Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-08-05
Another Lake Disaster.


From the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Extra, Aug !.
By passengers on The Alabama which
came in after our paper went to press last
night, we learn the appalling particulars.
The America left this Tuesday, nj Q P. M.
for Buffalo with fair load Of passengers,
mostly cabin. When about 40 miles be-
low Erie, and about l o'clock next morn
ing, her I'd boiler from the starboard side
burst carrying completely away her fire
and letting out the whole volume Of steam.
The explosion upset the boiler deck,
throwing it with such force against the
deck above as to raise it several feet, tumb.
ling cabin and state.rooms all together
The chimneys alone in that part Of the
of!he boat was left standing; and even the
breeching around them was taken away.
The steam instantaneous inveloped the
boat, filled the cabins and state-rooms.-
So dense, pressing. and hot was it that pas
ssngers in the after cabin were severely
scalded.
The Alabama discoverd her lights and
signals of distress about one hour after the
accident had occurred. When she came
along side there seemed to be one general
rush Of the americas passengers on board.
I Those who went on board the ill-fated boat
describe the scene as awful. Thirty or
forty human beings in distress, some dead,
some dying, and some in the most excru-
tiating agony; men, women and children;
groaning screaming, and crying; some
calling for water, help; sitting on the floor,
rolling on the deck, women in disheveled
hair and half dressed, rowing about the
boat and calling for their children, hus.
band, and friends. There was such con.
sternation among the few who remained
unhurt that but little was done 10 relieve
the sufferers. r"
The Engineer Of the alabama wen. on
board, and opened his oil.cans upon them,
which sllled the groans of many. Three
died on the way back to Erie, and when
the Alabama left her, at 9 A. NJ, eight
had died. How many more will follow is
yet to be known.
We are indebted 10 Mr.. NATHAN DER.
RING, Of South Bloomfield, O., who made
it his business TO converse with each suf.
ferer, for the following names and resi-.
dences:
VIM. H. Burnet, N. Y, not badly
scalded, hands slightly;
Jeremiah Conner, his wife and Ave chill
dren badly scalded;
Mclaughlin, fireman, died in an hour,
residence not known;
Henry Brown, waiter, colored man,
torn in pieces in the pitmen.
VIM. Livas, head cook, sealsed badly;
Richard Retalic, Wh.by, Canada, bad.
ly scalded; -
Luther Kinney, Washington, Mccomb
CO., Michigan, badly;
Joseph S,anclif, Dnrham, Conn.,, NOR.
tally think;
James Chansellor, fireman, died in an
hour;
Patrick Welch, fireman, must die, Buf.
falo; .#-
Patrick Kenney, deck hand, badly seal;
ded;
An old French woman, badly, shoe
trader, New York;
Archibald Linsey, S.earage Passenger,
Mich. badly.
J. F. La,or. Cincinnati, not tn}ly;
D. G.. Ramsey, Cincinnati, face and
hands slightly scalded;
Patrick Howly, Deck Passenger, hands
and face scalded;
D. E. Terry, Norwalk Ohio, head in
jured by fall in search of a brother
VIM. Terry missing, no doubt drowned;
Briget Walsh, Buffalo, badly;
Jacob Downing, Albany, hand sli ghily;
Michael Hagerty, fremen, must die;
Charles Potter greaser, missing;
Linnis Warren, deck passenger, badly;
James Murphy, deck hand. Irishman,
badly; ~. " - f- Fi
Thomas Pursel, fireman, badly;
Colored man cook, name not recol'
lected, face slightly scalded.
T'Che boat was in charge Of the first
mule, Mr.. SuooKs, Capt. SourER being
detained in Cleveland. The owner, Mr..
PHILLIPS, was on board.