The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-05 00:00:00

IU.RNIAG OF THE NORTHERN

INDIANA.

(From the Buffalo Courier, July 21.)

The first mate, Mr. W. H. Wetmore ; the first engi-
neer, Frank Farrer ; and Charles E. Marsh, clerk, ar-
rived in this city at noon, and we have gathered the
following statements direct from them. Mr. Wetmore,
who had charge of the vessel at the time, made the fol-
lowing statement :
"We left Buffalo Wednesday evening, July 16,
at seven o'clock. Thursday morning, about ten
minutes past eleven o'clock, when about halfway
between Point-au-pelee Reef and Point-auopelee Light-
house, the engineer sent a man to me and said he want-
ed me below, and when I reached there the first en-
gineer, Mr. Farrer, was getting the hose ready, and
attaching it to the fire-engine. Mr. Farrer said, Mr.
Wetmore, she's afire.' There is a round hole, usually
covered with a plate of iron, which was off, between the
engine-room and the emokepipe, on the starboard side.
I saw a light underneath the maindeck. I turned
about and ran to call the men, passing some on the
deck, whom I told to run to the engineer. I proceeded
to the forecastle, where two or three of the men were
sleeping, and told them to rouse. I immediately ran
back to the engineer, and found he had got to work
with the fire.engine, and also saw the names bursting
through the hatches. I saw she was badly on fire, and
ran to call the second mate for the purpose of altering
her course. Thence Iran to my room, which was along-
side of the wheelhouse, to get my axes, and had hard
work to get through the flames, which burned my hands
considerably. As I came forward I met the second mate
and one of the wheelsmen, who said they had the beats
out on the cranes. I went immediately on to the pro-
menade deck with my axes, and when I got there I saw
the forward boat was crowded with men. I felt sure
they would all be lost, unless I could get them out of it.
I took an axe in my hand and ran forward, arid told
them they would all be lost unless they got out.
" Mr. Farrer, the engineer, and the second engineer
were trying to pull them out of the boat, and succee led
in getting some out by the greatest possible exertion.
At that moment the cranes gave way by the weight of
those in the boat, and she went down end forward, and
spilled most of them into the water. The boat would hold
13 or 20, and was crowded to excess. When she went
down I knew what would result, and did not stop to
look at her, but turned round and met the men whom I
had sent aft. They said they could not get aft, as the
flames would not permit them. I then turned to the
passengers and begged them to keep cool, and I would
save them all, at the same time knowing there were
abcut two cords of plank about half way aft on the lar-
board side. I ran where the plank was, and also called
to the crew and such of the passengers as were near, and
urged them to get the planks out. I brought out an
armful and then went back to the oppposite side and
brought back another lead. I constantly urged the
passengers to obey my orders, and f would insure
safety. I got them at work getting out plank and wood•
work, such as doors and panelings.
" We then rushed into the cabin and hauled out the
dining tables and threw them forward. We cut away
everything that could of ird any assistance.
" A woman shortly after came to me and said, am
alone with four little children.' She had at the time
one in her arms. • 1 took it and passed it up to a passen-
ger who was on the deck. The woman then passed me
the other three. Soon after another woman passed me
a babe about six months old. Just previous to this
time the Missi-sippi, which was about five or six miles
astern when the first broke out, had picked up most of
thorn in the water. By this time her small boats, and
those of the propeller Republic carne alongside to pick
those off from the Northern Indiana. The boats were
full of life-preservers. The persons in the boats kept
throwing the buoys overheard, and called to the pas-
sengers to jump over. The women seemed afraid to do
this. A passenger about this time said to me, 'Take
this child, and I will go and put them (the passengers
who would not jump) overboard.' I took the child, awl
had another under my arm, and three more clinging to
1113. The passenger (whose name I did not learn)
worked heroically, and succeeded in getting three women
acid men into the water, and then I lowered the children
away to them by heaving lines. My friend, the pas-
senger, was the last man, with the exception of myself,
who left the vessel.
" Provieus to leaving her 1 walked aft from 15 to '2O
feet, :sod stood there without experiencing any incon-
venience from the flames; I then lowered myself on the
forecastle over the side to see if there was any one. I
found no one, and lowered myself into one of the Mis-
sissippi's boats, which had just come out. We pulled
the boat round to the stern of the steamer and took off
two men who were hanging to the rudder. We then
pul!ed round to the leeward and saw some in the wheel.
I called out to them to swim out from the boat if they
could. They not doing it, we pulled under the lee of
the wheel house, and then underneath, and found two
ladies and a gentleman ; got them on board, and told
the men to back away, as there was danger of the wheel-
house droppine on to us.
" We then pulled for the Mississippi, and on arriving
there asked Capt. Langley for a boat to assist in saving
the wreck. We took a lifeboat and rowed to the pro-
peller Republic, and asked bins to take hold of the
wreck, to which he promptly acceded. She was then
towed into Pigeon-bay, where she lies grounded 200 feet
from shore. I should think I could have remained half-
an-hour after we abandoned her without any inconve-
nience. When the flames were discovered the most in-
tense excitement and panic prevailed among the pas-
sengers, and it was impossible to maintain any kind of
order, and no attention was paid to my repeated appeals
to obey my orders, or they would all havebeen saved.
It is my positive opinion that not a single person would
have been lost had they observed presence e 1 mind. I
did not see a single person drown, looking constantly
after the boat itself and those on board. It is my itu-
presaion that not more than 20 persons were lost, and of
those the, majority were lost by the falling of the forward
boat in the 'early part of the disaster. I deny that the
Northern Indiana was racing at - the time. We were
nearly an hour behind time when we started, and we
were running at ordinary speed. We were allowed to
carry'4olb., and at no time had more than 281 b. or 301 b.
" In conclusion, I desire to return thanks for and
bear testimony to the gallantry, energy, and good be-
haviour of my officers and crew ; also to the noble and
efficient efforts of the officers and crew of the Miseis-
sippi and the propeller Republic. Captains Langley and
Weaver did all in their power aid us in saving the
passengers, and to them the credit of saving so many
lives is due.
"Two or three sail vessels, the names of which I do
not know, likewise rendered every assistance in their
power. I know that some were picked up by these
vessels, but what became of them I am unable to say.
" W. H. WETMORE.

"Buffalo, July 19."

Just previous to the breaking out of the fire and before
any thought of such a disaster had been started, one of
the passengers, who had in hid state-room a sum of
money (some $3,000) went and took from the package
about half the amount and put it in his pocket. When
the alarm of fire was given he found it impossible to
reach hid state-room, and the balance was lost. He
could not explain to himself why he took a portion of
the money, or why he should have taken any of it,
at the time he did. It was a stiggestiOn of his mind,
which came involuntarily, and without apparent cause
—one of those incomprehensible things for which
there is no explanation.
About one-half of those saved lost their ail and are
entirely destieute, some entirely so. One man and his
wife had $2,000, their all, with which they were
going west to purchase a farm. They lost all, and
had hardly clothing to cover them left. Another man
going west with his family and 500 dollars, all his
amp for years, and all lost. A poor woman with
four children, the oldest about eight years old,.lost
everything, but saved their lives. Another woman
with two children, one at the breast, was saved with
' her little ones, but nothing else.