Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-10-03

The boat left Shcboygana at about . o'clock,
and about two hours afterwards, while four
or five miles off Port Washington, fire was
discovered by passengers in the cabin pro-
cecding from the engine room. The alarm
was instantly given by the passengers, but
such CONSERVATION seized every one that no
efforts seemed to he made to stay the c0ulll-
grafton. In a very few moments the whole
cabin was in flames. Capt. Miller was
asleep at the time in his cabin, having been
up all the night before. lie was Immediate
ly awakened, and rushed out on deck. At
tempts were made to use the hose, but 1T was
found to be useless. Several Of the nosscn
gers, after recovering their presence OF mind
somewhat, began to break down the doors
and other wooden work and throw it over
board. The two boats upon the hurricane
deck were Immediately ordered to be lowered.
but in the excitement and confusion, they
were thrown overheard and Immediately cap
sized, and were rendered useless.
The stern and quarter boats were lowered.
and all capsized but one, into which about
twenty passengers got on and were saved. y
large number of the passengers, paralyzed
with fear ut the first announcement Of the
fire, jumped overheard, and were drowned
instantly. Mothers threw their children
overheard, and then wildly jumped them
selves. Every one seemed perfectly insane
with fear and they threw thcmscl' . over with
out the slightest attempts to save themselves.
Our informant states that he jumped over
board, and swan under the wheel, whore ne
found the captain and five others ]cliuglng to
it. The Trdrclcr was about ten miles dis
tant. and, upon discovery of the fire, immc-
Giately put off to their rescue. She sue
cceded, after much effort, III rcscuing thirty
of the passengers. All the saved gave him
great crodIt for bic noble conduct. Tho
Tyarcicr towed the Niagara some distance,
49,. .. .-. ii .. I,,a.I ., sat..1L. ,4
and So left her.
Capt. Miller stopped at Port Washington
to take care Of those who were saved.
A majority of the passengers were women
and children. The plank life prcseryors were
all thrown overheard, and many were found
|clinging to them. At the time Of the fire
there was a heavy ground swell, but it was
not very rough. The wind blow very cold.
The propeller ILLINOIS picked up Ghnu
thirty passengers and landed them at Port
Washington. Several sail vessels came
promptly to the assistance of the Niagara,
and did good service in saving life. The life
boat from Port Washington was promptly on
hand and rendered timely aid.
The SAVED BY TIE TRAvELrR-lhe follow
ing is Il list Of the passengers who were saved
and brought in by the Traveller, as furnished
to us by c. c.. Wheeler, Esq, Clerk.
PAssENGERs.- Ilaryey Ainsworth, Royalton,
Vt. j. b. Curtis, Steubcn Co., y. y. II.
Lock, Washington Co., Vt. VIM. lloag.
Buffalo, n. Y. John Hill, Collincwood, G..
W.. II. Chalmers and Lady, Hamilton, New
Brunswick Sales Lock, Waterbury, Vt. ;
Lewis Hart, Utica, y. \. j p. Kennedy,
Lawrence Co. n. y. Miss Julia Kennedy,
do G. D.. Westbrook, Green Bay. Wis. Dir.
j. Ii. Allen, Concord, n. II. James Robin
son, Knox Co.. Ill.
CREw.-Capt F. S. Miller, master W.
j. Thoubon, waiter n. McKcnnan. Sd en-
gineer Daniel Osborn, waiter \ Snilcr.
fireman Carny, fireman John Gordon, Go.
Amos Adell, do. Robert Gillespie do. The
mate was saved, but We did not learn his
name.
SAVED by THE ARCTGc.-G. W. Bates. Tx
ford, Chenango Co., y. Y. W. ii. IIami!-
ton, Oxford, Chcnango Co., y. Y. f.. ;. In
sign, Pitchee, Chenango Co.. y. Y. G.. u.
Adams. Pitchee, Chenango Co., y. \. j. G.
Thomas, Cato, Caytga Co., \. Y. Fred.
Driscoll, Fulton, Oswego Co., y. y. Danie'
Lee, Waukesha, Wis. +. L, l~lurlbut, Co.
lumbus, Wis. c. II. Peters, porter. Chica.
20 II. IIeley, Buffalo Ell. Lane, Montreal
NJ Devcncy, Boston j. Miller, Chicago
j.. Collins, Montreal Dennis Lyons, Mon
treal Cornelius Briar, Montreal Pat. O,
Neill, Mary Alallam, Neal O'Ncill, Mary La
yons brother was saved father,
Nih sister lost.
Martin lioughton, wife and two children,
Wcstport, Canada.
Lewis and Francis Willard, Plattsbursh
y. Y.
Four Chalmers children were left at Port
Washington. from New B~ruuswick.
The porter says all the crew were save.
bu. two.
HERoIsu OF A MoTHER.-The greatest hero
ism displayed on the occasion Of which W.
have any knowled &c, was shown by a motho
in her efforts to save the lives OF her Cign
children, the eldest of whom was only four
teen and the youngest one year Old. Sh
was picked up by the Irace'er insansihle, an.
nearly persisted, but was restored by grrl
cxertions. and brought to this city. She di
not know last evening whether or not any u
her children were saved, but heard tina
three were taken ashore in the only boat TIA
pulled of from the burning steamer.
The names of these afflicted parents al
Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chalmers, Of Glou
cester County, Ncw-Bruuswick. They had
by great industry and economy, lliI up
few hundred dollars, and were moving t
Minnesota to buy a small farm, and lJs
everything they had in the world on the boa
but a few shlllings in their pockets. Bu
they say they care nothing for that if the
had their children they could begin life agai
at the bottom Of the ladder with a goo
heart. We sincerely hope that some of thcl
lost ones may be restored to them. Mr.
Chalmers says that when the fire brok on
she was outside the Storage cabin ON til
main deck with her husband and children
She saw the stern boat lowered, and obscrv
ing in it a woman whom she knew, sh
thought if the boat reached the shore, an
she herself did not, that woman would b
like a mother to her children, so she con
menced throwing the smaller children into j
intending to keep the baby by her, bcclus
she could the easier support it in the waite
than the Others. She had thrown two int
the boat when it showed of. She had on
in her hands to throw, but it was too late
throw so large a one to the boat, accOrdiu.
ly she seized the baby, supposing she ll
strength to throw it to the retrcating boa
She had not, however, the baby fell into IL
water q foot from the boat she screamed
the woman in the boat to save il and had ii
satisfaction Of seeing her reach out, grasp !
and draw it into the boat.
She then directed her efforts to the five CHI
dren about her. She pushed the oldest bC
of twelve years into the water, with dire
tions to swim after the small boat and ciir
to it if they would not take him in. -
thinks he did actually reach it, but cIuu
be certain. She then Iut her oldest child.
girl of fourteen in the water, in hopes 81
could cling to something. She has hca.
since arriving here that a girl ofrthat age W
rescued, and thinks may be it was the on
She then had three small children rcm.iniu
Her husband got into the water, and She pm
sed them down 10 him, and ho placed the
on one Of the capsizei boats # batting no,
She then got down by Il rope. ON rclchl'
the water she found the waves had wash
two Of the children of the small boat. s
managed to catch them both with one an