The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-12-11
Loss Of the Propeller Phenix.
TWO HUNDRED LIVES LOST.


TWO HUNDRED LIVES LOST.
The difference between the speed Of
lightning and the ordinary travel is H.
Illustrated in the fact that the confrma'
ton of the loss ofthe propeller Phoenix.
announced by telegraph on Saturday.
has Just reached Buffalo. We express.
ed a hope yesterday that the report
might not prove true, but the Buffalo
Express, Of Monday, gives the melan'
choIv particulars as follows:
On Saturday evening last we receiv-
ed a Geographic despatch from New
York, announcing the distressing intel
Iigence OF the burning Of the propeller
Phoenix on Lake Michigan, on Sunday
of last week. and the destruction of a
large number of lives. The report
was not at first generally credited, but
yesterday morning the schooner Onto
nagan arrived, bringing a corrobora-
ton of the calamity, with some partic-
ulars IN relation to 1t.
Capt. Robinson, ofthe schr., saw and
conversed with the mate ofthe Phoenix,
who is on board the propeller Della
ware, and gathered from him the fol-
lowing particulars: On Sunday, the
2lst inst, the propeller Phoenix, hav-
ing on board some two hundred men,
women and children. emigrant passen-
gers, mostly from Holland, besides the
crew Of about thirty persons, and forty
cabin passengers, bound for Chicago,
made Manitow VOC Bay, Lake Michigan,
in heavy weather for shelter from the
gale. She let 60 her anchors, but the
sea was so heavy that she dragged
them, and TO save themselves from
shipwreck she put out to sea again.
She had proceeded TO within Is
miles of Scheboygan, being about equi-
distant from that place and Manitowoc,
and about six miles off shore, when a
fire was discovered in her hold. Eve.
ry effort was made to %ex'inguish it,
and with good success. But the vessel
seemed doomed to destruction,to they
had no sooner mastered the fire in the
hold, than it broke out between the
decks, having been communicated from
the boilers. The wind was quite fresh
and blowing directly on shore, which
accounts for her being so far off land.
Capt. Sweet was confined to his berth
by sickness, and the command devolv.
ed upon the first mate.
The greatest terror and confusion
ensueG on the second appearance of
fire, and all hopes Of saving the vessel
were soon abandoned. A rush was
then made for the small boat, when Mr..
David Blish, Of Southport, with great
presence OF mind and determination of
purpose, ordered and drove them away
from the boat, directing the mate to
take possession oft and lower it away.
He then took Capt. Sweet from his
room and placed him in the boat, when
he directed SOME twenty others TO fol-
low, and the boat left the Propeller for
the shore--Mr. Blish himself remain
ing behind.
The Propeller Delaware hove in
sight about the time that the boat left,
and new hopes were raised on board,
that she might reach them in time to
save them from destruction-but it was
a vain hope. The boat that left for
shore arrived in safety, but before the
Delaware could come up with the burn
ing vessel, she had sunk, and all on
board, except two picked up, had per-
ished either by fire or flood. Mr.. Blish
fell a victim TO his efforts 10 save 9TH
ers-he being among the lost.
This calamity involves a greater de-
struction of human life than has ever
occurred in one event upon these wa
tiers. Most Of those on board were
foreigners, and their loss will not be re-
allied, but still it is a dreadful cataslro-
phe, which carries to destruction in a
short time more than 200 human be-
ings, with so small a chance Of escape
as appears upon this occasion. Only
80 saved from some 27O persons. Eight
of the crew, we understand, were a.
mong those saved.
The Phoenix was owned by Messrs.