The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-07-24
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
BURNING OF THE STEAMER
NORTHERN INDIANA.
Fearful Destruction of Lite.


Northern Indiana, one of the largest and
splsnded boats plying on the lakes, was de-
stroyed on her trip up from Buffalo to Tole-
do, yesterday forenoon. From Mr.. CHARLES
MARSH, her clerk, we learn the following
particulars:
The steamer, which belongs to the South
ern Michigan Railroad, and runs between
Toledo and Buffalo, was about five mile from
Point au Pelee Island and running with Or
dinary speed with about % or 80 pounds OF
steam, at about half.p past eleven O'Clock yes.
terday when she was discovered to be on
fire. Capt. PAEATT was sick, and ashore
on this trip. the steamer being in charge
the first mate, Mr.. w. H. WEsTMoRE. The
clerk, Mr.. MARSH, was collecting tickets in
the cabin OF the passengers. and had got near
the engine when he smeIt the smoke. On
going out upon the deck he saw the smoke
issuing in considerable volume near the
smoke pipes, and saw that the boat was on
fire. He returned to the cabin, announced
it TO the passengers, and told them to get
out the lfe-preservers and save themselves.
The greatest confusion followed this terri |
flying intelligence. There were about ITO
or lis passengers aboard. and from two to
four life preservers in each statc-room.-I
He went Immediately to the office, got his
papers from the safe put the trip-sheet in
his pocket, took life preserver, and went to
the stern. The life boats were let down,
but the passengers jumped into them in
6roves and swamped ths0 Immediately
Many jumped before having blown up the
life preservers. TIE flames, carried by the
wind towards the after cabin, ragged with as
tonishing fury, and drove everybody over
board. He, with several others, dropped
down upon the rudder. He was showed off
| from this into the water, caught stauncheon
which had burnt off and fallen overheard,
and was able to float with ease for an hour.
kfemaIe passenger without life preser-
yer but whose dress enabled her to float, was
also aided by the stauncheon. Several
went down around him whose names were
unknown. The boat burnt with wonderful
rapidity. 1t did not seem twenty minutes
from the time the fire burst out before it was
totally destroyed. The passengers and
crew were all in the water clinging to pie
ces of the wreck, and here and there sink
ing from exhaustion and fright There
was quito sea on, and this rendered the
keeping afloat more difficult. Mr. w. H.
Wcstmore. the mate, was the last man who
! was seen on board. Mr.. MARSH thinks that
nine or ten OF the crew are lost, and that
twenty. five in all must have sunk. The
steamer Mississippi Capt LANGLEY, being
about five miles behind the Indiana, came
up and rescued ninety-nine persons from the
water. The Propeller Republic and TIVE
sail vessels also came up and picked up many
others. On getting on board the Mississip
pi, every attention was bestowed upon the
/ saved, by Capt LANGLEY and the other off
, GERS of that boat the names Of the saved
a we're all taken down, and purse OF seyers
o hundred dollars made up to relieve thu
wants Of those who were poor. The trip
sfeft which the Clerk had put into his pock
ct, was lost in the wuter, and no record o
the persons on board remains. We canno
d therefore, publish list OF the lost passen
r gers. and may never know them. Many o
t them had not yet paid their fare. A meet
ing was held on board the Mississippi by th
surviving passengers, giving statement
d facts and exonerating the officers from an,
s blame. The cause of the fire is unknown
The following list of saved, was made OF
board the Mississippi:
d PASSENGERS SAVED.
J. D. Bedford Janesville, Wis; VIM. II
# Cox, Ogdensburgh; A. Stockbridge, Hart
r ford, CT; Caroline Turner, Rome, Me.
h Philo Durfee, Buffalo, N. Y; Matthew
Brown, Toledo; Bridget Glynn and fou
!. children, Y. Y; Jane Traver and child
d Cleveland, Oswego county, N. Y. John S
: Whitbeck do; Simon Avermire and wife, do
e do Mary E. Cruthcart, Lagrange, Ind.
Ann Ladayard, Geo. Ladayard, Ely Lada
d yard, English emigrants; Elizabeth Krouts
1t st. Paul, Minnesota; E. Giles, Worcester
n Mass; ]. Giles do; Cicero Fowler and wife
(, Tully, Onondaigua Co., N. Y, John NJ
g. Farrer, Manchester. N. FL; Matthew Far
rer, do; Henry D. Lewis, EImira, N. Y.
y Ozro Golf and wife, Erie, Pa; VIM. MIN
J, and wife, Tully. N. Y; Eliza Jane Shoe
e maker, Maumee City, Ohio; Harriet A
Kruys, England, lost husband, father, moth
# er and two. children; Il. Jurst, wife and 81
ID children, Brooklin, N. Y; Mary Ann Das
is san and child Scotland; s. Fl. Curtis, Wa
Of very, Iowa; John w. Hollock, L. L.; Ann
4. Fifer, Buffalo; John Graves and wife, dc
Robert Stalker, do; Betsey C. Hill, Dexte
n Jefferson Co., N. Y; r. Dooly, sister an
le two children, Brooklyn, N. Y; Henry Ack
le ley and wife, Woodstock, New Brunswick
le Matthew Gibson, N. Y; Samuel EmmeI
u son, Buffulo; Clans Haft, Deliva, Ill
w. Porter, Syracuse; J. KeIser, Buff: Je
ST seph R. Fits, Hartford, CT; Chas Godit
81 Buff; Edward Brady, Summersetshire, Eng
g. land; John D. Halsey, Buff; james Ques
NJ Y. City; James NJ. Broadberry, Schenctt
dy, N. Y; Olds, Harland, Niagara, Co
, NJ Y; D. A. Crawfoot, Tully N. Y; W
I' Fl. Thurston, Cal; Joseph Switshell, Ole
s. town, Maine; DR.. s. II. Carey and wifi
ie GreenbuSh, Sheboygan Co., Wis; son los
y c. Goodrich, Syracuse; d. Thompson Dunn
le Elvra; Jas. H. Cole, Little Falls N. Y
. 3eniamine Paine, Ogdensburgh, N. Y; E
T. Skaggs, st. Marys, La; Josiah StoweI
o. Hudson Mich. Matthew Choat, Odial
* Mich; F. w. w. Clary ,Michwaukie, Mich
e F. Riley, Rochester, N. Y; E, Moe, Day
D. ton, Wis.,; J. A. Castle, N. Y; james M
rs Qullton. Salem. Pa; John Crowman, p. N
IL N. Y: EIdridge Blanchard, Augusta, Maine
OF C. H. Warner. Rochester, N. Y; Rev. ]. n
ie Pressly, Lafayette. Ind brother drowned
d. C. T. Dadman, West Needham, Mass; job
70 Ellsworth, Saratoaga Springs; Lewis '
10 Chsrievs, Montreal; Mile Doty, Hartford
If Conn; Lewis Wood st. Louis.
IN A lady from Louisville. KY, with sma
le boy, is supposed to be lost.
y / ~. L. l. IIL lhak