Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-09-08
Great COnlagratiOn!
Burning Of the Cherokee.
LOSS sJOO,0OO To $500. 900.

From the New York Times we learn
that on Friday evening, The 2Gsh ult.,
abou, clock, the fine steamer Chero.
kee. ly ing at the foot Of Warren street,
was discovered to be on fire: and before
it could be subdued, the noble vessel,
with her entire cargo, was completely
destroyed. The Times says:
The confagration spread prodigious
light over the heavens, and The alarm
created in the upper part Of the city dur
| ing the early par, of the evening was IN
tense. Immense Gro wds of anxious
merchants, clerks, newspaper people,
and citizens generally, simultaneously
wended their way down town, by any
conveys nce that offered, and were only
fearful they should be too late 10 witness
the best of the scene.
The only persons on board the vessel
! at the time were two watchmen, named
John Turner and Charles Murphy
They gave the alarm Immediately, and
the engines were promptly on the spot
La marveiously short time, however,
the hull of the ship was shee. of flame.
The red tongued element burst on, Zero.
| ciously from the port holes, crawled up
the timbers, went down the beams, flick.
cred about the masts, ate up the cordage,
waved to and fro, and set off the rigging
and the hull in bold relief against the
clouded SKI. We have rarely seen
more beautiful sight always dives,ing
the subject of its more melancholy fea.
tures-ihan the ship at the moment The
flames had thoroughly enwrappeG her.
The brillian, light shed by the blazing
vessel upon the surrounding wharves,
piers and vessels, balhed The scene in
ruddy colors. unmatched by any paint,
er's art. he night was still and dark,
and thousands upon thousands of mec
and lads we're perched, like clusters of
bees, upon every available standing place
within view OF the wharf where The ves-
sci lay. The North River barges. with
their fiat roofs and roomy sides, present
ed capital points for view. The fire.
men brought their hose to play upon the
vessels in the vicinity Of the burning
hip, and the sonnG OF the rushing wa.
ter, The swapping of the flames, and the
/ EXPLANATIONS of the multitude, as new
tongue of flame would shoo, up from The
hold Of the ship, far above the main
body 1T the FIRE, made up tableaux
that is NOT often witnessed in New York
The sight was grand; when you came TO
think about II, the charm was lost.
The Cherokee belonged to Geo. Law
Il Co.'S line of New Orleans and Ha.
vana packets, and was among the first
vessels 10 engage in the California pas
senger travel from this port. She has
been favorile steamer, and has made
good passages. TIE loss to the owners
and freighters viii be very heavy--prob-
ably not less than 500, 900 on the yes.
sci, and S500,00Q on The cargo.
The Cherokee was fully laden rnr her
outward voyage, and was prepared TO
sail day. The number OF passengers
who were expecting to sail in her on
this trip was, we understand, much lar.
ger than is usual at this season of The
year. Many OF them had already sent
on board a large portion of their bag
gage, which is, Of course. total loss.
The cargo was, as we have already
lntinated, very heavy and valuable. -
It's entire value canno, be much shor, OF
100000. but on this amount there IS
probably nearly a whole insurance The
vessel was not insured.
II is supposed the ire was occasioned
bv spontaneous combustion, although
nothing definite on this point could be
ascertained last night. The watchmen
expressed themselves entirely ignorant
of any knowledge of the origin of The
flames. knowing no danger until the fire
had burst forth. The owners OF the
ship had exercised great caution in re-
fusing admission TO any combustible
matter known as such. The nature of
the cargo, however, was infamable, and
the flames, when once started, progress
ed with terrible rapidity.
During the confusion incident TO the
crowding together Of so many people,
an accident occurred which narrowly es-
capped being serious one. From one
/ of The piers juuing out towards the bow
OF the burning vessel, a man was push
ed into the water. and disappeared for
some time under the projecting wharf; a
great cry was raised, aud soon boats pu,
off TO his rescue, one of which, after
some delay, succeeded in saving the IN.
lucky spectator. who was found clinging
in terror to one Of the posts OF the
wharf.