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P-003: Ruth Ferris Collection Prints
This part of the Ruth Ferris Collection contains prints, mostly lithographs taken from illustrated periodicals in the 19th century.
Herman T. Pott National Inland Waterways Library
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- Burning of steamers on the Ohio River at Cincinnati, May 12, 1869.
- We illustrate on page 349 the disastrous conflagration which took place on the Ohio River, at Cincinnati, on the morning of May 12. A little before two o'clock a fire broke out in the Clifton, caused, it is supposed, by the upsetting of a lamp. Five steamers were lying in close proximity, and above these six others. In less than half an hour the six steamers below were destroyed, nearly all of them being burned to the water's edge. Those on board the Clifton were just able to escape with their lives, so rapid was the conflagration. Before the earliest engines could reach the scene four of the boats were already in flames. The heat was so intense that they could only approach the boats with the greatest difficulty. But their daring was equal to the emergency, and they fought their fierce foe at close quarters. Some of the boats had on board a large quantity of oil, and as the barrels caught fire they floated out into the river, and then down the stream, make it a stream of burning fire. The Kentucky shore was lighted up, and the flames showed its banks filled with spectators drawn from their beds by the magnificent spectacle. A deck-hand was burned to death on the Clifton, and it is reported that five hands on the Cheyenne suffered a similar fate. Three or four men from the Darling were drowned in their attempt to get ashore. The loss of property amounted to nearly $1,000,000, exclusive of cargo.
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- Terrific Fire Among the Steamers In the Harbor of St. Louis, Mo.
- Between five and six o'clock on Wednesday morning the 2d of July, a fire broke out in the cabin of the steamboat St. Clair, lying at the extreme end of the upper landing, which immediately communicated to the Paul Anderson, lying below her, and before many moments both were enveloped in flames. The hawsers were immediately cut loose, and the burning boats were sent floating down the stream. The current drove them alongside the Grand Turk, Southerner, and Saranak No. 2, lying immediately below, and the flames instantly communicated with those steamers, and in a moment those boats were also enveloped in a terrific blaze of fire. The J. M. Stockwell, lying below the Saranak, also caught fire, and in less than three quarters of an hour, and before the engines could possibly arrive, the above six steamboats were totally destroyed. The Southerner was a splendid new steamer, and only came out at the beginning of the season. She was built in Mobile, entirely of maple wood, and valued at $35,000. She was undergoing extensive repairs, and about to have a magnificent passenger cabin placed on her for the trade between this port and New Orleans. She was not insured in any of the offices here, as far as we could learn. The Paul Anderson was an old boat and was not worth as she stood more than $1000. Her machinery had been taken out, which rendered her all but valueless excepting the wood work and the hull, which was not considered of much account. The J. M. Stockwell was a Wabash river boat, worth about $800. The St. Clair was also an old boat, and not considered worth more than $10,000. The Grand Turk, although a very old craft, was still in fair condition, and was valued at about $20,000. She, years ago, cost $60,000, but had passed the best of her days, and was not worth more yesterday at the outside than the above amount. The Saranak No. 2 was also an old steamboat, not worth more than about $6000. The St. Clair was an old boat, valued at about $10,000. The total amount of property destroyed would probably amount to $75,000. With the exception of the Southerner, none of the other boats were worth much. There were immense crowds of persons collected on both sides of the river, witnessing the fire, which presented at one time a fearfully grand and picturesque sight. It is supposed to have originated through the work of an incendiary.
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