Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1847-12-18
By Masser h Eisely.
The Calamity ~ bake Michigan.

|
The Western papers come In Us filled with
accounts Of the destruction on lake Michigan
Of the Propeller Phoenix. The following parti.
cnlar. are given by the captain Of the Delswnre.
xho assisted ia saving the few passengers who
eeca,n ned: r. ..s .t.I..Hr.s- s-fsr. ttu
The Phtenix was first discovered on fire from
the deck of the propeller Delaware at a quarter
of fouv O'Clock in the morning of the 2ls', ,soff
about ls milcs. BEARING about north by ras'.
The Dels ware wss at once got under weigh,
and headed tr the burning propeller and dr'se
with all possible spcet for two hours when n.
riyiug within fifty rods .f The wreck they heard !
q voice eating ioudiy for assistance.
One boat was immediately lowered down and
sen, in pursuit Of the suffering man. " 'uccee'
ded in picking hin, up directly and bringing
him safe 10 the Delaware, when he was st once
divested Of his clothing and dry garments given
hin, instead. Ahcr rubbing him severely he
became quite comfortable Tie proved to he
the first engineer. While this man was being
picked Il? the propeller p,oceeded TO the wreck,
where the other boat WAS lowered down and the
clerk was found. together with one passenger.
cllneing TO the rudder. This boat picked them
up and brought them IN board, where, after the
same means were used as before, they were
boti, revived aad made com Portable.
Both l,oa,s were then sent in pursuit ot more
bodies, while the Delaware was made fast to the
wreck and succeeded in towing her TO Shetoy.
gan, where she sunk in eight feet water. Soon
,fter the arrival Of the wreck at Shrboygan, the
boat. came up. one with five dead bodies, snd
the other with baggng- and furniture.
A, this time one Of the PhGnix's boa,s came
up from the shore where the two GOATS ha6 gone
from the burning vessel, taking with them forty.
two of the crew and passengers. The boat that
now came up contained the captain. very i'll,
and the first mate, together with S,rue Of the
crew-the passengers being left on the beach,
about II miles below. From the clerk, Mr..
Dunihoe, we learned that there were OH board
l.5 IlolIandess, large and small and about 100
other "a ssengers and % OF the crew. making in
all 300 per sons--45 in oil saved 255 lost
The Delaware soon left on her downward
passage, and in passing in the uaek where the
burning vesse! was found. fell in with many
floating bodies, TO the number Of pbout lO0.-
Some Of them we're stsnding upright in tho wa.
ter, some OF the women were lying on the sides,
some--,he children generally-on their taces.
Some Of tho passenpers were in full dress sn,ne
in undress. and others entirely nuked-all with
their heads to the nor,hward.
They were within four miles Of the land, and
the wind ~as fast driving them ashore, so it wa'
not deemed advisable To pick them up, as plenty
of boats had been sent from Shcboypen for tha
purpose, and all not picked up by the boa,
G would driN ashore by the following morning.
From q long account in the Detroit Advertl
ser, We select the following: ....l.
g. In a hurried intercourse with Mr. NJ. w
y House, lst engineer of the Phoenix, who cam
y down on tie Delaware, we gathered the follow
ing particulars:
Mr. House who was then on duty. az the er
n. gineer, discovered the FIRE sbout 4 A. NJ, whe
I'd to all appearances the fire covered but yer
" small space. II spread however ulong The u
st. derside Of the deck with the rapidity Of powds
d. train. snd notwithstanding three pumps and O
'' veral lines Of water buckets were put in oper
q ton Immediately, II was found impossible
cheek the flames.
The clerk and an Irishman were saved by (
9TH king to the ruidcr chains, and were rescu,
la from their perilous situation after the arrival
M the Delaware, by the small boats. When
nd. = = - rtF - =
IN. ken on board they were almost entirely he
ed. less. and could not, in any probability, have
ore NAMED in the position they were in much Ion
~ er The perseverance and fortitude OF the ce
and the advice and encouragement which
om. endea vored to ins,il into his companion, VIII
"" Occupying their dangerous position, gave th'
both fresh hopes, and, no doubt, were the met
rsa. of saving their lives
A lad. about fourteen years Of age, one Of
ans porter. of the boat, who, in company with a
vm. ther boy, had worked necessarily from the cc
mencement Of the 6re until their pump g.
an" out, after getting near the bow Of the boat,
,ler. med determination, with his comrsde, to ju
'sch overheard, and try TO save themselves by sw
y ming. The little hero, after watching ons
oIds the deck hands, who had fortunately got hol
Cat q plank, and made plunge tor the wster, n
II. tered up his resolution, and followed, taking
81 mother course entirely from the hand, end,
Ger swimming about ten rods, was picked up by
N OF bos, in charge of his brother, the mate, BY u
1 Al 4 4 t, rnu.