Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-06-22
TERRIBLE CALAMITY ON LAKE ERIE.


BUFFALO, JUNE 1.-THE fine steamer " Grit
fth," Capt. RoBY, while on her way up the lake,
took fire about o'clock this morning, when about
twenty miles below Cleveland, and was burnt to
the waters edge.
The mate who ashore from the burning boat for
help has reached Cleveland and reports that only thirty Of
those board saved and these had to swim ashore
there being other vessel to render assistance Capt
Roby, his wife and child, among the lost.
1t reported that there three hundred persons
on board Of whom emgrants their way to the
West II this estimate, the number OF the lost
may probably exceed two hundred.
The the burning wreck described as having
been agonzng in the extreme. 1t the greatest calamity
that has occurred Lake Ere since the destruction by fire.
Of the steamer "Erie, some years ago.
The last report o'clock this evening, sets down the
whole number of lives lost hundred and sixty. 1t
stated that Mr. F. Heath his wife and four children,
among the lost.
The Cleveland Herald furnishes some further
particulars of this sad catastrophe, as follows:
We have the painful record make of the terrible
calamity that has occurred inland The soul
sckens at the details In three hundred per-
aroused from the heahfu sleep Of morning
upon the sleep that knows waking. How that in
the midst Ct life in DEATH" large portion Of the
passengers foreign immigrants from Germany, who had
left their native land crossed the in safety, and persisted
almost in sight OF the homes Of their adoption How sad the
wall that will lie waited to the Faheandknded separated,
and whole families off and buried by stranger hands,
The steamer Griffith when about fourteen miles below
Cleveland, abou, four O'Clock this Monday) morning dis
covered to be on fire around her smoke pipe the main deck
She about three miles from shore. The second mate,
then watch gave orders her ashore The boa,
then headed for shore and when about half mile from shore
she struck bar and before the flames burst above I'm
medately after she struck the flames burst in forward
afro n1psla
passengers themselves Captain Roby gave orders for
the woodples be thrown which done. The cabin
and deck passengers then jumping in crowds The
Captain remained board the upper deck, forward Of
wheel house, until the last with his family, and until the
flames drove him Off Hethen threw his wife, children,
mother n-law, and the BARRIERS wife, and jumped in himself
and remained the surface with his wife in his
arms, when they sank together.
The only females saved were the BARRIERS wife and three
Of the Storage passengers two of whom Germans.
Among the cabin passengers fifteen ladies' all of whom
were lost We learn there on board in all $50 persons
256 Storage and As cabin passengers and 80 Of the
From 80 to 40 saved.
We left the scene of the wreck at o'clock this after
noon, and that hundred and forty bodies had
been recovered and of them those of German emgrans
They have been found six eight together linked in the close
embrace Of death An English and her four children,
who had been sent for by the husband dent OF this city,
had risen early and dressed themselves in their best greet
the husband and father. All were lost
The of along the beach, with green leaves laid
the face of EACH and the limbs distorted sight
hope again to witness.
The wreck of the Griffith lies about forty rods from shore,
and of ruins from which the pipes project When
she first struck it in and half feet OF water.
The New York Tribune suggests that the only way pre-
such disasters is by the passage Of general law forbid
ding steamboats, carry passengers without having been
dered substantially reroo by covering their floors and decks
with -combusbe sheahing-iron, tin, zinc,
other This need not tie expensive and i, would be very eff
fectual But to build boat of dry naammabe wood,
belsh with curtains carpets &c. paint with highly
nhapmabe oils &C. when it is known that such boats must
usually when employed, be far from land filed with human
beings propelled by fire, with cooking, warming, &C. in
operation, and movable lights in nght-what is that
but foolhardy and criminal trng with human life And
there way C hinks Of overcoming the combined nu
ences of cupidy and temery but by force of law.