purchased BY them for So 800 but had been redtted
and repaired at cost of an additional $4,000
5000. The amount OF her insurance is $4,000
being insured in four Offices and agencies of
Citizens, 81 500 each. Very little saved from the
burning boat the books and papers being among the
losses. The Lunete lying Immediately above the Montauk
the last of the three to take fire She was
in the Upper Mississippi trade, and had on board
one hundred and twenty tons of freight the greater part
of which consigned to different persons in st. Paul
Capt John b Davis both owned and master of the
boat, and understand is insured for 1000 She
just from the DOCK where she had undergone thorough
repairing and painting and nearly ready for Gaena
and ST. Paul The loss her cargo will be far more than
had burned to the waters edge, they severaly
taken and towed over by the New St. Paul to
the bar on the opposite side of the river wheres the
hus sunk This the city expense of SIS 900
$40 0O0 as it would have cost in the neighborhood
that amount to them had they been suffered to
sink at the Levee There additional incidents
connected with the fire, which will relate Such
catastrophe will be readily conceived attended
with danger and others the boats
and some persons were in imminent danger of losing
their lives Among this number Mr. H. L.
Merrill, of Connecticut, who had taken passage on
the Robert Campbell for the Missouri river AT the first
alarm Of fire he endeavored to h trunk and other
baggage, and in the attempt had his and hands
severely burned In addition to this misfortune he
ceiyed severe wound on the head by the falling of a
heavy piece of timber He however succeeded in getting
his trunk safely ashore but it stolen directly after
wards by Of those FIRE sharks who follow in the wake
of such caames and enrich themselves by all they
lay hold Of description Of the trunk and contents was
by the fire and falling timber that it considered ad
vsable to send him to the Sisters Hospital The
on the same boat made exertions to lady pas
fenger who had been nearly sunocated in the cabin
and in doing his coat burned oil, and his hands
and badly injured. The lady finally rescued
from death by steamboat runner who seized her
in his arms-ran through the boat and brought her
safely to shore The clerk of the Montauk in getting
the books and money from the Office, considerably
singed by the flames. Captain Glenn OF the same boat
ecruck by falling DERRICK but his injuries not
boat called the Blontauk. which destroyed by fire
few years ago. but Captain Mccoy of the Robert Camp
tune by fire the burning of the fine steamer B uf
City which of the boats destroyed by fire last July
The fire reached considerable quantity of dry goods,
&C., lying on the evee, which was much damaged and
portion Of destroyed The goods designed to go
board the steamer Brunette, for Keokuk, and the
Honduras, for the Missouri river. considerable
amount Of property carried off by thieves of
whom were seen in the act of pundering box of hats
each furnishing himself with new hat. About
Lunette belonged to two persons OF St. Paul-Mr
Ray and Mr. harrington, representing different firms Ray
freight We will turn to the list of sunken boats
Of which the first and probably the most valuable is the
cargo. She upon snag at the head Of Amaranth
Island six miles below GAINESVILLE, at clock Wsdnes
day morning and sunk in eight feet water Capt Dawsy
and portion Of the crew arrived in the city yesterday
ming The Captain is of opinion that she be raised
and Messrs Eads Nielsen have determined to go and
inspect her condition The boat is owned follows
One half by Capt Bersenot insured; sixeenths
by James Carter Co., of Galen, which there is
insurance. and oneSixteenh by ID. v Dawle, which
there 81 900 insurance. making the whole insurance
the boat Sc 000 OF this amount So 900 is in the Phn
nix ns trance Company of this city Ca plain Bersie
the regular Of the boat but he being the
Envoy above the rapids the boat in charge of Cap
tain nanley, at the time of sinking. The Golden Era
board is light and all saved deck except about 800
sacks Of alt and quantity of sugar and Of which the
greater portion dissolved The New St Paul. from Keo
kuk yesterday morning. brought of the loss of the
steamer r. II. lee, the upper rapids. Her stern is
sunk in eight feet Of water and her bow is the rocks
The X. II. Lee is insured for So 500 The telegraph
brings intelligence Of IL sinking Of the steamer Flag
Flint Island, in the Ohio. The freight is damaged tho
boat will be raised. She on her way from Cincinnati
to this city.
The steamer Georgetown Capt Mcpherson, bound from
St Louis to New Orleans sunk the 14th ust at Grand
Tower about hundred miles below ST. Louis and will
prove q total loss.
Tut