Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1841-08-28

Or The mail Of Thursday brought It's
the following awful account Of tho burning
of a steamer on Lake Erie, 1t is estl-
mated that about 200 persons were on
board, Of whom near ITO were lost
From the Eaf. 10 Advertiser, august 10.
MOST APPALLING CALAMITY.
Destruction of the steamboat Erie and the loss
Of one hundred and Seventy fiuss.
Little did we think yesterday in pentlingg
q brief paragraph in commentator OF the
Erie, that to-day we should be called upon
10 record the destruction of that boat, TO.
getiler with 4 loss Of life u~ncquallcd on our
own or almost any other waters. Tho
Erie left tho dock 1t 10 minutes past A,
=. M, destined Tor Chicago, and, u near
w az can now be asccrtainod, about two
hundred persons, including passengers and
crew on board. The boat had been
thoroughly ~ovcrhauled, and although the
wind was blowing fresh, every thing
promised a pleasant and prosperous yoy-
age. Nothing occurred to ma the pros
l,ect till about s, when the boat was off
Silver Creek, about 8 miles from shore,
and 81 miles from the city, when q slight
explosion was heard, and Immediately, in
simultaneously almost, the whole vessel was
enveloped i'll flames. Captain Titus, who
wus on the upper deck, at the lime, rushed
to the ladies' cabin TO obtain the life pre-
servers, of winch there were 80 to 100 on
board, but SO rapid had been the progress
Of the flames, he found il impossible TO en-
ter the cabin. He returned to the upper
deck, OH his way giving orders to the engi-
neer 10 stop the engine, the wind and the
Roadway Of the boat increasing the fierce
ness Of the flames and driving them aft.
The engineer replied that in consequence
of the flames he could not reach the en-
CINE. The steersman was instantly direct
ed to put the holm hard Il starboard. The
vessel swung slowly round, heading TO tho
shore. and the b~oats--there were three on
board--wero then ordered to bo lowered.
! Two of the boats were lowered, but In
consequence of the heavy sea on, and the
Roadway of the vessel they both swampcd
as soon ms they touched the water. We
will not attempt to describe the awful and
appalling condition of the passengers
some were frantic with fear and horror,
others plunged headlong madly into the
water, others agar. seized upon any thing
buoyant upon which they could lay hands
The small boat forward had been lowered.
Ii was alongside the wheel, with three or
four persons in it, when the captain Jumped
in, and the boat Immediately dropped a.
stern filled with water.
A lady fioatcd by with a life preserver
on. She cried for help. There was no
safety in the boat. She caught the oar
and was saved. 1t was Mrs. Lynde, of
Milwaukee, and she was the only lady
saved. In this condition, the boat was u
mass of fierce fire, and the passengers and
crew ~cadeavoring to ave themselves by
swimming or supporting themselves by
whatever they could reach--they were
found by the Clinton at about 10, ?. M.
The Clinton left here i'll the morning. but
in consequence Of the wind had put into
Dunkirk. She laid there until nearly sun
set, at which time she ran out, and had
proceeded us far as Barcelona, when, just
at twilight, the fire of the Erie was DIS
covered solne 20 miles astern. The Clin-
ton Immediately put about and reached the
burning wreck about 10. 1t was a fearful
sight. All the upper works OF the Erie
had been burned away. The engine was
standing, but tho hull was a mass of dull,
red flame. The passengers and crew were
floating around, screaming in their agony
and shrieking for help. The boats of the
Clinton were instantly lowered and man.
ned, and every person that could be seen
or heard was picked up, and every possible
relief afforded. The Lady, a little steam
boat lying at Dunkirk, went out of that
harbor as soon as possible, after the dis.
coyery Of the fire, and arrived soon after
the Clinton. 1t was not thought by the
survivors that she saved any. By |, A.
NJ. all was still except the dead cracking
Of the fire. Not a solitary individual could
could be seen or heard on the wild waste
of waters. A line was then made fast tc
the remains of she Fries rudder, and an
effort made to tow the hapless hull ashore.
About this time the Cautauque came up
and lent her assistance. The hull ofthe
Eric was towed within about four miles Of
the shore, when it sunk in eleven fathoms
of water. By this time it was day Wight
The lines we're cast off. The Clinton
headed for this port, which she reached a
bout 6 o'clock. OF those who are saved
several are badly burnt, but none are dan
gerously injured, so far as we have heard
Origin Of the Esre.-Among the passen,
gers on board were six painters, in the EN-
ploy of Mr.. w. G. Miller, of this city, who
were going TO Erie to paint the steamboa
Madison. They had with them demijohn:
filled with spirits of turpentine and varnish
which. unknown to Captain Titus, were
placed on the boiler deck over the boilers
One of the fremen who was saved, says HI
had occasion to 60 on deck, and seeing tht
demijohns, removed them. They were re
placed, but by whom is not known. I'M
mediateIy previous to the bursting forth 0
the flames, as several on board lave assuret
us, a slight explosion was heard. Thu
demilohns had probably burst with thu
heat, andtheir intlammable contents taking
fire instantly, communicating to every par
of the boat, which, having been freshl,,
vanished, caught as if it had been gun
powder.
Not a paper nor In article of any kim
was saved. Of course it is impossible t
give a complete list of those on board. O
cabin passengers, Capt. Titus thinks ther
:. were between thirty and forty, of whom
: ten or twelve were ladies. In the steerag
were about 40 passengers, nearly all G
whom were Swiss and German Immigrants
t They were mostly in families, with tn