Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-08-10
ANOTHER PORTLAND FIRE.
A Destructive CennagratlOn AMONG
FreiglEtsIiOuSeS and SlIiPpingats
Portland, Maine Los - :
S60O, 600. v
Several Vessels DestrOyed-0n Woman
Drowned, and TIVE Others Miss
ing-FearfuI Panic in the
City-Partieulars.

PORTLAND, Me, August 9.-The hre
which occurred here to-day, and for a
time caused such alarm, originated in
the New York freight-shed, close to the
steamer Dirigo, and the boat was almost
instantly in flames. In a half an hour
she would have been discharged. A
large amount of freight in the stOrehOuse
was destroyed. The Dirigo cost one
hundred thousand dollars in 1856. She
was partially insured. The fire came
across the Atlantic dock into the Boston
freight-sheds so suddenly that men on
the lower part of the wharf had to jump
overheard, as well as those on board the
steamers. The dock was full of SWIM
mers for the time, but they were picked
up by the small boats. Twenty-Five
thousand dollars insurance is reported
on the steamer Montreal, which was
valued at one hundred and eighty thou
sand dollars. The elevator had about
forty thousand bushels of corn and oats.
1t was built strongly of wood, sheathed
with iron, and with its contents was
wol th probably one hundred and fifty
thousand dollars. The steamer Char
lotte was worth about fifty thousand dol
lars. The storehOuse on the Atlantic
wharf had large amount of sugar, fresh
canned goods and merchandise, which
was discharged by the Falmouth this
morning, though considerable OF her
freight had been taken away. There
was also large amount of flour in bar
lels for her return cargo to Halifax and
Montreal, just discharged. Her city
freight was mostly removed, but large
portion of her country-freight is de-
stroyed. There was a considerable
amount of stores and baggage in
the sheds, which is all burned; also
a portion of the cargo of coal just dis
charging from the bark, which was
hauled clear through. Her foremast
got on fire. The steamer which took
fire drifted with the current, and burned
to the waters edge. The flames were
then confined to the Gait and Atlantic
docks, which are o mass of smOuldering
ruins. Nelly Mccarthy, employed on
the steamer Dirigo, was drowned, and
the stewardess of the same vessel and
her daughter are missing.
ESTIMATED LOSS.
But very uncertain estimate can be
made Of the loss at present. The steam
er Montreal was worth Sl40, 900, insured
for $4,000; Dirigo, worth 100000, in
sured for $50, 600; Carlotta, worth $780,
600, insured for $4,000. The elevators,
owned by the Portland grain-warehouse
company, which is controlled by Sir Al
exander Gait, of Montreal, were proba-
bly, worth 500, ,0000, and supposed to be
insured. 1t was leased to the Grand
Trunk railroad company, and contained
$40, ,OO0 bushels of corn and oats, valued
at $4,000; insured for $4,000.
All the buildings on Galt's wharf were
owned by the Grain company, as Mr..
Gait leased them to the Grand Trunk
railroad company, who underlet
them to the Main steamship company.
The loss was not great. The amount OF
insurance is unknown. The loss
on the New York freight on
GaIt's wharf is unknown. The
buildings on the Atlantic wharf were
not valuable. The loss on Boston
freight is not ascertained; was insured
for $4,000. The steam packet COM
pany lose one thousand tons of coal,
valued at $1,000; insured for $1,000. The
company also lose one hundred cords of
wood. The Halifax woodshed contained,
among other merchandise, one
hundred hogsheads of sugar and lot of
canned goods for Canada; also, one
thousand barrels of flour for Halifax.
The wharves are badly burned, and will
probably cost heavy sum for repairs.
The total loss may be fairly estimated at
SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
The coal-bark which so narrowly es-
capped was tine Gertrude. The wind
being off the shore, saved the Grand
Trunk depot and the Gait block. The
body of the stewardess of the Dirigo has
been found; that of her daughter has
not yet been recovered. Frank Taylor,
of the Dirigo, is also thought to have
been drowned.