Steamer Belle of the West
Covington Journal, Saturday, April 27, 1850, page 3
TERRIBLE DISASTER
Belle of the West Burnt
The public ear was startled yesterday morning by the painful
rumor that the steamer Belle of the
West had caught fire and had been consumed on her way to St Louis
and that some FIFTY OR SIXTY unfortunate passengers had perished in the flames.
Subsequent accounts proved that the painful report was but too true. It appears from the account of those who returned to the city yesterday, that the Belle of the West left here on Monday afternoon for St. Louis, having on board two and three hundred passengers, among whom was a large company of emigrants on their way to California.
At midnight when about two miles below Warsaw and about sixty two miles from this city. smoke was seen issuing from the hatchway, and it was discovered that the boat was on fire. At first the officers endeavored to suppress the flames without alarming the passengers, but when their efforts were found to be of no avail, the pilot was directed to run the boat ashore and their passengers were roused from their sleep and warned of their imminent peril. The scene which ensued beggars description. Passengers were seen hurrying wildly through the smoke in their night clothes-many of them delirious with excitement, and not a few leaping helplessly into the water, to escape the threatening danger of the flames.
The boat was finally run
ashore enveloped in flames and the passengers thus afforded an escape from the
awful peril that surrounded them. How many perished is now impossible to say.
The accounts represent the count as high as sixty. It is hoped that this
report is highly exaggerated.
From the Cincinnati Dispatch of the 25th
Further Details of the Burning of the Belle of the West
The last boats from below report the Belle of the West a total wreck, the hull having entirely disappeared, save the bow which was run on shore. As near as we can discern, the lives lost will number over eighty. None of the crew were lost. A portion of the goods were brought to this city in a damaged state. Over thirty of the dead and dying are at Florence. The boat was fully insured in this city, and we learn from good authority that a protest was issued yesterday.
The watchman is of the opinion that the fire originated in the hold from a large box of matches taken on board here. The officers, from accounts, are really deserving of praise in their exertions to save all on board.
The captain, after he discovered the fire, immediately gave the alarm, and hastened to a forward hatch where a keg of powder had been stored, and threw overboard, saving in all probability, a dreadful explosion.
The mate, Mr. Young, who is an excellent swimmer, succeeded in saving some passengers who would certainly have been drowned, had he not given them timely assistance.