The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-07-08
nEgTRucTIvE FIRE AT THE LEvEE.
six teambOa Burned.
Loss 100000.


From the St. Louis Evening News, we clip
the full particulars of the great steamboat cor
flagration of the I'd inst. at that port.
Between FIVE and six O'Clock this morning
fire broke out in the cabin of the steamer ST..
| Clair, lying at the Northern end of the wharf,
near the foot of Biddle street, which COM
municated to the steamers Paul Anderson, ly-
ing just below, and the J. NJ. Stoekwell and
Grand Turk, lying just above. In fifteen OF
| twenty minutes all four were burned to the
waters edge. While they were burning, the
Saranak no, 2, Southerner, Pennsylvania, Mo
Inongahela, and two or three other boats lying
below, Were cut loose and driited down the
stream. The Southerner and Saranak foated
but short distance and lodged against the
stern of boat lying about square below the
point from which she started. Immediately
afterwards the burning wreck of the st. Clair
broke loose from its moorings, and foated
against and between the Southerner and Sar-
anak set them on fire, and all three foated
down the river together enveloped in flames
The fire was the work of an incendiary-
1t caught in the ladies' cabin of the st. Clair
where there had been no fire for two weeks
The Waterman of the boat and small boy
were sleeping on the hurricane roof and were
both compelled to jump overheard to save
their lives. No lives were lost that we could
hear Of
The Grand Turk was an old boat formerly
engaged in the st. Louis and New Orleans
trade, and was nearly, if not altogether, worn
out She was owned by her commander, Capt
Newman Robirds, and was probably worth
$4,000. The j. NJ. Stockwell was about
three years old, a stranger at this port, cost
when new $4,000, and was insured in Ohio
river towns, where she was owned, for 49,
900. The st. Clair was good boat and had
been running from Cincinnati to Keokuk un-
der command of Capt. Barter. Her age was
was about four years and her value about
$4,000. She was owned by parties in Pitts
burgh, and was probably insured at home.
The Paul Anderson was a very old boat, en-
tirely worn out. She was owned by Messrs.
Eads & Nelson, who had taken out her boilers,
machinery, &C., and the hull was advertised
for SALE Messrs. Eads & Nelson were not
insured. nor will their loss amount to more
than 81 900 in all.
The Saranak was an old boat, and very bad
stock at best : She had been condemned
several times, both here and in New Orleans,
and was looked upon by every body as the
next thing to worthless. Her value was but
little, and we did not enquire about the in
surance. If she is insured at all, the boat is
we'll sold.
The Southerner was the most valuable boat
of the six She was only six months old, had
made three trips between here and New Or
leans, and was lying up having her cabin ex-
tended, and getting ready TO enter the Mobile
and New Orleans trade, for which she was built.
She was owned by parties atMobile and insured
there or in New Orleans. if insured at all. She
cost when new over $30C0O and the new
cabin which nearly completed cost $1,000 to
SIS 900 more.
In addition to the six steamboats, burnt
there were two barges, lying in the vicinity,
also destroyed. They were both old and of
little value. All the boats destroyed were
laid up, and consequently had neither freight
nor passengers on board. The entire loss will
be about 100000, and the loss to st. Louis
insurance companies cannot be more than S.
900 to $4,000 in all, and we doubt very
much whether it will amount to $4,000, as
the most valuable boats were owned and In
sured elsewhere.
The charred hulls of the floating boats
lodged against the island below the city.