Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1842-11-25
BURNING OF THE vERMILLIoN.

The following statement touching this melan
chcly catastrophe has been haudcd 70 for publ
cation.
HURON, 9 O'Clock, p. nj.
November 9th, 1912.
The committee appointed by the citizens
of Huron, to take measures to relieve the
distress Of the sufferers, and to make ar
engagements for the decent interment of the
dead, in the unfortunate burning of the
steamboat VcrmilIion, which took place al
our port this morning, report the following
facts as having come to their knowledge by
the report Of others, and from personal OBJ
servatlon
The s. b. VcrmilIion, Capt Brundage,
arrived here from Detroit this morning
about one o'clock, and stopped at the end OF
the pier, near the light house. Among tho
freight they were taking on, was can OF
turpentinc, which by some means was turned
out aud spread over the deck, and coming
in contact with the chimney, took fire from
stem to stern. The passengers, some forty
or fifty in number, were all asleep in their
berths. They we're soon aroused, but be-
fore they could get on to the pier the iaslen-
ings of the boat were burned off, and the
boat drilted out of the river into the lake.
Her boats were Immediately lowered. One
Immediately swampcd-thc other was the
means of saving many lives-but others
were doomed, some TO watery grave and
others given prey to the dcyouring flames,
The following are known to be lost. The
body of one man has been found, his name
supposed to be (from his papers) Alexander
Roberts, Captain or Mate of the schooner
Ohio. He is supposed to have had wife
on board, who was also drowned. The body
of Mrs. Charles Iloskins, Of Kingston, Can
ada, has also been found. Her husband is
among the living. He saved himself by
swimming to the dock, after being separated
from his wife by some one having seized
him around the body aud dragged him UNI
der. The cabin maid is known to have
been lost, probably burned to death. The
above are all that are known to have perish
ed it is to be feared that others have per-
ished whose names will not be known until
their places shall be found vacant among
their friends.
The officers and crew of the boat are all
saved, and it is no more than Justice TO say,
that they conducted themselves with the
greatest lrmness and presence of mind, and
were the last to leave the boat Capt. Brun-
dage rushed into the hottest of the flames
and rescued female from certain destruc-
ton. ..
We learn from Mr.. Robinson, clerk of
the Great Western, who was on board the
Vermilion at the time the catastrophe oc-
CURED, that the lake was calm, and but
very slight breeze prevailed from land
Still, the spreading of the flames through the
boat was instantaneous, and the only passage
from the boat 10 the pier was by the forward
gangway. From this cabin passengers were
cut off by the flames. Some leaped over
board, and others were taken of by the yawl.
One man who could not swim, chung to the
burning wreck, in the water, for more than
half an hour before he was discovered and
taken OIL The passengers who escaped
saved nothing but their night clothes. The
books and papers belonging to The boat were
all destroyed Buffalo Com. Adv.