The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-06
FIRE AT CINCINNATI
TWO OHIO RIVER STEAMBOATS, AND
TWO WHARF BOATS BURNED.
Loss of 100000 Suffered by the Gin
Company-sevcraI People Injured.

CINCINNATI, o., Aug. Sat 2 d. m.
TO-DAY fire was discovered in the Cincin-
natl wharf boat. 1t soon threatened every
thing on the public landing and In port
The confagration lasted less than an hour,
burning two large wharf boats and two
steamers and causing a loss of over $780,
600. The fire swept everything N its reach.
The whole department was out, but 1t
could only prevent its spreading to other
craft in the harbor. All the loss falls on
the Cincinnati & Louisville Mail Line COM
pany, of which Commodore +. A. Laidley
is general manager.
The large wharf boat known as the Gin
cinnau wharf boat. in which the fire orig
mated by boys striking a match near
baled hay, was used for local boats, and
the one known as the Louisville wharf boat
for the through mail line At one the Big
Sandy was loading for Louisville and at
the other the Carroliton was loading for
its trip to Madison. Ind. 1t was the day
for cleaning boilers. The steamers were
chained to the large wharf boats, and had
from the fire, but III they had been able to
pull out other crafts in the harbor might
three or four hours before their regular
daily starting time, there were only few
passengers on board and they. were easily
river banks on both sides and all the
bridges were full Intense excitement ex-
listed because of reckless reports about the
loss Of life. Some still maintain that an
unknown man was drowned, but the river
men say all are accounted for. Fireman
Edward Bennett was so overcome with heat
that he became unconscious, but is all
right tonight at the hospital Superin-
Soa, naen. sns~ ha, OF & .ne c,nc,hnasr ,sa r wnart
Cromley. fireman William Kibby. BENJAMIN
Franklin and George Schmitt. No one was
seriously hurt. however. The flames licked
Sausage Row for some minutes so as to
scare the colored occupants badly, but none
was hurt. At one time the Spencer House
was in danger and all those adjoining the
public landing began moving. AS the fire.
men worked from boats on one side of the
was an unusually brilliant one. Somers' 5
valuable horses en- route to the Louisville
races. were rescued from the burning
steamer A horse attached to cray could
and plunged into the river and was
drowned. The safe in the Cincinnati wharf
boat was left open. and 500 In currency,
500 In silver and the books were burned.
Captain Andrew Hazlet. Of the Carrollton.
and their crews, as we'll as the firemen
did heroic work.
Commodore Iaidley tonight says the
losses Of his company .rg ooa are as follows The
The Carrollton steamer. $4,000: insurance,
$4,000. The loss is distributed in ten COM
panies. The loss on the Louisville wharf
boat Is 5000: insurance, 5000. Cincinnati
wharf boat, $1,000; insurance. $1,000. Total
loss of the mail line. sl03 900: insurance.
5000 The hulls OF the boats sank The
steamers as we'll as the wharf boats are
total losses. There is no estimate on the
cargoes or the damage to the II. X. Bed
ford. the latter steamer having a narrow
escape from destruction. The insurance is
mostly in foreign and Eastern companies.