The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1870-05-19
FIRE AT La CROSSE.
Destruction Of a Steamer. Depot
Buildings, Elevator. Etc. -Sev-
eral Lives Lost.
Ia Crosse Nav Il

steamer War Eagle, inst ready to proceed
up the river In connection with the mid
night train north, one empty barge, all the
depot buildings and the large grain eleva-
tor and nine cars belonging to the Milwau-
kee 4 ST Paul railroad company were con-
sumed IN less than one hour from the time
the alarm was given.
The fire originated on the lower deck OF
the War Eagle by the igniting of the gas
arising from rask of gasoline which the
boat carpenter was preparing to prevent
leakage. A negro deck hand stood by with
lantern, and In some unaecountable man
ner. the Ire in tne lantern ignited the gas
from inc cask, and the whole lower part of
the boat was on fire in almost an Instant
An attempt was made to roll the cask of
gasoline overheard, but this was unsuccess-
! fuI, and the carpenter was obliged TO lump
overheard in order to extinguish the flames
that surrounded his person. The War la
gle was commanded by Capt Thomas Cush
ing, and as soon as alarm was given on the
| cabin deck, he proceeded to wake up the
passengers, about forty in number, and most
Of whom were in their berths asleep, and
provide speedy exit. 1t was but the work
Of a moment. The wind was blowing from
the southeast, and the flames and sufocat-
ing smoke was carried with great rapldity
towards the bow of the boat. The clerks had
no time to pack up their books and papers,
| and those persons nearest the gangway had
the greatest difficulty in reaching the lower
deck through the flames and smoke. Those
on the after part of the boat who could
swim Jumped overheard and swan to the
dock, where they were pulled out by persons
thereon. Five ladies and the balance Of
the cabin passengers were placed in yawl
boats and safely conveyed to the dock
At this time In the absence of the boat reg
listers it is impossible to ascertain how many
were lost. tne young lady, Miss Mary u
rich, Of this city, is missing, and it is sup>
An old gentleman from Kentucky, whose
name is not known, is also among the miss.
ing. Nothing was saved in the way of wear
IN apparel or baggage except what the pas
sengers had on their persons at the tlmo
the alarm was given. The two pilots of the
boat saved their lives by jumping from the
roof of the boat into the river and swim
ming ashore. There were about one hun
dred tons of miscellaneous freight on board
Tor various points up the river. A large
amount OF mail was burned, including the
Chicago and Milwaukee bags for Winona,
Lake City, Prescott and St. Paul. The
route agents, though at work distributing
at the time, barely saved their lives and
few registered packages.
The flames spread rapidly to the depot
buildings. which, with their contents, were
quickly destroyed. From the Depot the
grain elevator took fire. ana was soon en-
velopcd in a complete sheet of flames, and
IN half an hour was i mass of ruins. OF
the nine cars burned, one was second
class passenger coach, mail car, baggage
and epress car and SIX empty. treisSht ears r;
balance OF the cars beyond the reach of dam
ger, except two new passenger coaches,
which were saved through the exertion of
the Ia Crosse fire department. Nothing
was saved from the depot. The books, pa>
pers, records and everything except what
was contained in the small iron safes be,
| longing to the company. coupon railroad
and steamboat tickets representing $780,
900, were burned. There we've forty or
fifty tons of freight of various kinds in the
warehouse, besides twenty reapers and
| twenty five hundred dollar worth Of salt
| belonging to the railroad company's agent,
| Capt. Moulton. The American Merchants,
express company lost about $4,000 in
gouds and cash on the Eagle, the agent not
being able even to secure the money pack
| ages In his safe, amounting to about three
/ thousand dollars.
| The steamer Keokuk, which was lying
| along side of the Eagle, was saved by the
great cxertions Of her officers, who got up
steam with but little assistance from the
men on the lover deck, most of whom ran
| away upon the first alarm. She was severe
ly scalded before she got away. The steam
or Mollie Mohler was also in very warm
! r,Inn {fr Il,
| up was moved safely.
Something OF a panic was created by the
| report that there were eighty kegs of gun
powder stored in the magazine of the Eagle
and which the explosion of single keg, or
perhaps the gasoline did not tend to allay
The hull of the boat sunk, however, before
the fire reached the magazine
The depot buildings and elevator cost at
least one hundred thousand dollars, and the
loss Of the buildings at this time is particu-
larry severe upon the railroad company, as
we'll as the citizens Of this section of the
country generally. The vast amount of
grain to be moved in bulk required the use
OF the elevator almost continually at this
season Of the year. and it cannot be replaced
for months. The loss to the packet COM
pany is at least a hundred thousand dollars.
The W ar Eagle was an Cd beat, but first
class packet, and was worth over 500, 900. |
The depot and elevator, in which there was
but 1000 bushels of wheat, were partially
insured, the amount of which is known only
a: the Office in Milwaukee. Upon the |
steamer War Eagle, understand there was
no insurance.
General manager Merrill and superen-
tendent Atkins arrived here this evening by !
a special train from Milwaukee, to make ar
rangements for further business
LATER.
Sunday evening 3 o clock, -The bodies /
of Mary Ulrick of La Crosse, and the barber
of the War Eagle, have been found. The |
total loss Of the railroad and steamboat
companies is estimated at from S27O, 900
to $500, 600. Insurance not yet definitely /
ascertained