Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-12-01

-
oHr paper TINS morning contains the par
1lculars OF the most terrible calamity thai has
ever occurred on the waters of Lake Mich
lgan. The Propeller PkGair, vessel of
the hrst class, with an unusually large load
OF passengers and freight, was DESTROYED by
IRE before daylight, on Sunday last, and some
t'eo hundred and Gfty human beings hurried
INTO eternity. We have copied from the
Sheboygan Mercury, one account of this
heart-Eending disaster. We are indebted for
Inc extra containing it, TO Mr.. kingsburv,
OF Sheboygan, who rode in, on horseback.
bringing the sad intelligence. Mr.. Kings
bury has also furnished US with some other
particulars, which we give as he related them
10 us
The Phenix arrived al Manitowoc on Sa-
turday, and lay there several hours, waiting
Tor the sea TO 90 down. 1t was o'clock,
A. M, on Sunday, when she started for
Sheboygan. % miles distant. After being
out an hour or two. the Fireman discovered
that the pumps did not work, and immedi-
ately reported the fact to the ID Engineer,
who was, at the time, in charge of the En-
gIne. He did not seem to pay much alien
uon TO 1t, and refused to cali up the frs,
Engineer. Soon after the Fireman again
went to the I'd Engineer, telling him that the
pumps dtd not work, and that the water in
the boilers was very low. Before any steps
had been taken to remedy the difficulty, and
about \. NJ, it was discovered that the
boilers, having become red hot on top, had
COMMUNICATIVE TO the boat. The firemen
In the hold Immediately took active steps 10
stop the fire, but the progress of the flames
was so rapid that they were soon driven out
OF the hold. The alarm had now become
general; The passengers were all aroused,
lines formed on deck, and water passed up
in buckets and poured upon the flames.
But soon became apparent thatall attempts
to check the cOntiagratIon we've utterly un-
avalllng, and both passengers and crew be-
gan to- think only of how they might save
their hives.
The Phenix carried three boats. one on
each side, and one hanging at her stern.
Captain Sweet, who was confined with a
fractured knee, to his berth, at the en;reaiv
of Mr.. Blish, consented to go with the first
boat with t1centy others, Of the passengers
and crew. In the second boat, there were
nineteen persons in all, including the first
Mate. These, with three persons after
wards taken off the burning wreck, by the
Propeller Delaware, are all that are known
20 have been ayed; FoRTY-TRREE of total,
1t is believed, Of quite THREE HUNDRED
Souls The boats, as soon as they left the
Propeller, made directly Cor the shore, dis
tant perhaps four miles, though invisible Of
course, in the darkness, for it yet lacked an
hour or more Of daylight. The intention
was to land the passengers in the boats and
return to the burning Propeller to take off
others; but long before this could he done,
all human aid had become unavailing.
When the boat left the Propeller those Of
the passengers and crew remaining on board
betoOk themselves To the hurricane deck,
the masts and rigging Tor safety. One man
assembled to the masthead and there remain
ed till the mast itself, sapped by the flame,
toppled over into the Lake. As the fire al
vanced, the shrouds became thronged WITH
human beings who, seorched by the ascend
ing flames, gradually dropped of, one by
one, into the burning hold. Many, fright
ened, or despairing, threw themselves into
the Lake, in the VAIN hope OF struggling to
the distant shore.
The light Of the fire was first seen at She
boygan about ] past A. NJ. The Propel
Ter Delaware, then lying there, Immediately
got up steam, and started to the assistance
Of the barning vessel. But it was an hoo.
and a quarter before she reached her, and
meanwhile the raging element had done it
work. The Phenix was burnt to the wa
ter's edge, and but three persons were four
alive, one Of them, the CleEk, Mr.. DOnOh.-,
who was on piece of the mast, and c.iu-
ing To the rudder. The Delaware TOOK tie
wreck in tow and brought it to Sheboygaa
where it n0v lies, about four rods from tie
shore.
The boats, with the Captain, Mate, FIVE
Of the crew and 80 Of the passengers lande1
on the beach about 10 miles North OF She
boygan. Many, especially, among the wo-
men, had nothing bat their night clothes on,
and suffered dreadfuIly from the cold. The
Captain kindIed a fire on the beach, around
which all gathered, till with the morning
came wagons and welcome assistance from
Sheboygan.
The Phenx had on full freight, and Of
her passengers about 50 were Americans.
(i.reIuesing she crew. and $50 immigrants,
all HoamIcry, and ali coming TO MIlwau-
kee. Among the latter were many who hah
considerable sums of money with them: Il
being supposed that they had in the aggre-
gate some $4,000 in gold.
One Young girl of II, now at Sheooygsn,
is the sole Survivor Of a party OF %, who
had, together, $4,000. An old man, Toe
father OF nine children, is left 10 mourn tlle
loss of all those for whose sakes he left IN
native land and irimigrated to America. We
hear Of other and equally heart-rendlng ca
ses. Indeed, the whole calamity IS til
most affecting, in It's details, that We hAvo
ever been called upon 70 record.
or the cause Of the disaster, and the con-
due, Of the officers Of the boat IN the fearful
trial to which their skill and courage were
subjected, we cannot yet speak, for we hack
precise information. II the calamity was in
par. attributable 70 the second engineer, he
has paid for tn faul: Wit, his life. Nheth-
er, after the attempt to arrest the flames hac
been abandoned. all was done that could be
done, by the officers, TO save the lives Of
those entrusted to their care, We are not ad-
yised, but hope that such was the fact