Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-02

ton aud spreading the flames out in
greater fury. l could not see the chin.
neys when they fell, bat could see mil.
lions of sparks float above the great
mountain of smoke.
THE STATEMENT OF CAPTAIN M'NEELY,
who, with the tug Oriole, was the first to
reach the burning boat, will be of inter.
est. Captain McNeely says that he was
on watch and saw the ERE before any
alarm was sounded. His tug was then
at Brown & Jones coal.yard, above
Wolf river, aud had steam up. Being at
the wheel he rounded his boat and head.
ed her for the elevator, which be reached
II three minutes, but by which time the
hsmes had burst out about the boilers
aud on both sides of the boat. He had
already given the alarm by sounding his
whistle and upon reaching the elevator
found it on fire inside and outside. II
am certain" be says, that the fire was
on the inside of the elevator and could
not have caught from the boat. but was
the work of an incendiary, We began
to throw water and put out the ele.
vator on the outside where it
caught from the boat when the fire
again broke out from the inside"
This statement is verified by Captain
Napoleon McNeely, Of the tug Desoto.
who reached the scene Of conaagration
soon after the Oriole had arrived. The
steamer General Pearson, under CAPTAIN
W. w. M%aingault, was also prompt to 90
to the elevator, and all three went to
work to pull the burning boat away.
which was kept from drifting out by a
stout wind. Finally the wreck was
landed, but the fishing boats, a hundred
yards down stream, we're either swamped
or caught fire and were burned. Among
the boats lost was a barge, with 800
boxes Of coal, belonging to Brown 4
Jones. This was sunk by the wreck of
the Capitol City being dragged under
her guards. Alleys boat of coal was
damaged and partially filled with water,
though she will be kept aaoat By the aid
of the tugs. The crews of the tugs and
General Pearson used their efforts to ex-
tirgnish the FIRE, but all in vain.
CAPTAIN CRANE, THE COMMANDER
OF the Capitol City, was in his room and
awake at the time of the fire. He heard
the Waterman cry " Fire |" and rushing
out mel two Of the crew with buckets of
water; he told them to awake the passep.
gers, and then he tapped the bell. The
boat, he said, seemed to be a6re all over.
and Captain Crane lost no time in get.
ting the people off. This" he Jaws, "is
the third boat that l have seen burn. lint
the Capitol City burned up quicker than
any other | ever saw" Captain Crane
would not allow his boat to be cut loose
until the passengers had time to get of.
Nor would it have done any good, for
the elevator was already on fire, and the
building could not be saved, despite the
efforts of the tug and the bravery Of the
lire department, whose members care.
less of danger, rushed
THROUGH THE SMOKE AND HEAT.
dragging their hose and locating them so
as to get right at the flames. The men
under Chief McFadden worked with a
vim and a courage that cannot be ex.
celled, and it is a wonder that several of
the hremen escaped with their lives.
Owing to the peculiar construction of
elevator and its great stores of meat,
oil and other contents, the flames spread
startling rapidity. The vast build.
ing was n great pit of dense smoke
and suffocatingfum within, -surmounted
by a vast roof of fire, whence as.
bright flames that lit up the
hills and buildings throughout the
city. Cloud after cloud of burning
smoke, as it seemed, rolled inward nm.
finally the whole expanse of the
heavens was a magnificent
1rapery of illumined vapor. Such a
sight was never witnessed in Memuhis
before aud may never be again. The
iremen, after entering the vast building.
we're almost sufocated with smoke, and
several just did manage to escape death.
They were lost 10 the thick smoke and
almost stihed with the fumes from the
burning meat, oil and other products.
Conway. Of Engine Company
No. 2, made the narrowest escape, the
lair OF his head being sinVed by the
while his hands and face are
painfully burned. Captain Raja, Of No.
I, was also scorched by the heat. Frank
Captain Raja aud VIM. Conway
lad to crawl through the dense smoke,
or their eyes were of no use be
of the heat and pain. They
ollowed the hose with their
lands, thereby cropping along the floor
md over great piles of freight until the
doorway was reached. A quarter of a
'cond more and they would have been
alive, for they we're beyond reach
f human old. Both the elevator and
he Capitol City are
NOTHING BUT cHARRED WRECKS,
The only thing left of the elevator are
lackened posts and burnt debris, around
7hich is to be seen a large crowd Of ne.