USA > Missouri > St Louis County > St Louis City > History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men > Part 28
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1 Capt. Alfred Rodgers, formerly a commander of one of the finest steamboats on the river, and for the last year or eigh- teen months of his life engaged in the commission and produee business in St. Louis, died on the 13th of June, 1849.
1107
NAVIGATION ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
had as yet occurred illustrating the degree of excellence attained in the art of boat-building, was the celebrated trial of speed between the steamers " Robert E. Lee" and " Natchez," in a race from New Orleans to St. Louis. Perhaps no cvent in the whole history of steamboat- ing on the Mississippi attracted so much attention. For many days the press in the West was filled with references to it, and many newspapers in the far East esteemed it of sufficient importance to notice the progress of the two leviathans, not only by publishing long telegrams, but also editorially. The boats ar- rived at St. Louis on the 4th of July, having made an unparalleled run of more than twelve hundred miles. It is believed that not less than two hundred thousand persons witnessed the arrival of the " R. E. Lee," which was the first to reach the goal.1
at New Orleans. After remaining at St. Louis a couple of days the "Jennie Bonnie" went to St. Paul, and thence across the grand portage to Lake Superior, through Lakes Huron, Erie, and Ontario into the St. Lawrence, and around to the coast of Maine to the point where she started from.
1 "Quite an excitement," says a St. Louis journal, " was created in steamboat circles by the trials of speed between the steamers ' R. E. Lee' and ' Natchez.' For years the time of the ' J. M. White' from New Orleans to St. Louis had stood unequaled, and among river-men there was a desire to know if any improvement in the building of fast, and at the same time good, business boats had been made. While we cannot sce that anything was gained by the trial, we place the time of each boat on record for the benefit of those interested.
1844 .- ' J. M. White's' run :
From New Orleans to
Miles. Days. Hours. Min.
Natchez ..
300
20
40
Vicksburg. 410
1
5
55
Montgomery Point ... 625
1
23
8
Memphis
775
2
12
8
Cairo ..
1000
3
6
44
St. Louis.
1200
3
23
9
1870 .- ' Natchez' time, July, 1870 :
From New Orleans to
Days. Hours. Min.
Natchez.
17
52
Vicksburg
26
..
Head of Thresher Field.
24
4
Napoleon
1
18
15
White River.
1
19
30
Helena
2
2
35
Memphis
2
9
40
Head of Island No. 10
3
...
...
Hick man
3
1
43
Cairo.
3
4
24
St. Louis
3
21
58
1870 .- ' Lee's' time, July, 1870 :
From New Orleans to
Days. Hours. Min.
Carrollton
..
..
271
Harry's Hill.
..
1
39
Bonnet Carré
2
38
College Point ..
3
50
Donaldsonville.
4
59
Plaquemine
7
5
Baton Rouge.
8
25
Bayou Sara
10
26
Red River
12
56
Stamps'
13
56
Briers
15
514
Ashley
16
29
Natchez.
17
11
Steamboat Casualties .- Neither the exact num- ber of steamboats lost nor a reasonably accurate ap- proximation of the number of deaths resulting from steamboat accidents on Western waters will ever be ascertained, for until within a few years past but little effort was made to preserve the records and statistics of such disasters. The most reliable record of ex-
Days. Hours. Min.
Cole's Creek.
19
21
Waterproof
19
53
Rooney ..
20
45
St. Joseph.
21
2
Grand Gulf.
22
6
Hard Times
22
18
Vicksburg.
1
38
Milliken's Bend.
1
2
37
Railey's.
1
3
49
Lake Providence.
1
5
47
Greenville.
1
10
55
Napoleon
1
16
22
White River.
1
16
56
Australia
1
19
...
Helena ...
1
23
9
Island No. 37
2
9
...
Island No. 26
2
15
30
Island No. 14
2
17
23
New Madrid ..
2
19
50
Island No. 10.
2
20
37
Island No. 8
2
21
25
. Lucas' Bend.
3
...
...
Cairo
3
1
St. Louis
3
18
14
" Not satisfied with the result of the trips to St. Louis, a race against time was arranged for in October, from New Orleans to Natchez, in which the ' Natchez' came out victorious.
"Time of the 'Lee' and 'Natchez' from New Orleans to Natchez, October, 1870 :
' NATCHEZ.'
' R. E. LEE."
From New Orleans to
H. M. S.
H. M. S.
Carrollton.
25
30
25
30
Hill's ..
55
45
54
15
Red Church
1
29
45
1
28
15
Bonnet Carré ..
2
27
30
2
22
15
College Point ..
3
29
30
3
26
15
Donaldsonville
4
34
15
4
28
15
Plaquemine ..
6
32
45
...
...
Baton Rouge
7
49
30
7
41
15
Bayou Sara
10
1
45
9
53
15
Red River.
12
21
30
12
23
...
Stamps'.
13
23
30
13
23
30
Bryan's ...
15
26
....
13
32
...
Henderson's
16
8
32
16
15
40
Natchez.
16
51
30
16
59
5
" Capt. Kannon feeling confident his boat could do still better, made one more run against time, and regained the reputation of the ' Lee.' The time was as follows :
From New Orleans to
H.
M.
S.
Carrollton
..
26
25
Harry Hill's
..
54
43
Red Church.
1
29
5
Bonnet Carré.
2
25
5
College Point.
3
28
20
Convent ...
3
37
...
Donaldsonville.
4
30
55
Bayou Goula.
5
40
28
Plaquemine
6
26
50
Baton Rouge.
7
40
42
Bayou Sara.
9
48
20
Stamps'
13
11
55
Henderson's
15
55
25
Natchez ...
16
36
47"
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
1
Red Church ..
..
Memphis.
2
6
..
...
1108
HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.
plosions up to 1871 was made up by Capt. S. L. Fisher and Capt. James McCord, both well-known citizens of St. Louis and practical steamboat men.1 This record begins in the year 1816, and is as follows :
STEAMBOAT EXPLOSIONS FOR FIFTY-FIVE YEARS.
Year.
Name of Boat.
Number of
Lives Lost.
Year.
Name of Boat.
Number of
Lives Lost.
1816
Washington
9
1857
Forest Rose
12 3
1817
Constitution.
30
1857
Kentucky
1825
Teehe
20
1857
Fanny Fern.
20
1830
Helen McGregor ..
60
1857
Cataract.
12
1836
Ben Franklin.
29
1857
Buckeye Belle
8
1836
Rob Roy
17
1858
Titania.
1
1837
Chariton
21
1859
San Nicolas
1837
Black Hawk
50
1859
Hiawatha
8
1838
Oronoco
100
1860
John Calhoun Sam Gaty
2
1838
Gen. Brown.
55 1860
Ben Lewis.
23
1838
Augusta
7
1860
H. T. Gilmore
2
1839
George Collier3
26
1861
Madonna ..
4
1839
Wellington
25
1861
Ben Sherrod.
80
1839
Walker
9
1862
Pennsylvania
150 4 1
1845
Elizabeth
6
1862
Advance
3
1845
Wyoming
13
1862
Igo
1 3
1846
H. W. Johnston ..
74
1863
Maria. ..
4
1847
Edward Bates
53
1864
Ben Levi ..
5
1848
Concordia.
28
1864
Sultana ..
1647
1849
Virginia ..
14
1865
Nimrod
5
The Vermont sank between St. Louis and
$5,000
1849
Louisiana
150
1865
W. R. Carter.
18
1850
St. Joseph
13
1865
Gen. Lytle.
12
8,000
1850
Anglo-Norman.
100
1866
Missouri
7
1850
Kate Fleming ..
9
1866
Phantom
11
5,000
1850
Knoxville.
19
1866
Cumberland
8
Chester sank between St. Louis and the mouth of the Ohio.
20,000
1852
Pocahontas.
8
1867
Eclipse .
22
Homer sank between St. Louis and the mouth of the Ohio.
6,000
1852
Glencoe
60
1870
City of Memphis ..
11
Maid of Orleans sank between St.
25,000
1852
Franklin
20
1870
Silver Spray ..
36
1853
Bee
3
1870
Maggie ; Hays
13
1854
Kate Kinney Timor
19
1871
Judge Wheeler.
9
1854
Reindeer
40
1871
W. R. Arthur.
60
1855
Lexington
30
1871
Rob Roy
1
1855
Lancaster
5
1871
Raven
7
1855
Heroine
3
1871
New State.
1
1856
Metropolis
14
Wm. Paris sank between St. Louis and the mouth of the Ohio. A. M. Phillips sank between St. Louis and the mouth of the Ohio. Tohula sank between St. Louis and the mouth of the Ohio.
15,000
U. S. Mail sank between St. Louis and the mouth of the Ohio.
15,000 8,000 35,000
Chief Magistrate sank 'below mouth of Ohio ....
15,000
Baltic sank below mouth of Ohio.
12,000
Malta sank on the Missouri ...
15,000
Missouri burnt at the wharf.
50,000
9
1859
Princess
70 45 2
1838
Moselle
85
1860
1862
Monongahela
1844
Lucy Waller
25
1862
Com. Perry
1845
Marquette
30
1862
Ollie Sullivan
1849
Cutter.
6
1865
R. J. Lockwood ...
11
1851
Oregon ...
18
1866
Harry Dean
5
1852
Thomas Stone.
40
1868
Magnolia
31
1852
Saluda
27
1870
David White.
5
Louis and the mouth of the Ohio ...... Oregon sank between St. Louis and the mouth of the Ohio.
20,000 6,000
1854
15
1870
Iberville
7
Keokuk sank between St. Louis and the mouth of the Ohio
12,000
6,000
1 The Fifth Annual Report of the St. Louis Chamber of Com- merce, for 1860, has no reference to or mention of steamboat casualties.
" The " Dubuque," Capt. Smoker, was destroyed on the Mississippi River while on her voyage from St. Louis to Galena, Aug. 15, 1837, near Muscatine Bar, eight miles below Bloomington. The accident was caused by the explosion of the boiler on the larboard side, probably on account of some defect in material or workmanship. The steamboat " Adven- ture," arriving in a few hours after the explosion, took the " Dubuque" in tow to Bloomington. The killed were John Littleton, Isaac Deal, Felix Pope, Charles Kelly, Noalı Owen, Jesse Johnson, James C. Carr, George McMurtry, Francis Pleasants, Henry A. Carr, John C. Hamilton, Joseph Brady, John Boland, Joseph L. Sanes, L. B. Sanes, Martin Shough- nohoy, George Clix, David Francour, and Mrs. M. Shaugh- nessy and child.
8 When the "George Collier," while on her way, May 6,
The curious revelation is made by these figures that there have been more explosions of steam-boilers on Western steamboats, in proportion to the number of boats engaged in business on the rivers, since Congress enacted laws for the regulation and guidance of engineers on steam-vessels; and the list of casual- ties also shows that explosions were attended by more fatal results after that legislation than previously when engineers had to trust entirely to their skill and judgment in the management of the engine and regulating the pressure in the boilers. By contrasting the number of casualties for a period of eighteen years preceding the passage of the law of 1852 by Con- gress with the number of casualties for a period of eighteen years subsequent to the adoption of the law, the difference can be more readily perceived. During the first-named period twenty-seven boats exploded their boilers, and one thousand and two persons were killed. During a period of eighteen years subsequent to the passage of the law fifty-four boats met with disaster by explosion, and three thou- sand one hundred persons were killed.
From Jan. 1 to Nov. 19, 1841, the following boats engaged in the St. Louis trade were lost :
$290,000
1839, from New Orleans to St. Louis, was about eighty miles below Natchez, her piston-rod gave way. The cylinder-head was broken, and the boiler-stand carried away. The steam eseaping scalded forty-five persons, of whom twenty-six died that day, as follows : T. J. Spalding, Ch. Brooks, William Blake, C. Herring, Mrs. E. Welch and two children, S. O'Brien and wife, S. J. Brogua, Jolın Idida, D. J. Rose, D. Groe, F. Gross, J. B. Bossuet, P. Smith, Joseph Lawrence, Charlotte Fletcher and brother, - Bilch, and six others unknown.
1837
Dubuque2.
1840
Persia ..
23
the mouth of the Ohio, valued at ........ Rienzi sank between St. Louis and the mouth of the Ohio .. ... Peoria sank between St. Louis and the mouth of the Ohio.
Brazil sank on the upper Mississippi .. ... Caroline sank below mouth of Ohio.
NAVIGATION ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
1109
In De Bow's Review a list of disasters to steam- boats is given which, though made from " very defcc- tive returns," has not overdrawn the picture of death, ruin, and suffering which explosions, collisions, and carelessness have inflicted on the people of this coun- try who traveled on Western waters. This list in the Review for 1849 extended back many years. It is as follows :
Whole number of boats on which explosions have oc- curred ..
233 Passengers killed (enumerated in 6 cases) 140
Officers
31 ........ .....
Crew 66
" 25 66
......
1,805 1826
3
1841.
7
1827.
2
1842
7
1828
1
1843 ..
g
4
1844
4
23 1830
12
1845.
11
1831
2
1846
7
2 1832
1
1847 12
1833
5 1848 12
Date given in 177 cases ; not stated in 56; total .233
Pecuniary loss, 233 cases, at $13,202 each. $3,090,366
Loss of life, 233 cases, at 11 each. 2,563
Wounded, 233 cascs, at 9 each. 2,097
Total killed and wounded .. 4660
The fate of boats employed in the Mississippi trade is traced in the Western Boatman for 1848, as fol- lows :
344 worn out or abandoned. 50₺ per cent. 66
238 snagged or otherwise sunk 342
68 burnt. 10
17 lost by collision. 24
17 explosions. 2+
The seventeen boats which had their boilers burst were the " Washington," " Union," "Atlas," "Caledonia," "Porpoise," " Cotton Plant," " Tallyho," "Tricolor," "Car of Commerce," " Alabama," " Hornet," "Kanawha," " Helen McGregor," "Huntress,""Gen. Robinson," "Arkansas," and "Techc."
Average age of boats worn out or abandoned, five years nearly.
Average age of boats sunk, burnt, or otherwise lost, four years nearly.
Boats of which we have no dates of loss are calculated by the accounts obtained.
Building.
Built in Pittsburgh district 304
66 Cincinnati
221
66 Louisville 103
66 Nashville
19
66 other places.
37
Total 684
Number of Boats built in each of the following years:
1811
1
1825
32
1812
0
1826
60
1813
1
1827
24
1814
2 1828
35
1816
5
1829
55
1817.
8
1830 ..
43
1818
31
1831.
69
1819
34
1832.
80
1820
g
1833.
48
1821
7
1834
59
1822.
10
1835 52
1823
14
Want of step-joints on pipe 1- 7
Defeetive boiler (nature of defect not stated).
11
Total in this class. 33
4. Carelessness or ignorance of those intrusted with the man- agement of the boiler.
In this class :
Racing. 1
Incompetent enginecrs 2
Old boilers
6
Stopping off water. 1
Carelessness .. 22-32
Dates and Numbers of Explosions.
1816 1834 3
1817
4
1835 ..
10
1819
1 1836.
13
1820
1 1837 13
1 1838.
11
1
1839 ..
3
2
1840
8
Whole number killed " 164
66 wounded " 111 66
......
1,015
Total amount of damages 75
Average number of passengers killed in the enumer- ated cases
Average number of officers killed in the enumerated cases
Average number of crew killed in the enumerated cases.
4
Average number killed in the enumerated cases 11
9
The cause is stated in 98 cases; not stated in 125; unknown in 10; together 233
1. Excessive pressure, gradually increased, was the cause of ...
16
2. The presence of unduly heated metals was the cause of.
16 33
3. Defective construction was the cause of .....
4. Carelessness or ignorance was the cause of.
5. Accidental (rolling of boat) was the cause of. ...
Nature of the Accidents.
Bursting boiler 101
Collapsing flue .... 71
9
Bursting steam-chests
1
Bolt and boiler forced out.
1
Struck by lightning
1
Blew out boiler-head.
4
Breaking cylinder-head
1
Breaking flange of steam-pipe.
2
Bridge-wall exploded
1
Unknown. 3
Not stated
38
Total. 233
Classification of Causes.
1. Under pressure within the boiler, the pressure being grad- ually increased. In this class are the cases marked "excessive pressure."
2. Presence of unduly heatcd metal within the boiler. In this class are included
Deficiency of water 14
2-16 Deposits
3. Defective construction of the boiler and its appendages. Improper or defective material:
In this class are included cast-iron boiler-head
5
Inferior iron.
5
Iron too thin
3
Cast-iron boiler. 1
Defective iron in flue 1-15 Bad workmanship:
Want of proper gauge-cocks.
3
Defeetive flue.
1
Extending wire walls ..
1
Pipe badly constructed ... 1
Total 13 684 1824
The following is a compilation of the number of boats lost up to 1850 :
71
7
1821
57 1822
103 1825
.......
$997,650 1829
Average number wounded in the enumerated cases .... Average amount of damages.
$13,302
32
1
Bursting steam-pipe ..
1110
HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.
From 1810 to 1820
3
1820 to 1830 ..
37
1830 to IS40 ..
184
= 1840 to 1850.
270
Boats whose date of loss is unknown ..
80
Total
576
The tonnage of 480 of the above hoats, as ascertained by record
68,048
Tonnage, supposed
17,210
Total.
85,258
Original eost of boats lost by sinking, as as- certained.
$6,348,940
Supposed original eost of 102 not accounted for.
765,000
Total original cost ..
7,113,940
Total depreciation while in service. 3,665,890
Final loss
3,681,297
The list of boats destroyed by fire comprises 166. The orig- inal cost of these 166 steamers was $1,010,854.
The following are some of the more noteworthy disasters to St. Louis vessels :
In March, 1823, the " Tennessee," Capt. Camp- bell, was lost and thirty persons drowned. In Decem- ber of the same year the " Cincinnati," on her way from St. Louis to New Orleans, ran on a snag below Ste. Genevieve and sank. No lives were lost.
In the latter part of April, 1832, the " Talisman," lying in port at St. Louis, was burned to the water's edge. On the 24th of October, 1834, the " Missouri Belle" collided with the " Boone's Lick" and sank almost immediately, thirty persons being drowned.
The " Shepherdess," from Cincinnati for St. Louis, struck a snag on the 4th of January, 1844, in Ca- hokia Bend, within three miles of Market Street wharf, St. Louis, and sank. The disaster occurred about eleven o'clock at night, and as most of the pas- sengers had retired to their cabins and the boat sank rapidly, the loss of life was very great.
On the 10th of March, 1848, the steamers." Ava- lanche," " Hibernian," " John J. Hardin," and " La- clede," with two barges, were burned at the Levee near the foot of Washington Street, St. Louis; and on the 9th of May the steamers " Mail," " Missouri Mail," "Lightfoot," and "Mary" were burned at their wharf in St. Louis.
The following boats were burned at St. Louis during the year 1849, excepting at the time of the great fire in May :
Algoma, July 29th ... $18,000
Dubuque, July 29th .. 8,000
Highlander, May 1st .. 14,000
Mary. July 29th. 30,000
Phoenix, July 29th.
16,000
San Francisco, July 29th.
28,000
Accidents to Steamboats which were afterwards raised and re- paired.
" Buena Vista," took fire at Kaskaskia landing; cargo greatly damaged by water; hoat saved from burning by the exertions of her officers and erew.
"Governor Briggs," struck a wreck and sunk in haeking out from the wharf at St. Louis July 12th; afterwards raised and repaired.
" Magnet," collapsed connection pipe and flue at St. Louis August 8th ; afterwards repaired.
"San Francisco," exploded a boiler at St. Louis May 30th, killing and scalding several persons ; afterwards burned at the same place on July 29th.
Twenty-three vessels were burned at the wharf in St. Louis at the time of the great fire on May 17, 1849, as follows :
" American Eagle," Cossen, master, Keokuk and Upper Mis- sissippi packet, valued at $14,000, total loss; insured for $3500 in Pittsburgh ; no eargo.
" Alice," Kennett, master, Missouri River packet, valued at $18,000, total loss; insured for $12,000,-$9000 in city offices, balance East; cargo valued at $1000.
" Alexander Hamilton," Ilooper, master, Missouri River packet, valued at $15,000, total loss; insured for $10,500 in Eastern offices ; no cargo.
" Aeadia," John Russell, master, Illinois River paeket, val- ued at $4000, total loss; fully insured in Eastern offices; cargo fifty barrels molasses and sundry small lots of merchandise, val- ued at $1000.
" Boreas, No. 3," Bernard, master, Missouri River packet, valued at $14,500, total loss; insured for $11,500 in city offices; no cargo.
" Belle Isle," Smith, master, New Orleans trade, valued at $10,000, total loss; insured for $8000 in the Columbus ageney at New Orleans and another office; no cargo.
" Eliza Stewart," Il. MeKee, master, Missouri River trade, valued at $9000, total loss; insured for nearly the full value,- $4500 in the Nashville ageney, halanee in the city ; no cargo.
" Eudora," Ealer, master, New Orleans and St. Louis trade, valued at $16,000, total loss; insured for $10,500, all in city offiees; no cargo.
" Edward Bates," Randolph, master, Keokuk packet, valued at $22,500, total loss; insured for $15,000, all in city offices ; no cargo.
" Frolic" (tow-boat), Ringling, master, valued at $1500, total loss; no insurance ; no cargo.
" General Brook" (tow-boat), Ringling, master, valued at $1500, total loss; no insurance ; no cargo.
" Kit Carson," Goddin, master, Missouri river packet, valued at $16,000, total loss; insured for $8000, if not more, in eity offices; eargo valued at $3000.
" Mameluke," Smithers, master, New Orleans and St. Louis trade, valued at $30,000, total loss; insured for $20,000,-$S000 in Louisville, $5000 in Columbus agency, $7000 in St. Louis; no cargo.
" Mandan," Beers, master, Missouri river trader, valued at $14,000, total loss; insured for $10,500, all in city offices; no cargo.
" Montauk," Legrand Morehouse, master, Upper Mississippi trader, valued at $16,000, total loss ; insured for $10,000,-$5000 here, balance in agencies; cargo valued nt $8000.
" Martha," D. Fineh, master, Missouri river trader, valued at $10,000, total loss; fully insured; cargo valued at $30,000, also insured.
" Prairie State," Baldwin, master, Illinois river packet, val- ued at $26,000, total loss; insured in Eastern offices for $18,000 ; cargo valued at $3000.
" Red Wing," Barger, master, Upper Mississippi trade, val- ued at $6000, total loss; no insurance; eargo valued at $3000.
1111
NAVIGATION ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
"St. Peters," Ward, master, Upper Mississippi trade, valued at $12,000, total loss; insured for $9000 in the Nashville and Louisville agencies ; no cargo.
"Sarah," Young, master, New Orleans and St. Louis trade, valued at $35,000, total loss; insured for $20,000 at Cincinnati ; cargo valued at $30,000.
" Taglioni," Marshall, master, Pittsburgh and St. Louis trade, valued at $20,000, total loss; insured for nearly the full value in Pittsburgh; cargo fifty tons of iron, five hundred kegs of nails, and sundry lots of merchandise, valued at from $12,000 to $15,000.
" Timour," Miller, master, Missouri river trade, valued at $25,000, total loss ; insured for $18,000,-$4000 in the city offices, the balance East; cargo valued at $6000.
" White Cloud," Adams, master, New Orleans and St. Louis trade, valued at $3000, total loss; fully insurcd ; no cargo.
The steamboat " Andrew Jackson" was destroyed by fire while lying at Illinoistown on Aug. 7, 1850. She was an old boat and insured for six thousand dol- lars. Five other boats narrowly eseaped being con- sumed. The steamboat "Governor Briggs" was dam- aged by collision with the " Allegheny Mail," near St. Louis, on January 13th. The " Mustang" was burned to the water's edge at St. Louis on May 8th. She was rebuilt, but afterwards lost by snagging in the Mis- souri, near Brunswick, early in October. The "Ohio" blew out a mud-valve at St. Louis on September 26th, sealding two persons.
The bursting of the larboard boiler of the ferry- boat "St. Louis," on the 23d of February, 1851, caused one of those terrible disasters which have so often shocked the publie in this country. " Timbers, large masses of machinery, brick-work, and ashes were hurled aloft in every direction with many human beings." There were from twenty-five to thirty per- sons on the boat at the time of the explosion. Of that number there were but three or four survivors. There were thirteen bodies identified. The eor- oner's list of dead mentions "John Walter James, an unknown boy, Sebastian Smith, a boy ealled Bill, living in Illinoistown near Pap's house, Dr. Truett, Merriwether Smith, Robert Hardin, Alexander MeKean, William W. Benson, Isaae Cooper, Alfred Wells, Ernest August Smidt."
The steamer " Sultana" was destroyed by fire, with a loss of seventy-five thousand dollars on boat and cargo, on the 12th of June, 1851, while lying at the foot of Mullanphy Street, St. Louis.
By the explosion of the boilers of the steamer " Glencoe," upon her arrival at St. Louis from New Orleans, on April 4, 1852, another great destruction of life and property was brought about. During the same fire the steamer " Cataraet" was greatly injured, together with wood- and wharf-boats. On the 18th of January, 1853, the steamers " New England," " Brunette," and "New Luey" were burned at the
wharf in St. Louis. The steamer " Bluff City" was burned, and the " Dr. Franklin, No. 2," and " High- land Mary" were greatly damaged by the fire from the first, on the 27th of July, 1853, while lying at the St. Louis Levee. The "Montauk," "Robert Campbell," and "Lunette" were burned on the 13th of October, 1853. On Feb. 16, 1854, the Alton paeket, "Kate Kearney, No. 1," exploded her starboard boiler just as she was starting from St. Louis. Twenty-five persons were severely sealded. The Rev. S. G. Gassaway, rector of St. George's Church, St. Louis, was killed, and Maj. Buell was severely injured. The steamers " Twin City," " Prai- rie City," and " Parthenia" were burned at the wharf in St. Louis on the 7th of December, 1855. A loss of nearly one hundred thousand dollars was caused by the burning of the steamers "St. Clair," " Paul Anderson," "James Stoekwell," "Southerner," and " Saranae," and the damaging of the " Monongahela," " Pennsylvania," and " Mattie Wayne."
The steamer " Australia" was burned on the 1st of April, 1859, and the steamers " New Monongahela" and " Edinburgh" at Bloody Island on the 15th of May of the same year. A loss of two hundred thou- sand dollars and the destruction of five steamers were eaused by the burning of the " H. D. Bacon, the " L. L. McGill," the " Estella," the " A. MeDowell," and the "W. H. Russell," on the 27th of October, 1862.1 The steamers " Imperial," valued at sixty thousand dollars, " Hiawatha," valued at sixty thousand dollars, " Jesse K. Bell," valued at twenty thousand dollars, and the " Post-Boy," valued at thirty-five thousand dollars, were burned on the 13th of September, 1863. The " Chancellor," "Forest Queen," and the " Cata- houla" were burned on the 4th of October, 1863. The steamer " Maria," having on board a portion of the Third Iowa and Fourth Missouri Cavalry, was blown up at Carondelet in December, 1864.2 The " Jennie
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