Connecticut western news., 1871-12-01
steamboat Disaster nenr New Lon-

Steamboat Disaster near New LOn.
 don.
 NORWICH, Nov. 22.-Steamer "City of wich and New York line, took fire this morning on the River Thames, about five miles below this city, about half-past four o'clock. Flames were first discovered issuing from one of the ventilators. The captain was on deck who ordered the boat anchored and immediately set to work to extinguish the flames and after a short time, efforts were apparently successful, and rigid examination discovered no traces of fire, the anchor was taken, and the boat proceeded up the river. When about three miles below this city, and abreast the mouth of the Poquoctannock cove, the fire was discovered in the cotton on the deck. The donkey pumps were started and the Captain and engineer aided by the crew, in less than one minute had three streams on the fire. Despite all ex- ertions the. fire spread with great rapidity and soon enveloped the forward part of the boat and the Captain seeing the efforts to extinguish the fire ordered the boat beached but the engineer could not start the engine. The donkey pumps were however still kept Ut work until the engin- ger notified the Captain that he feared an explosion of the boilers in which event all had by this time cut off all communica- ton with boats and rendered the life pre- servers inaccessible.
 The passengers and crew then threw themselves into the water, clinging to such portions of the cargo and boat as had fallen overheard. Those who were able to swim had not much difficulty in reach ing shore, except the. chilling temperature of the water. Some were picked up by boats from floating pieces of cargo in an exhausted condition and taken to the farm houses in the vicinity where they were cared for and resuscitated.
 Some half-dozen of the crew and pas sengers are still missing and it is feared are lost, among whom is c. B. Rogers, we'll known manufacturer of this city.
 One of our reporters just from the wreck reports her lying about fifty to seventY-fve feet from the rivers bank with bow down stream, still burning fiercely with no hope of saving anything of consequence. Every thing above her deck is already consumed. A train with & fire engine was taken down from the city but was too late to be of service. She has drifted down stream and to leeward about & quarter of mile below Walden's Island where she was abandoned by her crew and lies fast aground just below Poquetannock Cove. Trains are hourly running down and vigilant search is being made for the missing men, The City of New London was first class boat and had large cargo on board.
 THIRTEEN LIVES LOST.
 The loss of life by the disaster is greater than at first supposed. The passengers were only seven in number, but of these Wm. T. Norton of the firm of Norton Brothers, c. B. Rogers of the firm of c. B. Rogers & Co.,, and Harrison R. Aldrich all of Norwich were lost. The officers and deck hands known to be lost are Wm. P. Ely of Hamburg, Conn.,, second mate; M. w. Baker of Norwich, engineer; Henry Dugan of New London, steward; Webster Cooper of New York. second cook; Frank Flowers. residence unknown, waiter; Warren Mitchell, oiler; Driscoll, Sullivan, Patrick Mahoney and Thomas Rourke, deck hands.
 THE CARGO.
 The City of New London carried heavy freight of miscellaneous chatacter, princi- pally cotton,-3O0 bales being slowed on the main deck-rags, groceries, leather, hides, etc., which together with the boat is total loss. Those on board rescued only the clothes they stood in, many ot the deck hands coming ashore dressed only in shirt and pantaloons, some without hats, others without shoes, and some barefooted and wearing only their underclothing. The vessels cargo at noon was fercely burn- ing mass, her main deck having fallen and her hold being perfect furnace. Nothing was washed ashore of value, and fire has seldom worked more complete destruction.
 ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
 The origin of the fire is a matter of un- certainty. It is supposed to have in some way taken in the kitchen when the cook went to kindle the fire for breakfast One account states by poker, heated by rak- ing down the fires, being hung against a pine partition, but nothing trustworthy is