The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-12-07
LOSS ESTIMATED AT $4,000.


Between the hours of IL and / o'clock last
night our citizens were startled by the alarm
of fire, which proceeded from the packet Geo. /
Collier, at the lower packet landing We learn
that as that steamer was landing, before her :
lines were fairly made fast, fire was discoy-
cred by the mate issuing from a small closet 7
Immediately under the steps that come down
forward, which spread with such awful rapid
ity that in less than five minutes the whole of
that large boat was enyeloped in almost an en-
tire sheet of flames.
Capt. Burdett, who was in command, left +
the roof. and went below to the cabin, and gave /
the alarm. He Immediately went into the
ladies' cabin to save the ladies. all of whom
were asleep, and tried to get them out forward,
but the flames and smoke drove them back,
leaving them no chance to escape but by a
small fight of steps near the water closet at
the rear of the boat. By almost superhuman
efforts he succeeded in saving all of them and
getting them off on the wharf-boat. The male
passengers and a portion of the officers and
crew had to save themselves by jumping of,
some into the river, and others to the lower
deck of the wharf boat.
The George Collier had landed on the inside
Iof the magnificent packet Mayfiower, her bow
Extending about midship of the latter, and
soon that steamer was also enyeloped in flames.
The flames also extended to the bow and cabin
of the fine wharfboat Mary Hunt, and in less
than ten minutes from the first outbreak of the
flames, the three boats were one mass of fire,
the flames towering high above the tall Chin
neys of either boat
The most mournful part of the disaster is
the fact that some ten or twelve human lives
are supposed to be lost, some of them by being
burned and others by drowning after jumping
into the river. The George Collier had some
forty cabin passengers, most of whom We're
asleep in their rooms, and i'll the hurry and
confusion of the moment, hardly knew what
they were about. Several of those who were
saved are considerably injured from jumping
off the boat. Many Of the saved were taken
to the Gayoso in their night clothes, where
they were kindly provided for by the gentle
manly proprietorS.
Ali the officers of the George Collier were
saved, but neither passengers or.officers saved
any of their baggage, nothing but what they
had on. Mr. Lakeland, the first clerk, went
to the safe when the alarm was first given,
and took out the money and valuable packages
but lost bag of gold and the letters while en-
Ideavorng to save the ladies' The books and
papers of both the Collier and Mayhower were
lost, and but few of the officers on the latter
!, boat saved any thing, except what they had on
Amid the confusion and intense excitement
last night, we were unable to get list of those
who were lost, or the names of any of them
/, Some five or six of the passengers, and two
three of the cabin boys on the Collier ar
known to be lost, and the assistant barkeepe
e and chambermaid ofthe Mayfower were mis-
ing As the register of the G.. G. was losti
will be hard to determine how many los
: their lives. No one from Memphis was lost
S we are glad to learn.
/ The entire loss is estimated at not less than
3 S35O,OO0. The Collier was valued at $35, 0OC
and insured for $4,000. The Mayfowei
u cost fully 100000, and was insured for about
n $4,000. Wharf boat Mary Hunt was valued
S at $4,000 and Mesars Duyal Algeo & CO..
had stock of goods amounting % some $50
600, and had insurance for only $4,000. A
: larger portion of the insurance will fall upon
, offices at St. Louis, New Orleans and elsewhere
: yet it is quite probable that the offices here
IS will suffer materially On the cargo of the
J. Collier.
o The Geo. Collier had just landed from New
Orleans. and had some four hundred tons o.
freight, mostly groceries, for this place and
j Nashville, on board, not pound of which was
y saved. The Mayfower had some 1000 sacks
a of corn on board, which she had taken in al
e Bradley's landing, above here, on Saturday
n evening. Her cargo frem New Orleans, ex-
cept some sugar and molasses on the levee, haG
, been delivered on Saturday There was also
considerable amount of forwarding goods OF
J. board the wharf-boat In addition to then
l. wharfboat, Messrs. Duval, Algeo & Co., los
their bakery. We did not learn whether they
+ saved their books and papers or not. This il
the second wharf boat we have seen burn III
on the same spot, the j. NJ. White and the
N Mary Hunt.
At The scene last night was awfully grand, anG
= beggars all description. The sparks blew to
y great distance over the southern part of the
N lefty. AT one time Towards cotton shed was
I, in imminent danger, as was also the whar
boat of A. L. Davis & Co. The Fire Depart
ment wereout, and rendered all the assistance
they could. We are unable to give any fur
lther description at this late hours O'Clock
A. NJ
STILL LATER O'Clock A. M-Tht
wrecks are still burning, and are nearly burned
to the waters edge, presenting most gloomy
appearance. A coal boat belonging to Mr.
Thomas James, is now on fire, and the levet
for more than 100 yards presents one living
bed of fire and flames.
CE7~Mr. John w. Bloomer, of Baltimore, ha.
obtained a judgment of S5oagainst the ga.
company for refusingto supply his store with