The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-14
FIRST EDITIO N
DISASTER.


S;tcnmbosts- Total Destruction of Vessels and
CnrEOes-The Loss OE Iifc'
In our telegraphic columns of Wednesday
hast the occurrence Of disastrous contagration,
by which six Ohio river steamboats, and eight
lives were lost, was announced. From the Gin
cinnati Times of Wednesday evening we CLEAN
the following additional details:-
The fire. which originated in the breaking of a
lamp in the nursery of the steamer Clifton,
spread rapidly Before the fire engines were
able to control the flames, six boats were united
in one sheet of fire, extending from one hundred
feet deep to two hundred yards long, which shot
up in forked flames to the height of one hundred
feet and as the light framework, the tall stacks
spars and upper works fell, lightly gliding over
board, or laundering, with a crash, into the
hull, pyramids of immense cinders and dense
columns of smoke would momentarily succeed
each other.
The heat was so intense by this time that few
of the many hundreds of spectators on the
wharf dared approach nearer than some hun
dred yards, and the firemen, so diminutive in
comparison with the awful and grand scene,
appeared like little fre-devils, if we may use
the expression, it appeared presumptuous in
them to battle with such an element under such
headWay. Yet they succeeded in saturatlng the
starboard side of the Silver Spray, not, however,
till her works aft and the texas were badly
scorched, and at the same time the wind veered
round and blew from the southwest, which
assisted materially in checking the fire and pre-
venting the destruction of several fine steamers
lying in line with those burned.
The boats lay as follows:-First, Clifton, at
the foot of Sycamore street; below her, first,
Mary Erwin; second Cheyenne; third, Darling;
and above the Clifton, first, Westmoreland;
second, Melnotte.
As the wind was east when the fire broke out,
those boats below the Clifton took fire rapidly,
and as it changed to southwest, during the fire,
the Westmoreland and Melnotte next were in
mass of flames, though burning slowly before
the wind shifted. The origin of the fire appears
to have been from the bursting of a coal oil
lamp in the nursery on board the Clifton; the
wick being Short the gas generated, burst the
lamp and spilled the burning coal OF! ON the
floor. The fire spread so rapidly that baggage,
clothing and personal property OF all kinds were
lost, persons fleeing from their rooms scantily
clad. The Mary Erwin had plugs in her and
could have been easily scuttled, but in the eX-
element this was not thought of. Some buckets
of water were used to little purpose on some of
the first boats on fire. Most ali of the papers
and books of the boats are lost.
The Clifton, Captain Frank Stein, was mostly
loaded with freight for Memphis, and would
have departed to-day. Her freight list showed
some 300 tons assorted lots. She had few pas
sengers. Among them were gentleman, his
wife, and several children, who were seen at
the end of the staging as the boat was burning,
the mother calling loudly for some one to bring
her child ashore which was asleep in the state
room. We cannot learn that the child was
saved. Two kegs of powder in her magazine
exploded.
The Darling Captain Lawrence Carter, just
arrived from Memphis, had trouble getting
up under the bridge, but effected her landing
and discharged her cargo and passengers. Nine
bales of cotton, however, and 70 bales OF rags
for Messrs. Chatfeld & Woods, discharged for
the boat, and at owners risk, not insured,
were damaged and burned, and are nearly
total loss.
The CHEYENNE Captain U. B. Piersel, had
some $50 tons of Arkansas river freight aboard,
and would have left to-day. Her freight in
cluded some 700 barrels OF coal oil, which eX-
ploded and ruined her hull. Captain John Kyle,
her owner had $4,000 worth of bacon, flour, ETC.,
of his own on the boat, not insured, and all lost
She had but one passenger The Mary Erwin
had lust come from the ways In thorough
repair, and was loading for Arkansas river. She
had very little freight aboard, and no passengers.
Her repairs cost $1,000 last week.
The Melnotte was an Express Line packet for
st. Louis. She has had new cabin and upper
works built recently at great expense. She had
some 400 tons aboard for ST. Louis and way
points and several passengers.
The Westmoreland was n Cincinnati and New
Orleans packet She had just commenced load
ing for New Orleans, and had a small freight
list and no passengers.
LOSS OF LIFE.
Resides the child mentioned previously on the
Clifton one deck hand of the steamer Darling
Otis reported, and not contradicted up to l T.
M y Jumped overheard in his fright and was
drowned before assistance was secured Four
deck hands on the Cheyenne are also missing,
and it is feared they also were drowned, or met
with a worse fate in the flames.
1t was stated last night that two men perished
on the Darling, but no exact statements can as
vet be had, as the crews are scattered and the
papers and books out of reach. The chamber
maid of the Darling is also missing.