The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-08-17

learned this morning the total OF th. steam
boat Erie, Capt. L. ] Titus by fire, and the loss Of
nearly 200 lives; therefore,
Resofred, Tha, bis Homer the Mayor be- and he is
hereby authorized 10 dispense such assistance to the
their circumstances and the dictates Of hu
mainly may require.
We have never seen says the Conmercia, " the
CITY in more profound gloom"
MOST APPALLING CALAMITY.
DESTRUCTION OF THE STEAMBOAT
ERIE BY FIRE, AND THE LOSS OF ONE
HUNDRED AND SEVENTY LIVES
Little did we think yesterday, in pcnnng brief
paragraph 10 commendation Of the Ere that to-day
should be called upon record the destruction Of
that boat together with loss Of life uneq,alled on
our almost any other water The Ere left the
dock at 10 minutes past p. M loaded with met
chsnd,se destined for Chicago and nearly as now
can be ascerstnsd about two hundred person inclu-
ding passengers and crew on board. The loat had
been thoroughly oserhaued, and although tie wind
was blowing fresh, every thing promised peasant
and PROSPEROUS r0ysge Nothing occurred mar ibis
prospect TIL about : when the boat was eff Silver
Greek, atoet miles fIon shore, and SO nile from
thls cry then slght explosion was heard, and i'm
nesiIstsly iHsTantspsously almost, The whole vessel
vas nse.opssd 10 fame.
caps Titus who the upper DICK, at the
time rushed The ladies cabin 10 obtain thu lie pre-
servers 81 which there we're from 90 10 100 IN boar
found il imposslble 70 enter the cabin. He returned
10 the upper deck his way ordering the engineer TO
stop the engine, the wind and the headwsy of the
boat increasing the 6erceness Of the flames aid drv
ing them aft he Engineer replied that il conse-
quence Of the flames he could not reach the engine
The steersman was instantly directed to put he helm
hard s,srboard The vessel swung slowly round
heading the shore and the boa,s--lhere wer three
bosrd-~ere then ordered 10 be lowered.
Two Of the boats were lowered but in consequence
Of the heavy sea on, and the Roadway Of theyezsel
they both s@amped they touched the
water. We will not attempt To describe the aw fui
and appalling condition Of the passengers Some
were frantic with fear and horror, others plunged
headlong mady into the water, others sgan seized
upon any thing buoyant upon which they aJuld Law
hands. i be small boat forward had been lowered.
II was alongside the wheel with three or bur per-
sons IN H. when the captain jumped in andthe boat
Immediately dropped astern filled with water
| lady ioaed by with life preseryer o. She
cried for help. There was no safety in the bca The
captain threw her the only the boat She canpht
| the and was saved. 1t was Mrs Lynde, of Mil
\ waukie, and she was the only lady saved In this
condition, the boat Of fierce fire and tae mas.
sengers and crew endeavpnng TO save themselves by
4 swimming supporting themselves by whatever they
could each-they found by the Clinton al about
/ 10, L. Nj The Clinton left here in the morning but
! IN consequence OF the wind had put into Dunkirk -
She laid there I'LL nearly sunset which time she ran
out, and had proceeded far as Barcelona when ius,
al Wight the fire Of the Ere discovered some
~ miles astern. The Clinton immediately out about
and reached the burning wreck about 10 il was a
fearful sight All the upper works Of The Erie had
been burned away. The engine was standing bu,
the hull was mass of dull, red flame The passen-
gers and crew were floating around screaming in
Their agony and shrinking for help The boats of the
Clinton were instantly lowered and manned and eve
ry person that could be- heard was picked up
anu every possible relief afforded.
The Lady, little steamboat lying at Dunkirk wen,
Iftt ~ ~.
cosery Of the fire and arrived soon after the Clinton
II was not thought by the survivors that she saved
any. ny a. NJ, all was still except the dead crack
1 ling Of the fire. Not solitary individual could be
seen or heard on the wild waste Of waters A line
was then made fast TO the remains of the Eries ud
der, and effort made the hapless hull ashore
\ About this time the Chautauque came up and len,
her assistance The hull Of the Ere vas lowed with
IN about tour miles Of the shore when ii sunk n4ele
ven fathoms water. BY this time il was daylight -
the lines were cast of The Clinton headed for hi.
port, which she reached about q o'clock OF those
who are saved several badly burned but none are
dangerously injured go far have heard
OnGiS Or THE FlRg Among the passengers en-
board were SIX painters in the employ Of Mr. w G
Miller, Of this city who were going 10 Erie to pa in,
the steamboat Madison They had with them lem-
Johns inlcd with spirits of turpcntine and varni-h
which unknown 10 Capt. Titus, were placed on the
boiler deck directly over the boilers One Of the fire
men, who was saved, says he had occasion to 90 on
" '''hl "'h S''iHH removed them
\ hey were replaced but by whom is not known I'm
mcdaicly previous TO the bursting forth Of the flames
~ several on board have assured us slight explosior
was heard The demijohns had probably exploded
with the heat and their infamable contents TAKING
IRE Instantly, communicated to every part Of the boat
which having been freshly vanished, caught as if il
4 had been gunpowder
Not paper nor article Of any kind was saved
VI course u Is impossible to give complete list
those on board, OF cabin passengers Captain THU,
thinks there were between 30 and 40 Of whom 10 OF
IL were ladies', la the Storage there were ayTt
man imiiitraRts' "llnai WIRE mostly in families with
the usual proportion Of men, women and children -
| The heart bceds at the thought.
\ It is a singular coincidence that the Erie was burn
ed AZ amos, ldentcally the spot where the Wash
| ington was burned in June 1888 Capt Brown. who
| commanded the Washington at that tmeAhappened
10 be board the Clinton, and was yery acily, in
saving tho survivors of the Erie
We annex a list OF the lost and saved so far ar WI
have been able TO ascertain
LOST.
w NJ Camp, Harrisburg, Pa
/ Willelt Wecks Brooklyn.
John &. Poo New York city
T. $ Cobb, Ann Harbor, Mich
OTTO lorp, New York wife and three children
Lloyd Gelston, Erie, clerk
MIR Jples, steward OF the boat
Mrs. Giles Williams, Chicago.
Chatles Lynde Homer n Y.
Mrs, VIM II Smith, and child Schenectady
/ A. Sears Philip Barber Henry Weaver, William
| Thomas, - Evarts, Peter Finney painters Bnfn
i Ia N he emnlny If VIM G, .A1iller