Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-09-01

BURNING OF THE STEAMSHIP CHERoKEE.-The
New York Commercial of Saturday has the follow
ing account Of the burning of this vessel and cargo
on Friday Evening:
The steamship Cherokee, lying in the dock at
the foot of Warren street, filled with costly cargo
of silks and other merchandise, thoroughly fitted
out for her regular voyage to New Orleans, VIA
Havana, and prepared to leave port at 2 clock
this afternoon, was discovered 10 be on fire about
u O'Clock last evening. The only persons on
board at the time were two watchmen, named
Charles Murphey and John Turner, and 1t seems
thatthey promptly gave the alarm, but the flames
spread with such fury amid the combusu0le mate
rails in the hold of the vessel that all possibility
OF saving her was in fact gone before the tlremen
arrived. The flames ran up her rigging fercely,
and the harizon was illumined to great distance
by the blaze. Thousands of persons congregated
on the piers, in West street, and on the roofs OF
buildings in all parts of the city from which view
of the terrible confagTation could lie had.
Two steamers attached hauSers 10 the bows OF
the burning NeSSel, and attempted to draw her out
into the stream, where she might lie Scuttled and
sunk, but it being low tide, she was fast aground,
and the hawsers parted without moving her appa-
Iently an inch. 1t was then determined 10 fill her
hull with water, and for this purpose the hose OF
the various engines played through the SIDE lights
and open spaces of the decks, while holes were cut
IN her bows at the water line. BY these expedi-
emit, and The rising Of the tide she was ultimately
sunk, but the flames burned every part of the YES
Sci down to the waters edge, except Inc smoke
pipe ana lower MaStSS winch are sui SldHuluS. IL
was not until 8 O'Clock this morning that the FIRE
was entirely extinguiShed.
The CheIokee was built in New York, in 1s4S,
by VIM. H. Webb, for Samuel L. MitchelFS line
of Savannah steamers, at cost oil about $500, OOO
Her dimensions were 30 feet length, IS feet beam,
and II feet hold, and she is registered 1850 tons
burthen. After making several voyages TO Sayan-
nah she was purchased by Messrs Rowland and
AspinwalI, who sold her in 1851 10 MessrS Law,
Robots g. Co. Her value before this destructive
fire was estimated at $4,000, and she was not
insured. The engines, boilers, and portion of
the hull will probably be raised, comparatively
unnjured, and therefore she is not total lcSS-
The value ofthe cargo roughly estimated at about
s35OOOO. Some of the goods were insured, but as
it is usual 10 defer taSing out policies until the
day OF sailing, it is probable that great portion
the cargo,waS uninsured.
The shippers by Adams & Co.'S express TO New
Orleans will be glad to learn tnat that house had
sent nothing on board the Cherokee at the time OF
the loss. They had a large freight, consisting of
boxes bales, trunks packages and valuable paroles
OF jeweIry, bonds, &C., which, according to their
custom, were IL have been shipped on the day oil
sailing. Luckily all these articles Ire new safe at
No. SO Broadway.
The Ell Dorado will take the Cherokee's place in
the line for New Orleans via Havana, and will
leave this port on Tuesday, the 3O;h inst.