Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-05-17
ESTABLISHED MARCH 80, 1885.
GREAT FIRE.
burning of the Steamer WAR Eagle
and the Lacrosse DepOt--A Terri

Il UhL(Al lkA ~.
burning of the steamer war EuSIs
and the Lacrosse DepOt--A Terri
BILE Scene.
LACROSSE, Wis, May 15.-The most ter
rlble confiagration that ever visited thin
State, occurred at the Lacrosse depot thi,
morning, by which the entire depot AMI
freight warehouse, the elevator and con.
tents, the steamer War Eagle and nine cans
of express freight and other property was
destroyed and several lives lost. Words
are entirely inadequate to picture the ter
r1ble scene of the conhsgration, consterna-
ton and dismay. The steamer War Eagle,
where the fire started, blazed up like Il
torch IN moment, and rendering escape
for some difficult, and for others impossi-
BILE. The extensive depot and adjoining
buildings were immediately wrapped in
flames.
The picture presented a soaring confla-
grafton. The terror, the alarm, the uncer-
tainty, the exaggerated rumors of loss of
life, the large crowd of people shifting here
and there with their faces lit up by the
flames, and the fremen bravely at work,
ali formed a scene appalling to the tinlid
and the brave. The fire broke odt in the
Northwestern Packet Company's steamer
War Eagle, which plies between Dubuque
and st. Paul. She arrived here yesterday
evening at 6 o'clock, and proceeded TO the
depot to take ON freight and await the
arrival of the midnight train from Milwau-
kee. The passengers from the train vera
transferred to the boat and freight nearly
completed before the accident took place
Men were loading some barrels of coal oil
and slowing them on the larboard side,
about midships. One barrel being found
leaking, and having been reported to Capt
Cushman, he directed the cooper to repair
it. 1t was standing on end. The cooper
laid the lantern on the head of the barrel.
While driving down the hoops of one of
the barrels, it bursted, upsetting the
lamp and displacing the head of
the barrel. The whole mass of infam-
mable material was in blaze in a moment.
The barrel was Immediately rolled off
The larboard side, but the barge which lay
alongside prevented it falling into the water,
and the fiery demon Glove there. There
was no time to save anything but life, the
flames and binding smoke envcloped the
boat in a moment Those of the passen-
gers who we're half dressed and near the
Office, escaped by the front gangway and
those in the rear of the cabin were
awakened by the officers, and under the
direction of the Captain escaped by the rear
scuttle and were taken ashore by boats
which picked up many who jumped over
board and many were compelled to Jump
overheard, one of the pilots named James
Martin, jumping from the hurricane deck.
The rapidity of the fire may be inferred
from the fact that the mail agent who was
in bis Office had barely time to secure his
money package and escape by the gang
way.
There were forty-eight kegs of powder
In the magazine, under the forecastle, but
the boat burned amidship and eunk, so
that the powder was not ignited. There
was but small passenger list, and the city
was full of rumors regarding loss of life;
but careful inquiry places the number at
four. The four are, Mary Ulrich, Of this
city, aged IS; barber of boat, colored man,
of Cincinnati, name unknown; old gentle
man from Kentucky, name unknown, was
burned on boat; an elderly man, supposed
burned, name unknown; man and wife,
thought TO have persisted. One old lady,
name unknown, who weighs two hundred
pounds, rushed to the stern OF the boat,
climbed over into the water and hung TO
the rudder, till she was picked up by a
boat; is badly burned.
Another woman who came on board at
Prairie Du Chen, sick, jumped overheard
and was quite badly injured. The Keokuk
laying alongside the War Eagle, fortunately
had enough steam to move her, and pas
sengers were saved with some damage by
the prompt action of the officers. The
fire went rapidly to the freight sheds on
the dock and thence to the depot and adj
joining buildings, all of which, together
with the large elevator and cars, were de-
stroyed in an hours time. The heat was
terrible and the flames lit up the surround
ing country for miles, withal the brilliance
of day. Nothing about the depot was
saved excepting two safes, continuing
tickets and money The tickets on hand
were lost.
The total loss is estimated at from S27O,
600 to $500, 900. The War Eagle was not
insured. The property belonging to the
railroad company was insured, but it is not
possible to ascertain the amount now. The
losses of the American Express Company
are SO, 600, which are covered by an open
insurance policy. In addition to this there
is large number of private losses. The
fire companies were promptly on hand,
and to their efforts are due the fact that
three passenger cars and quite a number
of freight cars and other property was
saved.
Latcr-Furthcr Particulars.
MILWAUKEE, May 1G.-Further particu-
lars of the Lacrosse disaster, received by
the train to-day, give the number of the
probably lost to be four: Miss Mary
Ulrich, of Lacrosse, a colored barber on
the boat, and an old gentleman from Ken
lucky, who was on a pleasure trip, were
supposed to be burned on the boat, and an
elderly lady, name unknown, was drowned.
Tie list of names was lost hence the diff
Guilty of ascertaining facts. The total loss
to the railroad company foots up about
$500, 900, partially insured The War Eagle
was valued at $50, 900; no insurance.
There were numerous other private losses,