Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-02-23
From the N. o. Delta. Feb. 4.

From the N. o. Delta, Feb. 4.
Terrible and Destructive Fire Sir Steam
boats DeStroyed--A Million Dollars
Produce Destroyed.
The splendid steamer Charles Belcher
came into port last night, from Nash
vile, with an exceedingly valuable car
go, estimated to be worth $3.50, 900,
consisting of six hundred hogsheads Of
tobacco, five hundred bales of cotton, a
large-lot of pork, and other sundries.-
The Belcher is owned in st. Louis,
where she isinsured for $50, 600, which
is considerably less than her value.
Shortly after her arrival, the Belchel
was discovered to be on fire, and the
flames communicated so rapidly that il
was quite difficult for the passengers
who were spending the night on board
to escape Mrs. Carlile, the wife of the
captain, who was confined to her bed
from sickness, leaped with great heroism
from the hurricane deck with her child
in her arms, and fortunately, suffered
no injury. All the passengers lost their
baggage. There's were nearly forty
slaves on board, who were on the lower
deck in the after part of the boat, who
must have experienced great difficulty
in escaping, owing to the smoke and
heavy piles of produce.
Fourteen of these negroes are stated
to be missing, though at the time of our
last visit to the scene no bodies had
been discovered, and it is hoped that
these, as well as the persons reported
to be burnt on the Natchez, may have
escaped. The confusion was so great
that we could obtain scarcely any fact
in very authentic shape. except that
the fire communicated very rapidly to
the Liah Tuna and the Crescent, which
lay next to the Belcher. These are new
and valuable boats, and had not dis
charged their cargoes. Next the Saxon,
very fine boat, we'll known in the low
er cotton trade, caught FIRE, and though
she burned more slowly than the rest,
was entirely consumed, with the cargo,
which she had taken from st. Louis,
portion of which appeared to be quite
-.
The loss of the Saxon must have
been at least $4,000. The Mohican,
another valuable boat in the Tennessee
trade, heavily loaded with goods to sup
ply the towns on the Tennessee river,
her departure being advertised for this
morning, was consumed. Lastly, the
fire communicated to the splendid Nat
chez. the pride Of the South, whose orr
ginal cost few months ago was $780,
600. She had come into port in the af-
ternoon with 3, 400 bales of cotton, and
it is supposed that 1000 had been re-
moved, leaving $500 that were de-
thus sweeping 100000 at one
fell swoop, which with the other losses,
make total loss about 100000. The
Grand Turk, which was next to the
Natchez, caught several times; so did
the Sultana, but by the energy of her
officers, aided by the fremen, who arri-
we'd early on the scene, the fire was ex-
and they were saved.
The commotion and excitement among
the crowded and closely wedged boats
was prodigious; all of them were getting
up steam at the same time. Those that
were nearest to the boats on fire drop
ped out with the current, and drew up
in the rear of the boats further down.
A short distance from the scene of the
fire, the Floating Palace of Van Am
burg, filed with his voraeious and rare
collection ofanimals, was moored. The
tumult and noise aroused the wild beasts
from their lairs, and caused them to
lend their roars to that OF the multitude.
We could not but think what an awful
scene would have been presented, if the
flames, which were sweeping in that d.
rection, had communicated to this prison
of so many ferocieus beasts. G
The fire department were promptly
on the spot, and contributed largely 10
prevent the flames from spreading either
upon the wharves, where there is vast
amount of produce heaPed up, or to the
adjoining boats. Their exertions were
continued to the very last, until about
10 O'Clock to day, when the ewreck Of the
last of the burned boats, after issuing
thick volume of smoke, with a low,
bubling sound, as if some in
fiammable materials were exploding,
went slowly down out of sight, and left
on the smooth, quiet waters scarcely
of the splendid new boats
which, but few hours before, had oc-
cupied the space. a
Under the head of Additional Partlc-
ulars, on the 9Th inst, the lPleayune
says