New-York tribune., 1841-08-13
s-,,o,, Accideni-Burnins Of the
Oreaai"i -, vrie-Over Two Hundred Lives
Lost! ,.. RI Tho -rh,,s
,opdenee Of the Tribune.

1,,r Sir-Eucoscd send you Buffalo paper Of this
morning containing brief notice of he loss by fire, as'
night of the steamboat Erie, together with nearly two hun
ed persons. also send few incidents which gathered
ieconversation with OF the survivors. Mr. Parmelee
the arkeeper of the boat The Erie left her berth at Bu
faio for Chicago between and P. " Monday with
large number Of passengers nearly hundred OF whom were
Swiss emgrant The list of passengers aS taken by the
Captain numbered 205 but addition to those there were
several young children whose not taken and
some also supposed who had paid their fare when
the disaster occurred that probable that the pas
snsers together with attached the boat numbered
not les than $50 2iO The fire discovered about
ten minutes before clock Silver Creek, distance OF
p or 30 miles rom Buffalo The flames FIRST appeared run
nag rapidly the boiler deck "a permanent platform
of foot hight protect the boiler where 1t pro-
ec,, above the main deck) From its vicinity the boiler,
it become highly inaamabe and its ignition was acli-
tated 5y OF paint which it had received The
boats head Immediately directed toward the land which
was five miles Of
The flames spread with grea; rapidy Perfect confusion
succeeded in the midst of which the small boat hanging
asten lowered by the hands and brought Tia side
After Indies had been handed down the frenzy OF those
behind became uncon,fea5e and numbers aPed in beyond
the capacity Of the boat them, and it wamped.-
Several those who fell from the boat drawn under the
wheel AID there drowned, while few clung to the
bouts sides and finally saved second ana third BOAT
rendered useless by the iniauaon Some five
minutes after Tie appearance Of the fire, the machinery be-
deranged and stopped. So rapidly did s.e flames
spread that although there quantity Of iie-preseryers
the iiics cabin, they could be reached the cabin
almost Instantly in light flame. Twenty minutes only
had elapsed from beginning Of the fire. bu after the in
Of the heat had forced overheard every other per-
son hcn Capt Titus threw himself into the and a5an-
ioned the boat its fate The few who then remained
alive tossing in the midst Of heavy swell dependent
upon the precaous support of another OF plank
box and liable every lose their hold through
exhaustion and the benumbns effects of fright The
De Wit Clinton and the Lady perceived the light about
quarter pa. o'clock from Dunkk where they lay, and
put out Immediately to her relief But distance of 10
- miles Intervening they arrived in time only 80
the large number who few hours before had left Buffalo
with perfect confidence oc pleasant Trip.
The Clinton with 81 of the saved board took the hull
of The Erie in for Bufalo; after having been drawn,
however, fifteen twenty miles, the of the wreck
suddenly sunk. The passengers taken the American
House where they The Lady returned with the
she had picked up Dunkrk of them in
tornaur. He had thrown himself overheard plank,
when he farther ";1r be useless but reinqushcd
friend who could swim, and took "r his sup
port the fender" which just then fell by his side. He
that those who survived the swampng OF the bouts
cung with desperation the burnin. wreck pt few
found other supports. One he standing for
minutes the galowsbeam the flames cncircling him. with
his coat-skrts thrown his head till he dropped dead
into the body of the rmes. One of the wheelen said
been burnt up doing his duty the helm. Young
Beebc Ga lad of H. of those saved reported have
behaved with great courage As he descended the guys
the the chain not that he left of flesh
upon the rod every clasp of his hands Reaching the
rudder he stood upon that and soaking his jacket in the
ter he applied asuage the pain Of his hands and then
used extngush the fire from his dress and parts of the
wreck him. Though badly burnt he is likely to reco
The only lady who saved Mrs Lynde wife of
c. J. Lyndc, Esq OF Milwaukee standing the stern
Of the boat with her husband arranging her eprcserver
about her person when the boat gave urch and precip
taed her into the water. She saw nothing more ef her
husband but herself buoyed up till the Clinton arrived
The first notice which the boat upon the Fulton,)
had of this sad Dunkrk, about in tho
ing, where Mr. Purmelee board. The boat
placed upon the of the Erie ard about hour
perceived many indications of the disaster: basket,
chest tea aud box Of lemons picked up Present.
E the small pieces of burnt wood embraced
quite small indicated the Immediate OF the
tastrophe As they distance of the boat
checked her speed and her slow and solemn motion the
unmade graves Of hundreds, the measured surge of the
under her Prov and the sound OF the occasionally puff
ing steam, felt be solemn than any trb
the memory ot the dead Soon after left this spot
picked up sf her boats parts of which covered
with the burnt flesh the hands and feet those who
Jumped into it, Most of these facts derived from the
bar-keeper and the current in Buffalo
There i ageemen, in the belief that three den-
ohns ot varnsh &c exploded and the liquid con-
tact with FIRE. In great haste. E. A. NJ J.
Names ct Persons daOvu to be osf.-Nlrs Williams
Chicago Mr. c. J. Lynde of Milwaukee Graduated at New
Haven in lS36-tornery OF Homer, y. Y.,) Mr.. W. s.
Lyndc Ga broher) of Homer
Most of Tie Swiss destined Akron and Cleveland
From the Buffalo Republican. Tuesday Aug 10, O'Clock A. NJ
MOST HORRIPI EVE\T