The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-03-08

that thew must have pershed. The
captains and officers of the different
boats report that as far as their knowl-
edge goes, all connected with the boats
are safe, and have reported to-day, so
that if any one was lost it must have
been some stragglers who slipped on
the boats to sleep or else went on after
the fire started with a viev to plunder
The insurance loss on the boats and
caryoes will not exceed one hundred
thousand dollars and is all in Gin
cinuati companies, with the exception
of twenty-one hundred dollars in
Wheeling companies.
The Cincinnati Enquirer Of yesterday
has the following particulars:
The public landing from the foot'of
Broadway to the wharfboat at the foot
of Main street, was last night the scene
OF one Of the most terrific conflagra-
tions that has visited our city in many
wears past. A sight like that Of six OF
our magnificent Ohio river steamboats,
on fire at the same time, and presenting
continuous wall of flame for distance
of two blocks, though grand in the ex.
treme, is happily an unusual one, and
one which while it drew thither ten
thousand curious sight-seers there is
scarce one OF the number that wonld
wish to have repeated.
About quarter after twelve o'clock,
one of the policemen on the landing
noticed flames coming up through the
boiler deck Of the st. Charles. a mag
nificent s;de-wbeel steamer in the
Wheeling and Pittsburgh trade, which
arrived at the wharf day before yester-
day. By some blunder the fire alarm
was no: turned on promptly, and before
the department was notified OF the
existence Of the fire fully fifteen min
utes had elapsed and the fate of the
boat was sealed. Indeed so fercely did
the flames burn in the combustible
material Of the boat, that the officers
barely had time to escape, some OF
them being compelled to leave their
clothes on the vessel. Among them the
mate of the vessel had to walk off in his
stocking feet, there not being time for
HIM to put on his boots.
By the time an alarm had been turned
in from the box at the foot of Broad
way every part OF the boat was in flames,
and the reflection was visible from
every part OF the city. The engines,
however, were not slow to answer the
summons, when it was once turned in,
and in the course Of ten minutes there
were two relays Of them at the landing,
and score Of streams were playing on
the line OF burning boats.
Lying alongside and just above the
St. Charles was the Argosy, New
Orleans boat that had been loading for
that city and intermediate points all
Yesterday and had taken on about two
thirds of her cargo. She was the next
to take fire. AS soon as the flames
were communicated to her the intensity
OF the fire appeared to double. In
addition to other merchandise stored in
her hold there were two hundred bar.
rels of whisky and the same amount
of pork, and they both burned with
extraordinary ferceness. In few
minutes she was enveloped in sheet
Of flames as completely as the St.
Charles.
Below the st. Charles lay the Kate
Robinson, Tennessee river boat that
was advertised to go out tonight. She
had taken on most OF her cargo, and
had her crew on board. Several of the
crew made narrow escapes in getting of
the boat. Among these was the cham,
bermaid. who, finding herself surround,
ed by flames, with no other chance OF
escape, boldly jumped into the river and
was presently rescued by a gallant
roustabout. The boat burned literally
to the waters edge, and then careened
over and sunk into the river.
Lying just above the Argosy was the
Major Anderson, a magnificent side
wheel boat in the Pittsburgh trade.
She had arrived at the wharf only a
day or two ago, and her owners intend.
ed to lay her up until rise in the river
took place. She took fire almost i'm
mediately after the Argosy, and the
flames found the flsgree work in her
elegant cabins and the other combusti-
bic material under her construction
choice food. She burned perhaps
| fifteen or twenty minutes, when her
chimneys fell with a loud crash. Soon
after the entire hull burned to the river
and she was in ruins.
The Abeona was the next in order,
though her taking fire may be said to
be simultaneous with one or two Of the
others. She lay at the loot of Main
steeet, just below the Kate Robinson.
She had just come in from the Tennes-
see river, and had the greater part OF
her cargo still on board. Her fires had
not vet gone out and her steam-gauge
show ed that she had forty pounds OF
steam, though that was not enough to
turn her wheel, and she was totally lost
Lying just above the Anderson was
the Champion, just loaded for Red
river. Hose from the fire engines
were carried aboard Of her and her side
next the burning vessel was deluged
with water. For some time they were
able to keep the flames at bay, but
finally the texas and part of the cabin
took fire. The fremen, however. were
finally able to put out the fire before