Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-05-16
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.
IamsBse Amount of Property Destroyed
Great Loss Of Life.

LA CROSSE, Wis, May l5.-The most
terrible conhagraiiOn that has ever visited
the State, occurred at the La Crosse depot
! This morning, by which the entire depot
and freight warehouse, the elevator and
contents, the steamer War Eagle, and
nine cars, express, freight and other prop
I erty, was destroyed, and several lives lost.
/ Words are utterly inadequate to picture
/ the terrible scene of the conf1agratiOn,
/ consternation, and dismay. The steamer
4 War Eagle. which took fire, biazed up
/ like a torch in a moment, rendering es-
cape for many difficult, and for some inn
/ possible.
The extensive depot and adjoining
/ buildings were Immediately wrapped in
| flames. The picture presented the soar-
/ ing conhagratiOn, the terror, the alarm,
the uncertainty, the exaggerated rumor
| of loss of life. The large crowd of peo-
pie, shifting here and there, their faces lit
up by the flames; the firemen bravely
/ working, formed scene very appall-
/ ing for the timid and the brave.
The fire broke out on the Northwestern
/ Packet Company's steamer War Eagle
which plies between Dubuque and St.
Paul, She arrived here yesterday even
/ ing at six o'clock, and proceeded to the
depot t6take on freight and await the ar
rival of the midnight train from, Milwau-
kee. The passengers from the train were
! LTduSlbETtA " Luc bOhb anu bAO
| nearly completed before the accident took
place. The men were loading some bar
/ rels of ooal oil, slowing them IN the lar
/ board side about midships. One barrel
/ being found leaking, and having been re-
ported TO Capt, Cushman, he directed
/ the cooper to repair it. 1t was stood
/ on its end, the cooper placing a lantern
on the head of the barrel. IN driving
/ the hoops, one of them bust, upsetting
| the lamp and displaeing the head of the
barrel, and the whole mass of infiamma-
ble material was in a blaze In q moment.
/ The barrel was Immediately rolled off the
/ larboard side, but barge, which lay along
side, prevented it from falling into the
water, and the firy demon Glove there.
| There was not time to save anything but
I life. the flames and blending smoke
/ enveloped the boat in moment.
Those Of the passengers who were still
| dressed and near the office escaped by the
/ front gangway. Others 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 overheard, among them one of
| the pilots, Jim Martin, jumping from the
| hurricane deck. The rapidity of the fire
may be inferred from the fact that the
/ mail agent, who was in his office, had
/ barely time to secure his money and
/ packages and escape by the gangway.
There were forty eight kegs of powder
/ in the magazine, under the fOrecastle, but
/ the boat burned amidships and sunk, so
/ that the powder was not ignited. There
was but a small passenger list. The city
| is full of rumOrs concerning the loss Of
| life, but, on careful inquiry, it is certain
! not over four have been lost. The four
are: Mary Ulrich, of this city, aged nine
! teen years the barber OF the boat; /;
colored man of Cincinnati, name
unknowni and an old gentleman from
/ Kentucky, name unknown An elderly
! lady is supposed to be burned, name I'M
/ known. A man and wife is thought to
/ have perished. One lady, name unknown,
| rushed to the stern of the boat, climbed
over into the water, and hung to the rud-
| der until she was picked up by a boat,
badly burned. Another woman who
came on the boat at Prairie du Chen sick,
jumped overheard and was quite badly
! injured.
The Keokuk lay alongside of the War
! Eagle, but fortunately had enough steam
to move. Her and her passengers were
/ saved, with some damage, by the prompt
action of her officers.
The fire rapidly spread to the extensive
/ freight sheds on the dock, and thence to
| the depot and adjoining buildings; all of
which, together with the large elevator
and cars, were destroyed in an hours
time. The heat was terrible, and the
| flames lit up the surrounding country for
miles with all the briliance of day. Aeath-
| ing about the depot was saved, excel @g
two safes containing books and mOhsy.
| The tickets on hand were all lost.
Total loss estimated at S270, 600 to $780,
900. The War Eagle was not insured.
The property belonging to the railroad
/ company was insured but 1t Is impossible
IN ascerfain the amount nov, Losses OF
! American Express Company $40, 900, COW
cred by an open insurance policy. In ad-
| dition to this there is a large number Of
private losses. The fire companies were
| promptly on hand and to their efforts Is
! due the fact that three passenger cars and
quite q number of fiat cars and other
property was saved.