The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-07-03
Burning OF the steamer CapI lal
City NJ MemphiA.

MESrPHIs, July about two O'Clock
this morning = FIRE broke out near the
boiler.bead Of the Anchor Line steamer
Capital City, from Vicnburg for St.
Louis, while at the Elevator here, apd in
few minutes the whole boat was wrap
ped in flames, the officers, crew and pas.
sengers barely escaping With their Lives,
leaving their clothing and everything be-
hind. A strong westerly gale Vas blow.
ing at the time and before the FIRE
engines and tugs could reach the soene
the Elevator was on fire, and the gale
drove the flames through the building,
where was stored nearly one thousand
barrels Of oil, baggipg and other inALu>
able articles which caused such terrific
heat a. to speedily drive back the 6remen,
bot not till one named Conners had been
danserou.ly burned. As soon ~ the fire
was discovered, Capt Crane ordered the
boat TO be cut loose in order 70 save the
ElsvStor, bot the gale held the boat hard
sglinst Il until pulled of BY tug, when
the boat hoated down about one hundred
yards md burned 70 the boiler deck, af-
Ter setting some trading boats On FIRE.
The Elevator soon burned 70 the waters
edge, and together with large amount Of
valuable merchandise, Is total loss.
Despite the heavy rain, which was fall
ing at the time, the bluffs and leyee were
lined with people 10 witness the conHa-
grafton, which Lii up the whole city front
There are numerous conjectures - 70 the
numbsr Of lives lost bat only one body
hAs been found, which lies on the deck Of
the Capital City, only the trunk being
left, and thus far it has not been ideni.
fed. One passenger was severely burn
ed in trying TO save his baggage.
Captain Crane thinks the hre was the
work Of 40 ineendiary. The total lUss
will exceed 500, 900.
The body found on the Capital City, this
morning, has been identified a. that OF
Thomas Ewing, Of ColfAI, Ind, BY his
aged wife. he was 7S years old, and sU
returning home. Captain Crane put his
wife on The Eievstor when the FIRE was
discovered, and told him 70 follow; bat
be turned back to save something left be-
hind, AID was lost
The only passenger known to be lost Is
Mr.. Ewing. The boat WA crowded with
passengers when abe Arriyed, bat the ms
iority Of them had gone ashore.
Captain Crane had examined the boat
half an hour before the fre was discover.
ed, and found all right, and the watch
man, Eve minutes before the FIRE broke
out had passed the spot, and noticed
pothinCSwrnnr
Another body, supposed TO be that Of
some deck passenger for ST. Louis from
Point Lookout, vas found in the wreck
Of the Capitol City this evening with =
leg and arm burned OF. The body was
burned 70 3 crisp. Some twenty bags OF
government mails we're destroyed and the
reminder more or less damaged. The
boat bad tventy-six bales Of cotton and
two hundred soaks Of cotton seed and :
lot Of miscellaneous freight for 81. Louis,
all Of which vu lost. There was in the
elevator 1000 pieces Of bagging, 1000
barrels Of oil, 900 barrels Of meat, 400
barrels Of -four, 200 bales Of hay and =
large amount Of miscellaneous freight,
little Of which was covered BY insurance.
Il /. estimated that the total loss BY IRE
will reach $50, 900.