Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-26
A CLOSE SHAVE
Made by the Steamer James Lee Yes
terday Afternoon from the Nora-
ciOuS Fire Demon.
The Fire Department Succeeds in Con-
filming the Flames to the Pilot
house Strictly.

ABOUT = Ia y.CirCE yesterday a-LeT4IJT-
great excitement was caused by the striking
Of an alarm Of fire and the rapid running Of
the people toward the river. Those who
were on the streets soon learned that a steam
boat on FIRE, and great streams OF men
began pouring toward the scene. The
burning Of the Idlewid last summer
REQUIRED wildly to the mind Of every one.
The bluffs were rapidly filed with people
and so wa= the levee. Fully 5000 people col
lected as soon as the fre-engines appeared
upon he scene.
The location oil the fire was the pilothouse
Of the James Lee. one Of the prettiest and
swiftest steamers on the river. /. was thought
there was no fire aboard 1t all 10 occasion the
coniagratiOn, and it was a mystery how il
ever broke out for some time. The flames
had full Roadway in the pilothouse when the
engines arrived, and every body regarded the
boat as lost. a gentleman was heard to re-
| mark that he would not give two bit5 for the
| boat. The greatest excitement prevailed
| and people who had first crowded the boat
| began TO leave her rapidly. The fremen
! worked away nobly, but everybody thought
hopelessly; but soon they turned
stream Of water on the flames a different
story was told. The bold men rushed right
in the face OF the flames and held the hose
there. A cheer burst from the crowd as they
| saw that the firemen had obtained control Of
the FIRE.
Captain james Lee ST., was sitting on the
boiler deck and heard the alarm Of fire in
| the pilothouse. He knew that there was no
fire about the boat for some days except a
little fire in the barber shop stove every
morning. No cooking had been done since
the boat was laid up. He did not think that
there could be any fire in that part of the
boat.
The fire was discovered by Harry Rice,
who was doing some tinwork on the Josie
Harry, which lay astern. Rice quickly ran
aboard the Lee, and, rushing up 10 the pilot
house, began to call for water, at the same
time trying to get at the seat of the
fire. He got into the pilothouse Just as the
flames broke through, and, almost suffocated,
he fell back anC called for help. His hair
and eyebrows were singed. Mate Tom Clag-
gett with a squad of deckhands rushed to
the rescue, and tried to put out the flames
with buckets OF water passed from the lower
decks. At times it seemed as if they would
be successful, but a strong wind famed
the flames and gave them conf Hence.
Their gallant and plucky fight was
of no avail, Tor the fire gained such
Roadway that in a very few minutes the
entire pilothouse was developed. The boat
was about TO be abandoned, and some very
senseless persons conceived the idea Of cut
ting the boat loose and allowing it to Drift
away to its doom. The harbor tug DeSOto
came down and tried to throw a stream but
failed, and in order to save the other boats
took hold of the Lee astern and began pull
ing her out into the stream. Some Of the
ropes were cut, and the boat would surely
have drifted off and burned to the water had
not Captain james Lee, j., came down and
ordered the boat to be pushed to the shore,
which was done. The Adams street fire.
engine arrived on the spot and got line Of
hose laid to the Lees hurricane roof just in
the nick OF time. A minute later and the
fire, which was gaining such
RAPID HEADwAY
under the influence of the strong wind,
would h2ye gotten beyond all possible power
to stay. The stream from this engine saved
the boat. The efforts were 80 well directed
that the flames were subdued in less than
three minutes after the engine began throw
ing water. Chief Cleary was on hand di-
recting the management of the fire in person,
and to his cool head and skillful direction
one of the most effective pieces of fire man
agement on record was due. The origin OF
the fire for longtime remained in doubt,
owing TO the confusion. painter was put
ting the finishing touches on the boat, and il
was thought that possibly he might in some
way have caused the fire. Some workmen
were on the roof finishing up the painting
They were closing up around the pilothouse
to prevent the water from running in, but no
ries were advanced, and for some time the
most plausible was that spark might have
been blown from passing boat. Eventually
light was thrown on the mystery by the
Waterman, who stated that he was working
in the pilothouse, and that he overturned the
lamp aud the roofing paint caught like pow
der The paint used was GetchelPs roofing
paint, which is said to be fre-proof.
INCIDENTS.
The first alarm was given by the Fulton's
steam whistle, which blew long, continuous
blast, such as steamers sometimes sound
when hands are wanted. Ii was nothing like
a fire alarm. The first intelligent alarm
given the fire department was conveyed
through telephone by Captain AID Storm
from the Anchor-Line wharfboat
1t is said the engines had a stream of
water Cd the fire in three minutes after the
alarm was Tiyen.
The Granite State, which was just above
the Lee being a Cincinnati boat, tried to
save her bacon, and cut away as soon as she |
could. She had about a half-head OF steam
on, but enough to manage to work her way |
further up the stream.
The Josie Harry was taking freight below |
when the fire broke out, and the tug Oriole !
pulled her out into the stream. The tug |
Desoto pulled the Woodson out of the way. !
Two Anchor Line boats had steam up, and |
though they did not move could easily have |
saved themselves and the wharfboat.
Hays Chiles was the second man aboard |
the boat, and was as excited as if it were his
own boat.
As Commodore Joe Flynn was standing on
the lower deck, stream of water took off |
his beaver, and his airy form had to dance
pretty lively to capture If.
Captain James Lee, sr., witnessed the fire
from a chair on the levee.
The boat is insured for $4,000 in Well
lords agency. 1t was built about two years
and three months ago at a cost OF $4,000. |
The loss is estimated at $500.