Litchfield enquirer., 1841-09-02
THE BURNING OF THE ERIE.


THE BURNING OF THE ERIE.
We find in the Erie Circulating Advert !
ser, letter from a survivor of the terrible
disaster on Lake Erie, from which we make I
the following extracts:
"When wrote You last, said thought
of going TO Mackinaw, and perhaps to Chi |
cago. intended to have taken the Illinois,
but meeting Capt. Titus, a few days since,
needed but little persuasion to wait for
the Erie, for we were old friends. Some of
my acquaintance were going, and we pro-
posed to make it partly pleasure excur-
SION, and to take along band of music
Monday came, the day for starting. But
the weather had been squally during the
night, and In the morning the blue white
capped waves were dashing against the
pier, as we have often seen them i'll gale.
went on board at the usual time, and
found her well filled with passengers, and
among the rest about one hundred German
emigrants bound for the West, who were on
the forward deck, quietly engaged in ar
ranging their baggage, to make their voy-
age as comfortable as possible-and every
soul, in a few short hours, in rolling flames,
and the rolling waves, made their last voy-
age to the eternal world.
There was a beautiful compliment of
cabin passengers, just enough to make her
comfortable, such as usually, for business
or pleasure, travel at this season on the
western lakes. / was standing by the Office
talking with the captain, when Squires, of
the Clinton, came on board, and playfully
said, "Come, Tite, why don't you cast off
what's the use of your laying over ON the
night boats? You have got passengers
enough" Titus made some remark about
the weather, and thought it was useless to
make all the passengers sea-sick. 81 shall
go Soon," said Squires, "at any rate-it
will do them good to be sick-there is no
use in waiting and fleeing the passengers"
He left, and at about two o'clock passed
us. On seeing the Clinton put out, notwith-
standing the gale, many of our passengers
were anxious to follow. The Germans were
getting impatient to be on their voyage, and
the workmen on board, the poor painters,
who were the unfortunate cause of the dis
aster, wishing to lose no time, and being
accustomed to the lake in all weathers,
were especially clamorous to start.
Yielding to the wishes of his passengers,
knowing that there was no real danger
from the gale, which also seemed to lull,
and not liking to be beaten by the Clinton,
the last bell was rung, the last farewell--to
how many the last the lines cast off, and
the gallant Erie, for the last time, rounded
the light house. This was about half.past
five on Monday afternoon. The Clinton
was just seen in the distance.
The waves were running high, but the
boat pitched easily, and the whole company
was in high spirits, and those who express
ed any fears were laughed at for their timi-
dlty. We sat down to tea, and selected our
berths expecting pleasant morrow.
At about 8 o'clock / was setting in the
acknowledgements, the barkeeper, had Just
made me punch, and we were playing q
rubber of whist, when all at once, we heard
slight explosion. a kissing sound, and
cry OF fire. So many accidents have occur
red, and | had SO schooled myself to the
thought OF such an accident, that | was
sprung 70 the door, 1o1rowe1 ny rsrfnFeAi 1-1j,
and we were met by mass Of scorching
flame. rushed forward. He followed, but
no more. Of the dozen or fifteen in the sa-
loon at that moment, not another survives.
In second all that part of the boat nearest
to where the flames burst out, the boiler
deck, was in flames, and they must have
persisted horribly in the saloon, from which
there was no escape.
On going forward, saw in moment the
whole terror of the scene The flames
burst out in immense masses, and were dri-
ven back by the wind, enveloping in one
minute the whole body of the boat. Titus
sprung to the wheel and headed her to the
shore, and the wind now drove the flames
into every part of her, and she rolled over
lately painted. and her panel work varnish-
ed, SO that she caught as if dipped in spirits
of turpentine.
Then the air was filled with shrieks of
agony and despair. The boldest turned
pale at that awful moment. shall never
forget the wall Of terror that went up from
the poor German emigrants, who were hud-
died together on the forward deck. Wives
chung to their husbands, mothers frantically
pressed their babes to their bosoms, lovers
chung madly to each other. One venerable
old man, his grey hair streaming in the
wind, stood on the bows, and stretching out
his bony hands. prayed to God in the Ian
guage of his fatherland.
But If the scene forward was terrible,
that aft was appalling, for there the flames
were raging in the greatest fury. Some
madly rushed into the fire. Others. with
yell like demon, maddencd with the
flames, which were all around them, sprung
headlong into the waves. The officers Of
the boat and crew were generally cool, and
sprung to lower the boats, but these weye
every one successfully swamped, by those
who threw themselves into them, regardless
OF the eXecrations of the sailors, and of
everything but their own safety.
tried to act coolly-I kept near the cap-
tain, who seemed to take courage from des-
pair and whose bearing was above all
praise. The boat was veering towards the
shore, but the maddened flames now envel-
oped the wheel-house, and in moment the
machinery stopped: The last hope had left
us-and wilder shrek rose upon the air
atthis moment the second engineer, the one
at the time on duty, who had stood by his
machinery as long as it would work, was
seen climbing the gallows head, a black
mass with the flames curling all around