The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1841-08-21

LAKE ERlE.-FURTHER AND M
lPORTANT p PARTICULARS.
From the Albany Evening journal we
;have obtained the following additional and
highly important particulars relative to
this awful and heartrenderirg calamity,
(which we hasten to lay before our read
ers:
First Outbreak Of the Fire. lhe'boat
had been thoroughly overhauled, and al
though,the wind was blowing fresh, every
,,hmg promised pleasant and prosper
Gus voyage. Nothing occurred to mar
this prospect till about 8 O'Clock, when
the boat was off;Silver. Creek, about eight
miles from shore, and thirty three miles
from this city, when slight explosion
was heard; and Immediately, inslantane-
,ously almost, the whole vessel was en-
veloped in flames. CApt Titus, who
WAS omthe upper deck at the time, rush.
ed to the ladies' cabin to obtain the life
preservers, of which there were from 30
ito 100 on board, but so rapid had been
lihe progress of the flames, he found 1t
impossible to enter the cabin.
The captain then returned to the upper
deck, giving, as he hurried on, his orders
to the engineer to stop. The engineer re-
,biied that in consequence of the flames he
could not stop the engine. The steers
man was Immediately directed to put, the
helm hard starboard. The vessel swung
slowly round, heading to the shore, and
the boats-there were three OIL board
were then ordered to be lowered. Two
,of the boats were lowered, but in conse-
,quence of the heavy sea on, and the head
way Of the vessel, they both swampped as
they touched the water.
miraculous Escape Of a Lady. Atthis
period the spectacle was appalling i'll the
extreme, and no language can describe
,the frantic horror of the doomed passen-
gers. The small boat was lowered
-four persons in 1.-THE captain jumped in,
and the boat filled with water and drop
ped astern. A lady noated by at this mo-
ment with a life preserver on, she Shrek
led for hrlp, the captain threw her the only
oar in the boet, she caught it and w's sa :
,ved-this lady was Mrs. Lvnde, of NIL
,waukie, and she was the only female who
was saved from that fated vessel.
discovery of the Wreck. In this con-
,diilon, tine boat emass of fierce fire, and
the passengers and crew endeavcring to
save themselves by swimming or support
ing themselves by whatever they could
zach, they were found by the Clinton at
about 10, P. NJ. The Clinton left here
in the morning, but i'll consequence OF the
wind, had put into Dunkirk. She laid
there till nearly sunset, at " hich time she
ran out and had proceeded as far as Bar
,celona, when, ju>t at twilight, the fire of
the Ere was discovered some twenty miles
.as.en. The Clinton Immediately put
about and reached the burning wreck a.
,Lout 10 O'Clock.
1t was fearful sight All the upper
works of the Erie had been burned away.
Tie engine was standing, but the hull was
a mass of dull, red flame.
The passengers and crew were float
ing around screaming in their agony and
shrieking for help. The boats of he
Clinton were instantly lowered and man
ned, and every person thai conld be seen
or heard was picked up, and every pos
sble relief afforded. The Lady, little
steamboat at Dunkirk, went out of that
harbor as soen as possible after the dis
,covery of the fire, and arrived soon after
the Clinton. j! was not thought by the
survivors that she had saved many.
Tho Wreck. AT one o'clock, \. NJ. all
was over. Nothing was heard but the
low, dead cracking Of the expiring fire.
Not q solitary struggle for life could be
seen on the wide waste of waters. No
trace was left on the CLASSY surface Of the
deep Of all that had peri>hed in that hour
ofagony, except a portion Of the haplcss
hulk of the Inflated Erie. An effort was
made to tow the hull ashore, but it sank
III eleven tathoms water, about four miles
from the banks Of the lake 1t was now
daylight and the Clinton headed for the
shore.
Origin Of the fire. Among the pas
sengers on board were six painters, in the
employ of Mr. w. G. Miller, of Buffalo,
who were going to Erie to paint the
steamboat Madison. They had with them
demionns filled with spirits of turpen-
Tine and varnish, which, unknown to
Captain Titus, were placed on the boiler
deck directly over the boilers. One OF
the firemen who was saved, says he had
occasion to go Oil deck, and seeing the
sdemyohns removed them. They were re-
paced, by whom is unknown Immedi-
ately previous to the bursting forth of the
flames, as several on board have assured
us, slight explosion was heard. The
demJohns had probably burst with the
heat. and their nhammablc contents, TAX
ing fire instantly, communicated to every
part of the boat, which having been fresh
ly vanished, caught as if it had been gun
powder
Singular Coiucideacs. 1t is a singu-