New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-10-12
THE BURNING OF THE E. X. COLLINS.

We have received by mail some details of this ca.
tsstrophe, mentioned by telegraph in Mondays
TRIBUNE.
The boat was burned near the mouth OF Detroit
River, at daylight on Monday morning. The follow
ing are the name. of the lost, missing and saved
Po,seneers Mssing-Mr. Dibble from some where
in New York; Samuel Powell Cleveland; Laurence
Wbalen, do, ,nomss Cook, Pittsburgh railroad
agent, Cleveland; Mr.. AcSeIy, wife of waiter
Mrs. Waltrous and child A-ht4buls; body Of child
recovered colored man from Virginia.
Cree Missing.-C. Adams, barber; John McNeilly.
waiter; Jno. Dennis, 9o; John Thinker, do. John
Hasted, head do. Lyman Post barkeeper; Mrs r.
Lewis, cbambermaid; Saml Brown, fireman; An
tbony Ellenwck deck hand; Thos Anderson, do.i
John A. German james HarDett, cook, colored; Ma
then Robinson, d., and one wheelrnan.
Cre,c Sored-H. 5. Jones, Captain; Barny Swee
ney, mate; Henry Cole, Cd mate; Ezra Rust, en-
Theodore Duce CLERK; II. s. Montgomery, steward;
j. B. Stoutenberg waiter; II. Webb, do. John Shan
non, do. Join Stoke, do; John Doughley, do;
Peter Smith, do; David Corbett, deck sweep VIM
Conner, porter Lawrence Whalen, assistant porter;
wheelman named Joseph; Tom Dsmelly, fireman.
Cbas. Stamey, do; Pat Broghon do; I. Herveyhan
Pa Quinbau do, Boston; McAfe barber; Samuel
Bales, head cook; j. w. Brown I'd cook; w. Cud-
ley, carpenter; another carpenter, name unknown
John Carol. waiter.
Passengers Sored.-A p. Rogers, Ashtabula A.
Cary, Grand Rapids, Mich; ]. ID. Patterson West
field, n. Y; Geo. w. FAR, Providence, o.; b. +.
Dubois, PHILADELPHIA Hill El,on, ver@illion, O. Q.
Weitz, Dayton, o.; Edward Powers, Cleveland B.
Mcdonald do. Miss Laura Smith, Ashabula; Mrs.
Cook, Clevel Mr.. Lewis Morris and Lady, Ann
Arbor.
The fire undoubtedly originated from the Storage
passengers emptying their pipes filled with burning
tobacco into the light woodwork of the decks When
the FIRE was first discovered it spread with such
rapidity that every efor, to check proved nnava-
ing The fire engines all in readiness with the
hose screwed on, and were brought to bear on the
FIRE in less than a moment: but the smoke and fire
soon drove every person from the engines. In less
than two minutes the whole boat was in flames, and
the passengers and crew were compelled to leave.
The life boats which were in perfect readiness,
were reached about the time the flames burst out up
on the quarterback, but the men who went to lannch
them were Immediately driven back by the intensity
of the flames. -
Gent TO sustain COO people, but in the fright and con-
sernaiion Of the passengers. they failed to use them,
and in some instances threw themselves into the water
without All effort to secure support.
Can't. Langley, o. soon as he perceived the hre,
Immediately set bis at work 10 get all his boats
in readiness assist in saving the passengers, and
directed bis engineer to put IN all the steam he could
When arrived clese TO the Collins he found many OF
the passengers aud crew had been obliged to throw
Themselves overheard TO prevent from being sui-
focaied or burned to death. Many were saved by
getting assistance from the shore. One whole
three women by swimming ashore with them cla-ping
his neck.
Some of the passengers were brought up to the
city entirely destitute of clothing, and subscription
was get on foot this forenoon TO aid IN giving them
assistance.
There are other incidents connected with individual
escapes, however, which serve to show that human
nature is not all rascay. There was some rascahty
going on even among the sufferers One Of the miners
who had come down from the Lake Superior country
with SIS in his pocket vas robbed OF il after he had
cot ashore and escaped from the fire.
STATEMENT OF Mr.. A. X. cAlr OF GRAND RAPIDS,
MICHIGAN
We have received from Mr. Cary who was a pas
| ting in the upper forward cabin reading when the
alarm Of fire was given between 10 and IL o'clock.
| Mr. c. was probably the only passenger up and
dressed whe n the fire broke out, and he immediately
psssed down the cabin gangway 10 the main deck
| As he reached that deck lac the smoke IN the
cabin below the main deck but had not reached the
door leading from that cabin to the main deck. MI
C. imme diaiely up through the cabin and up the
arch 10 the upper hurricane deck to pilot house and
! told the wheesman that the boat was on fire and
begged him TO put her ashore. This request was made
three times and the last time Mr. C. begged the wheels
man for ed sake 10 put her ashore and save the hives
~ the Messengers and 10 enforce his request pointed
the wbcelsman to the flames then bursting out around
| The smoke pipes up ON the deck where they were.
The wbeelsna Al made no reply and the boat was not
mt for the shore or if The attempt was made, II was
fffter the engine had been stopped and her Roadway
| about gone. Mr.. c. jumped down upon the lower
hurricane deck and then went down to staanehion TO
The main deck where he found life passenger stool,
and sezipg that he got down over the outside OF the
how as low as be could whore the fire reached nothing
but his lert hand with which he held on.
| Mr.. &. got of his coat and boots and while doing
| 60 number threw themselves overheard, one man
| knocking Mr.. C.s hat of as he went over.
| Mr. G. held on as long as able, and until his hand
was so burned that he forced TO leap, taking MS
stool with him, which sustained him until be was
pck ed up bya boat from shore and plieed upon the
| nroueller Fintry. When Mr. Z. was on the main
deck before he found his STOOL he heard the order
given BY some one port the helm or the wheel and
looking up saw pers 1ns standing IN front OF me
| wheel house, and the smoke completely circlng
q ound the wheel house and be thought the wheels
man ives irving to turn the wheel but from what the
engineer afierward stated the engine at that time
must have been stopped. \ Mrs Morris was picked
up by the same small boat having located Win me-
! preserver put on by her husband. Mr.. NJ was also
saved. The boat picked up that tune three or four
persons Mr.. Cary was in company with Mr. Stone
and Mr.. FAIR OF Brecksville, of this county Ar.
| Stone IL missing but Mr.. FAR was saved hopes
are vet entertained that Mr. Stone mag be at Maiden
as Mr.. c. heard on his way down yesterday that
there some passengers al that point somewhat
burnt. The wreck was burning when Mr.. e came
down the river yesterday morning.
There is something unaccounfeble in the failure OF
the officers 10 discover this fire, for Capt Atwood OF
the Bay State, had conversation with the Captain q
| a steamer who was at Maiden when the Couin'
passed and who cried out to the oiiear OF the Col
iins 10 put the boat ashore she was on FIRE. Mr..
Gerry, on his way down yesterday, had conversation
with the Engineer Of the Collins, and asked him why
The boat not put ashore as soon the alarm was
heard The engineer said there were 50 msny false
alarms about fire that il was not customary, a. II
| would manage the boat.
The only way Of sscertsining who were on board,
was BY The clerk of the Colns after the passengers
got on the Finry-inquiring OF each one what tney
knew Of the passengers. so that the account - TO
the loss Of life is very uncertain The boat started