Rock Island Argus., 1900-04-11
STEAMERS IN RUINS,
Destructive Blaze in kahlke
Bros. Harbor Last
Night.
$4,000 WORTH OF PROPERTY GONE.

Packet Volunteer. Rlfter Saturn. Mascot.
Verne, and other Craft Go Up la Smoke
Theory as to How the Blaze Originated
Narrow Escape of the WInOna.
River craft valued at $57, 500 went
up in smoke last night in the harbor
of Kahlke Bros. boat yard in the west
end of Rock Island. The boats de-
stroved were the Volunteer, owned
by Capt. Walter A. Blair. of Daven-
port, and which was to have been run
this season in the Rock Island Bur
liugton trade; the rafter Saturn, owned
by Capt. George Winans, of Wauke-
sha, Wis; the Mascot (formerly Dim
ock. Gould & Co.'S bowboat) owned
by G. II. Deere, of Moline; c. II.
Deere's excursion barge; the barge,
Little Verne. owned by Capt. John
Streckfus, of Rock Island; naptha
launch, Lotus. and boathouse, owned
by G. f. Lindsay, and other Daven-
port parties, the barge Comfort,
owned by Capt. w. A. Blair, of Dav-
enport, and a pleasure bragg owned
by Davenport people.
The fire was discovered at 10 Is.
ated in the Volunteer, it is the opin-
/ ion of Fire Chief Hastings. after an in
vestigation, that it started in the
cabin of the Saturn. The Saturn was
| to have left the harbor today. The
crew last night built fire in a stove
| in the cabin. From this, it is sup
posed, the destructive blaze had its
origin.
| One Man Swims Ashore.
There were seven men aboard the
| Saturn. All had retired, three in
| hunks on the lower deck, and four
above. Deckman Mat Mulligan dis
covered the blaze and aroused his
companions. all of whom escaped un-
hurt, although Engineer Levi King,
the last to leave the boat, in order to
escape the flames. was obliged to
Jump into the harbor and swim
ashore.
The boats were anchored in the
northeast corner of the harbor. All
were lashed together. The fire spread
rapidly. The flames shot high into the
heavens, and could be seen for miles.
Chief Hastings with the Central and
No. 2 fire companies arrived on the
scene shortly after the discovery of
the blaze, but were powerless to
do anything toward saving the
| bnrning property and directed Their
efforts to preventing furGher spread
OF the flames, which threatened Weyer
hauser & Denkmann's mill. Hun
dreds of people were attracted to the
scene from all parts of the city.
No alarm was sent to the fire de-
partment. A passerby, seeing the
illumination, called the attention of
the Centrals and they lit out for the
west end of the town, thinking the
lower sawmill was ablazs.
wInona's Close Call.
The steamer Winona had a close
call. AS was done with the other
boats, she was pushed out to the end
| of tow line, but the flames were not
communicated to her, as in the other
cases, and although the pretty packet
was badly scorched Oh one side, she
was saved through the Weyerhauser
& Denkmann bowboat Brockman,
which went to her relief and towed
her over to the Iowa side. AS it was,
one entire side of the packet was so
badly scorched it will be necessary to
repaint it. Weyerhauser & Denk-
mann's rafter, the Weyerhauser. had
been in the harbor and was only re-
moved at o'clock last night.
Loss and Insurance.
The Saturn was valued at $1S, 900
and was insured for $12, 900; the Vol
unteer, value $12, 600, insurance $7.-
coo; Mascot, value $S,0 insurance
$4,000; Deere's excursion barge, value
$1,000 insurance $4,000; Little
Verne, value $500, insurance, 81, u
500; Lotus and house, value 81, 500.
no insurance; Comfort, value 50, 900
insurance $1,000.