The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-03-08
BYTELEGRAPH.
Exc,u.,yely for the Register
p, the Pacific and Atlantic Line
h' onice, iOs Main Street.
CINCINNATI.
The Steamboat Conaagration'
The MAJOR Anderson, St. Charles,
Abaona, Kate Robinson,
Champion and Argosy
Destroyed.
Goss ABOUT 100000.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS
Narrow Escape ofthe Skillinger'
~, .cl n Dispatch to the Register

Social Dispatch to the Register
CINCINNATI, March "A fire broke
out at 1890 this morning in the steam
or St. Charles, and in a short time that
and five other steamers-the Kate
Robinson, Abeona, Argosy, Major
Anderson and Champion-w were In
aamcs, and all were burned TO the
waters edge. The entire fire depart
ment was on the ground in a short
time, but were unable to do ANYTHING
further than keep the fire from de-
s;roving the New Orleans wharf boat.
The fire fought hard to include that
among its victims, and succeeded four
times. q ainst the combined efforts OF
* or eight of our best engines, in
eTsctiHg lolCing. but after a hard
= IN, n: over a.,.l -. 'r~cad back
AMI the wharf boat, whicn Is a
very valuable one, was saved. Several
ke,s Of powler on the ST. Charles ex-
ploied with loud report, tearing that
vessels bow to pieces, but injuring none
Of the immense crowd OF persons as
sembled on the levce. The flagstaff OF
the burning boats were the last to fall,
and stool grim and solitary, bending
and swaying in the wind long after the
decks and after portions OF the boats
were in ciuders; bat they went down
at last, AMI the light which for
hours hal illumina.el the river and
country for miles, faded out, leaving
no;h,n. but SIX hlackened hu,Is where
Yesterday lay the pride and fortune Of
many a cap. ain and the dependence Of
a.nanv crews. 1t is reported that at
,eas: two persons were burned to death
on the st. Charles. 1t is probable that
s.yeral lives were lost during the fire,
a. some OF the employees o; the boats
are missing, and the fire spread with
such rapidity that It was impossible tor
those on board the steamers to do more
,nan save themselves. Capt. Russell
o. the 81. Charlie, was asleep on the
boat when the fire started, and hastily
gra,ping a few valuables he rushed
upon the hurricane deck, jumped from
there on the fantail OF the Argosy, then
INTO the river and swan ashore with
great difficulty. Ann Watson, colored,
s chambermad of the Kate Robinson,
fell into the river in endeavoring to
make her escape but was rescued. One
Of the crew of the Champion would,
perhaps, have per,shed had it not
been for the captain OF the boat, who
pulled him out OF bed and hurried him
ashore. A large amount OF cotton and
other freight on board caught fire at the
outset, and burned pretty iercely for
some time, but was extinguished 10y
the fremen. The st. Charles was
valued at $4,000 and was insured in
Cincinnati and Pittsburgh Companies
for $4,000. She had three thousand
dollars worth Of freight on board. The
Major Anderson was side-wheel
steamer, valued at $l7, 900, and insured
for $4,000 in Cincinnati by Capt.
Charles Muhleman, John. K. Booth
and f. B. Young. The Cham
Won was sterD-wheel boat, en-
4 gagged in the Cincinnati and Red
river trade, owned by Capt. John A.
y Williamson and J. G. Ishsm, valued at
SloVn; no insurance. The Argosy
8 belonged to A. J. Schenck, OF Vevay,
ind. She was loading for New Orleans,
and had gool load on board, consist
ing Of whisky, pork, tacon, furniture,
4 &. Il was valued at about $60,0O0
The boat was worth about $1,000, and
was insured. The Kate Robinson and
81 Aoeona were stern-wheelers of the same
class and owned by the same parties as
the Champion, except that the Abeona
vas owned partly by Capt. Hiram j.
s Nnton, her commander. Each was
valued at about $4,000 and neither
was insured. Both these boats were
previously in the Cincinnati and ST.
Lous express line, but had recently
formed line Of Cincinnati and Tennes-
See river packets. The Kate Robinson
was partly loaded for that stream. The
Altoona arrived with full load of
Nelght from the Tennessee river, con-
sstng chiefly Of peanuts, pig iron, cot.
8 ION, DC. She had landed but little oil
her 'rejght, and the loss on her cargo
will reach $4,000. The Kate Robin
'On was receiving freight for the Ten.
nessee river trade, and had about IS
IONS oi groceries, hardware, -four, &c,
valued, perhaps, at $4,000 On board