The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-10-26
OF THREE STEAM.
BOATS BY FIRE.

! This year seems 10 be most unfortunate
year for steamboats,. None have been blown
up, but the loss from FIRE, rocks and snags ha.
been immense. Our neigh bor Galena has had
really more than hersshare OF those evils. The
West Newton, and the Golden Era were owned
in whole or in part by her citizens. The last
st Louis mails bring us the news of the burnin .
of,hree' STEAMBOATS,, the NJ ontauk, theRob. Camp
bell & the Lunette, the first of which, where the
| fire originated. was owned by Messrs. Corwith
s. Co, of Gale The fatetiigeacer of the
| 10th says.
Yesterday morning about hal.pas, nine o.
clock, The steamer Montauk, Captain Glenn,
master. lying near tie foot of Vine street, took
fire and in few minutes was completely en-
| yeloped in flames
| The cause of this unfortunate occurrence was
as follows: They were burning pitch mmedi
ately in the rear Of the boilers. for the purpose
of GENE tnE the decks which had lately been
caulked. The kettlcsu which they were pre-
pairing the pitch burst, and the contents spread
over the deck. which, coming in contact with
the fire beneath The kettle, was soon enyeloped
in flames
SO rapid was the progress of the fire, that in
few minutes the steamer Robert Campbell
which was lying just below her aud could not
be removed caught, and in q short time
perfect sheet of flame. The mate, Mr.. Kelly,
in his efforts to secure the books and papers,
had his hands and face badly burned. The
X BIT. Campbell was owned by Mr. Joseph Nc
lntyre, the first clerk, and Capt A Reeder, Of
the f. X. AUBREY. She was in the command of
Capt. No Clay,.and was valued at $4,000. In
surance had bee effected in the following ottic-
es Eina, Lumbernen' Columbia and Citi-
zens', So, 800 each The clerk succeeded in
saving about $500 III money, which was in the
safe.
We noticed while she was on fire gentle
man brins ing a lady from the cabin who had
tainted and would undoubtedly nave persisted
The Lnnette lying imme dsately at the stern OF
the Campbell next took fire. She owned
by Capt John Davis, her commander, and
was valued at $4,000, and fully insured, at
what office did not learn. She had about
$50 tons of freight board for Ga!ena and
other points on the upper Mississippi river, all
of which was entirely consumed. Her books
and papers were saved
The Montaulk and Campbell had each about
80 tons of freight on board, and were loading
for the Missouri river. The former owned
by Messrs. Corwith & Co., of Galena, and
Capt. Glenn was insured in the Home Mutual
Insurance Company and in the Tennessee A
gencv, for $4,000.
AT about ii o'clock, the hulls of all three OF
the steamers were taken in tow by the ferry boat
and 81. Paul, and towed on the other side of the
river
By great exertions, the steamer Brunette,
which was lying next TO the Luneite, was saw
ed, although her situation at time, was
very critical. BY the active exerions of the
fremen, the wharf-boaf of The Keokuk packet
,N, ioI, in INN nd
times on fire, was saved.
A considerable quantity of freight which was
lying on the levee was damaged by the fire, and
what few articles were taken from the burning
boats were the subject OF contention and plum
der among great many who had congregated
on the levee We noticed a case of ciolh caps
which had been broken in removing it on the
levee surrounded by an eager crowd, each one
of whom endeavored to snatch cap. 1t is
needless 10 state in short time every cap was
gone. The bulls of the Inflated boats are all
sunk on the bar near Bloody Island, where they |
were towed
1t is confidently thought that the Golden Era
can be raised. In relation to this and other
late steamboat accidents, we extract from the
Republican.
The Captain of the Era is of opinion that she /
have determined to go up and inspect her con
diiion. The boat is owned rs follows: one half
by Capt. Bersie-not insured seven sixteenths
by James Carter d Co, of Galena, on which |
there is 5000 insurance; and one-sxteenth by |
ID. Y. Dawley, on which there is 81 900 insur-
ance; making the whole insurance on the boat
$4,000 OF this amount $4,000 in the Phoenix
Insurance Company of this city.
Capt. Bersie is the regular commander of the
hSi hsl .1x.~rD
apids, the beat was in charse.of Captain Daw-
ey, at the time of sinking. Tie Gs!den Era
vas valued at from $4,000 to $4,000 The
eight on board is light, and is all saved on
eek except about 500 sacks of salt, and a guam
~ OF sugar, and of which the greater portion
issolved.
The New ST. Paul, from Keokuk yesterday
corning, brought news of the loss of The steam
: X ii Lee, the Upper Rapids. Her
ern is sunk in eight feet of water, and her
Nv is on the rocks. The following letter was
,ceived from the clerk
Above Rock Island, Oct. 9th
Mr. X. +. Sass: The Lee is sunk on Camp !
ellis Cliain-she sunk at 3 o'clock this NOR . ,
ing, on the down trip. We are using every :
fort to raise her, and l think will succeed l
,onsignees and cargo you will see from the fol-
wing list: ]
Leach & Goodrich, 146 sacks onions, 80 do.
otatoes; Scott, Naylor ds Co., SIS sacks bar
y, $50 do. wheat. W. l. Ewing & Co., 500 {
O. wheat; w. G. Baker, lS7 SKIS onions; Dutch i
s. Co., 300 do. wheat. Total, IVA o
In haste, !
j. MCPHERSON. 5
One half the load will, think, be saved in n
God order; at any rate, the deck load of wheat
not much injured. j. McP
The Ii. Lee is insured for S3,500-Capt
. S. Porter's three -fourths in the Globe Office
II $500, and Mr. PcPherson's one fourth in :
lie Union Office for 1000.
The telegraph brings intelligence of the sink
g of the steamer Flag, at Flint Island, in the
ho. The freight is damaged; The boat will
; raised She was on her way from Clncin- /,
lti to this city. liz
- |