Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-01-03
FIRE ON THE RIVER.
Destroyed by Fire at New Orleans
The Des Arc Partially Rurned

Destroyed by Fire at New Orleans
The Des Arc Partially Burned
at Memphis.
From special dispach to the Appeal
we take the following particulars of the
steamboat conhagration at New Orleans:
At about halfpast six o'clock Sunday
morning fire broke out on board the
steamer Magenta, lying at the foot OF
Common street, which in few moments
enyeloped the entire boat and commu-
nicated to the Grand Era, Julia A. Ru-
dolph, Thompson Dean and John Howard,
resulting in the total destruction of all
but the Howard--her hull, machinery
and boilers having been saved. The fire
originated in the cabin of the Magenta,
on the larboard side, and so rapid was
its progress that she was almost instantly
ablaze from stem to stern. This boat
was owned by Captains Hicks, Neal and
Sinnott, and estimated to be worth about
$50, 900; insured for about $4,000. She
is a total loss, having sunk after being
burned. She was to have taken the
place of the r. E. Lee, now in dock.
The Grand Era was owned by the
Kouns Bros, and was valued at $50, 600.
She was built but year. Insured In
Western offices for $38,000.
The Rudolph had discharged her cargo,
and was to have left on her return trip
next Thursday. She was owned by Cap
tain H. C. McComas, valued at about
$3.50, 900; insured for half that amount.
Next the Rudolph lay the great
Thompson Dean, and from the COM
mencement Of the fire desperate efforts
we're made to get her from the wharf,
but all in vain. She took fire forward
Just as she foated of, and before they
could be arrested the flames were beyond
control The steamer drifted down the
river to the fats and burned TO the water S
edge. She was partially loaded for her
trip TO st. Lonis, her cargo consisting OF
1900 sacks of coffee, 800 hossheads OF
sugar, and a large lot Of crockery and
hardware, valued at perhaps $4,000,
which with the steamer, will prove total
loss; insured in foreign companies for
$50, 900
The John Howard had just reached
our city on her first trip, having been
recently built at Louisville, at cost OF
$50, 900, by her owner and commander,
Captain Perry, for the Arkansas river,
and was a frst-class packet. Her cargo
consisted of 1900 bales of cotton and
about four hundred tons Of Western pro
duce. The latter will prove total loss.
The cotton will be saved, but badly dam
aged.
On last Saturday, about FIVE o dock IN
the afternoon, when the steamship De
Soto, of the Merchants Line Of New
York steamers, which had left its moor
ings at the head Of 81. Louis street for
New York, had reached 0 point some
twenty miles below the city, volume Of
smoke was observed coming from her
hold and ventilators. Measures usual IN
such cases, promptly taken TO arrest the
flames, were Of so little ase that the yes
sci was hastily headed for the shore. She
was run aground on McCalls plats
where she burnt to the waters edge
! Both she and tie cargo ware atetal loss
The DeSoto was built in 1868, and was
owned by Messrs. Livingston, Fox q Co.
Of New York. She Is insured, We I'M
derstand, in New York for $4,000
This-amount is probably below her reaI
value BY the annexed manifest il vii
be seen that Der cargo, Shich was eon