Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-02
Burning Of the Steamer Capitol
City and EIeVatOr-TWO Men
Perish in the Flames.
Scenes and Incidents Of the Fire
Narrow Escape of Piremen-
List Of Freight Destroyed.

Durheu ABOUT z o'clock this morning.
The hre was made known by the whist.
ling of the tugs DeSoto, Oriole, Night
hawk, railroad transfer steamer Gen.
Pearson, and the ringing of the fire bells.
The alarm aroused from their slumbers
many persons who FASTENED to the bluffs
and thence down to the elevator. which.
with the steamer Capitol City lying
alongside, were already wrapped in fiery
shrouds. The tugs FASTENED to the scene
of conhagratieu and promptly applied
their hose, as did also the Gen. Pearson.
The hre department, under Chief Nc.
Fadden, was prompt to respond to the
alarm, but ere anything could be
done the flames had spread too
far to be checked by human
power. The flames were assisted by a
strong northwest wind, and in less than
half an hour there was nothing to be seen
of the boat and elevator save a great burn.
ing ruin whence assembled huge volumes
OF smoke, lit with a million of sparks
and fire brands that hoated far up and
away to a great distance below. The
sight was n never to be forgotten, for
the entire river bosom glistened IS if
blushing with anger at the destruction of
its interests by the fire fend, The bluH
and the woods on the Arkansas shore
we're lighted up as brightly as at mid
day. But the light was different from
the genial rays of the Day God; it was
the Fire Fiend, usurping the realm of
darkness and dimming the beautiful
lustre Of the silent stars in its
rule of ruin aud death. Persons
who saw the fire in its inception, say that
the flames burst out amidship the CAPT.
tol City and then communicated with
tho elevator. At any rate the fire could
not be checked, and in addition to the
loss of the elevator and steamer a large
amount Of freight on the former, besides
several f~shing.boats, a barge of coal and
fifty or sixty small craft, including the
Bluff City clubs six.oared row-boat,
Kate Podesta, we're burned or sunk, in.
volving a total loss of over 5000, OOo, the
greater part Of which is not insured.
THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE
is unknown, though it is suspected that
an ~incendiary applied the brand. So
far as can be ascertained the fire started
at the bulkhead at the port side of the
boiler and spread too rapidly to be
checked. TIE fire soon communicated
with the elevator. The Capitol City was
kept alongside the elevator until all the
passengers could get ashore, when she
was cut loose, but owing to the wind the
boat would not go adrift.
Henry Baumgardus, the mate, says
that he was on the elevator and saw the
light OF the fire, which broke up along
the bulkhead of the boiler on the
port side. He tried to put out the fire,
but the flames darted across the boat.
and he felt satisfied that she was doomed
to destruction. The first man who saw
the fire was the Waterman of the steamer,
Louis Seeburger.
II STATEMENT Of THE wATCAMAY,
Mr.. Seeburger, regarding the disaster,
is as follows: When the fire broke out.
it was about half-past one o'clock this
morning, and at the time / was at the
forward steps, when l saw a light in rear
OF the boiler on the port side. | went
back and saw that the FIRE had caught
against the bulkhead there overhead,
which was burning. There had been no
lire on the boat except in the negro
boiler. About three minutes before the
fire | had passed along the boat, having
been back to the wheelhouse, and
there was no sign of fire anywhere.
At the time | passed the niger "
boiler | saw the head engineer, Mr..
Quick, throw q bucket of water in 10
cool down the FIRE in the boiler. l did
not see him Afterward. When l dis.
covered the light first thought it was
the engineer at work on top of the boil.
er, and did not pay much attention to it.
However, | walked back to see what it
was, and was Mortified to discover the
bulkhesd on FIRE. The blaze was quite
big and beyond my reach, aud even if |
had had a bucket Of water | could not
have put it out. AS o as saw |
could not put oIt the fire l rushed up
stairs to awake the passengers. SO far
as | could see or know all got off the
boat on to the elevator, which in less
time than three minutes was on fire also.
l and the mate, Henry Smith, went for.
ward to be ready to cut the boat loose,
and we're waiting for orders to do so. He
asked if the boat was to be cut loose,
but somebody said; mo; do not cut
her loose yet; wait until every passen.
ger gets ashore" We accordingly
did so await until orders were given, the
passengers having gotten off. We then
whacked her cables forward, aud then
Captain Crane, her commander, told us
to sever the stern rope. This we did,
but it was not an easy task, for we were
almost blinded by the smoke aud
scorched by the flames, which were
pretty close to us. had to back to the
rope'in order to keep from being burnt.
It was, | think, twenty minutes or more