Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-06-12
Prom the St. Louis Nsws Of Saturday Evening.
Burning OF tho Keystone state.
LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY.

About twelve o'clock Thursday night
while lying Mt Florence Landing, iii
nois river, taking on wood, the steamer
Keystone State, Captain Ruggles, bound
for this port, caught fire among some
freight Just aft the boilers. which COM
municatsd TO the boiler deck, and 10
few minutes, notwithstanding the, exer
tions made to extinguish the flames. the
boat was burned to the waters edge
The dry wood. work was as combustibIe
as tinder, and the flames spread with
frighiful rapidty. In less than half an
hour after the fire was discovered there
was nothing left of the illlated boat
save the charred and smoking hull, and
the blackened machinery.
As soon as the boat was discovered
to be on fire. the alarm was given to the
passengers, who were quietly slumbering
ia their ber,hs. unconscious ofthe danger
impending. They began to rush forth
from their state. rooms into the cabin, and
by the time they were all aroused, the
boat amidships was on fire from the
lower to tho hurricane deck, thus cut.
ting off egress from the after TO the for
ward part OF the boat. Fortunately
there was not many passengers on board
or the loss OF life might nave been Sc.
we're. Those who could, got ashore by
the stage planks, but the most Of those
IN the after end OF the boat plunged into
the river end swan ashore. All the
cabin passengers but one saved them.
selves; the unfortunate victim was a
lady passenger named Green, Of Belle.
Vile. She jumped into the river and
was drowned before assistance could be
extended TO her. Her body was taken
from the water while yet exhibiting signs
Of life, but all efforts to resuscitate hor
were unavailing.
Four of the crew are missing. and
were doubtless burned to death or drown
ed. They were the steward, second
steward and chambermaidS, (coIored),
and fireman (Frenchman). When last
seen by our informant, the steward and
chambermaid were standing on the after
boiler deck guard, seemingly paralyzed
with terror, and unable TO attempt TO
save themselves. The second steward
was last seen going down the gangway
from the pantry 10 the lower deck, with
a trunk on his shoulders. 1t is suppo.
sed that upon reaching the main deck,
he was stifed by the smoke and fell into
the river. The steward was free col.
ored man, residing in this city, and ma.
med Ben Quills. He leaves wife and
children. The second steward was ma.
med Aaron Stockton, and belonged in
pi,tsburg. The chambermaid, named
Emily Austin, was llom Allegheny City.
MI Naples, cabin passenger, jump.
cd overheard with his child in his arms,
and would have been drowned but for
the aid of some Of the deck hands. His
wife jumped into the river with chair
in her hand for a supporter, and came
very near being drowned. The confusion
on board was very great. and had there
been large number of passengers, the
loss of life would have been deplorable.
Nobody saved anything except their
clothes, and some escaped in state Of
scanty wardrobe. The officers all got
ashore in safety. The books, papers,
part of the money in the safe, most of
The officers and gassenger's baggage, and
every pound Of freight were destroyed
As usual in such cases, the life.b boat and
life. boats were not called into requisi
lion at all; and aot one that jumped
overheard took life.preserver with him,
each state.r room had two.
The Time and Tide, arriving shortly
took part of the passengers 10
Naples, and the Brunette, coming down,
brought the remainder and the officers
and crew.
The Keystone State was good boat,
about four years old, and was recently
purchased at Pittsburg for the Illinois
river trade, by Capt. Willard, for S14,.
900. She had been running in command
Of Capt. Chas. RuggIes, Of Peoria, who
owned an interest OF one.third.
The cargo was composed Of between
four and five thousand sacks Of grain,
chiefly corn; four OF five hundred barrels
Of whisky and lard, and few smaller
lots of sundries. Messrs. ChappelIe &
Vale, and r. M. Funkhouser & Co..
are consisnees of the major portion Of
the grain.