The Cairo evening bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1868-1870, 1869-07-07
Destructive FIRE.
TIVE valuable steas.bsats BurneA NJ the
Cairs wharf.

street located it. 1t was not difficult 10 de-
termine from any part Of the city, that
steamboat was involved, and as the sight Of a
burning steamboat was an unusual one, men
women and children poured along the streets
in streams toward the point indicated.
Arriving at the whsrfit was readily dis
covered that the attraction was two steam
boats certain, with fair chance for sever
al others, and few buildings on the lcvee |
also.
Inquiring AS to the origin Of the FIRE We
could learn nothing further than that II had
broken out amid-ships Of the sternwheel
steamer Louisiana, No person was on the
boat at the time, and consequently the first
limitations ofthe danger were discovered by
parties on shore and on neighboring boats.
The flames spread with marvellous rapidity,
fairly leaping from one portion Of the boat to
an other, and creating heat that defed the
approach Of the iremen, who arri we'd on the
ground ia an incredible short space Of time
after the alarm was sounded. The Arabs,
Rough & Readies and Hibernians all respon-
ded, bu, for several minute their most de-
great heat.
From the steamer LsuisiaRa the FIRE spread
70 the wrecking steamer Underwater, lying
! Immediately above. On this boat were Mr..
| Hiram Hill, the diver, Mr. Holmes and
! several other persons, who. unwilling to sec
her burn up withou, an attempt, however
| futile, 20 save her, cam. very ear losing their
lives. The flames swept across the boat in
great volume, driving them 20 acoal Fat, on
| the outside. Frem thi. fla; some of them
we've rescued by use q II skiff but Hill and
| Holmes remained q. their work too long
| The fames new shot across and around the
fat rendering the hca, intense beyond endu-
rance. A. neither Of the men could swim,
| II was death to jump overheard. and to re-
main on the fat was Inevitable destruction
| by fire At this juncture il occurred 20 them
70 swing themselves from the gunwale. sfthe
Cat into the river, and thus escape, at leas, for
the moment. the heat tina; was almo,, con.
.uminc them. They acted upon this idea,
and ~ hinging water on each other with
| their lisengaged hands kept their hair and
clothing from burning. aud rsiey e1 much 81
the severity ofihe heat. By TIL, time the
head lines Of the boat had burned ., and ;hs
wind and current being up stream, the
| burning masses swung around, and soon
placed the fat, with the suffering men cling
/ ing 20 IT, within reach Of assistance. About
this time AZ individual in high state Of In
toIicaiion, getting it into his muddled pate
that somebody wanted his assistance dashed
Down tho river bank. in the direction of the
barnisg boats, and headlong into the river
Several gentlemen few 20 bis rescue and sue
eeeded IN hauling him upon the bank again
but two minutes had not elapsed before he
was again Laundering Ia lie water. \ kind
~ disposed gentleman offered him pole, and
Was told to "so 70 h-l,' when it appearing
tia, the man could swim, lie was allowed to
take care Of himself.
when the three Ere companies COM
meneed playing upon the fire, i had
made such Roadway that no thought was en-
,ertained OF saving anything more than the
hulls One Of the tugs, with the Little
Arab engine on board, approached the out
side Of the Louisiana, aud threw good
stream o. the fire from that side, while two
COED stream, were poured upon it from the
bow. Aner working at the Louisiana half
hour or more the tug, with the Little Arab
bestowed her attention upon the Underwater,
while second tug hi,ehed to her stern and
lowed the wreck 10 the Kentucky shore.
Here tho Little Arab remained, hoping TO
save the hull and the valuable machinery il
contained. About dark the Little Rough
and Ready was taken over and worked TO
coed effect, with the same object in view.
Hence, what there l. saved OF the Underwri-
ter Is due 10 the treless exertions Of these fire.
men, Captain ID. T. Parker and ether gen.
tlemen who will be remembered by all who
witnessed the FIRE. el
A line was attached to the stern Of the
Louisiana, after the cabin had burned of, and
the hull was swung around to the shore, Civ
ing the FIRE companies better chance TO play
upon II, but it was found impossible to save
it. Tho Louisians, therefore may be put
down as total loss. She was next TO the
largest stern wheel boat on the western wa
tiers, her capacity being l,2oO tons. She was
owned by Captain Phillips, of this city, who
had, few days before, laid her up here for
repairs. If the Captain now persi.tsin carry
Jag out his original intention, the repairs will
be rather extensive.
The Underwater the hull of which is prob
ably damaged beyond repair, may also be
called a total loss. She was a massive steam
err nearly new and worth 100000 or $1,000
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