Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-06-26
From the c1ristiaa Repository.
The Burning Of the Pennsylvania.

Among the saved from those on board the
Inflated steamboat Pennsylvania was Mrs. ].
7. Tice of Baltimore, who has furnished a Gin
cinnati paper full account of the sad calamity.
We copy the following passages Of vivid inter
est:
"The books were not saved, but careful es-
innate of the number Of persons on board falls
but little short of four hundred and fifty souls
all that were saved cannot by any possibility
exceed two hundred and fifty. 1t is supposed
that fifty or sixty were lost in the cabin. The
boilers seemed to be heaved upwards and for
ward, parting the cabin at the gangway, and
rendering the upper works of the boat from that
point forward complete wreck Out of twen-
ty-six state-rooms, all full only six or eight per-
sons have survived. Those occupying rooms
aft of the gangway were nearly all saved
When the steam and smoke had cleared up from
the wreck, there indeed was mournful specta-
Gle presented to the vision of the few survivors.
The boilers and smoke stacks were twisted to-
gether like huge serpents, locking in their hot
embrace scores of human beings, dead and dy-
ing. Some were killed Instantly; others were
buried beneath the rubbish, to await the adj
vance of the flames which as yet slumbered in
the hold. Small fires that sprung up on the
forward part of the boat were promptly extin-
an end.
In the meantime the captain, together with
others, had obtained fiatboat at the wood yard
of -, and we're slowly working il toward the
wreck, which they succeeded in reaching after
about an hours hard work. The fat was made
fast to the stern, when nearly all who were left
alive were taken in All the fire in the forward
part of the wreck had been extinguished and
we were congratulating ourselves TO our chan
ces of safety once more, directing our efforts TO
the wounded and dying, when the flames burst
out amidships, preceded only moment by
dense cloud of smoke. Indeed, so sudden and
unexpected was the fire that those aft who had
not reached the fiat succeeded barely in escap-
ing with their lives Next came new danger,
and many who had thought themselves safe
grGsped their lfe-preservers and cast longing,
anxious look at the muddy waters beneath
there were pale faces and nerves unstrung, az
the huge wreck, with its leaping flames, nearly
kept pace with the unwieldly fatboat, for there
were no oars but those belonging to the skiff,
and small pieces of boards, which by some acct
dent passengers had in their hands. TWAS bad
seamanship to go below the wreck, but confu-
sion covers q multitude of blundcrs. At last
the fiat was urged away from the wreck and
once more the saved breathed free.
Some were still on the wreck, crouching and
til at last they seized some plank or drift, and
committed themselves to the waters. The fire
was sudden and unexpected that those on the
bow of the boat had no means of escaping ex-
cept by swimming.
The fat-boat with the wounded, all that could
be reached, and those that were unhurt, was at
last tied up at Ship Island which by the way,
is no island now, as the water covers almost the
entire surface Here we lay until nearly 4
o'clock in the afternoon.
The wreck hoated majestcally down the
stream, until we lost sight of her around. the
point below, going, as we ascertained, some mile
or two down and lodging on sand-bar
This is but a general outline of the disaster
er seen destruction like this, cannot form the
faintest idea of it. One was buried unhurt be-
meath the rubbish screaming and imploring for
mercy and for help-mercy which only God
could grant, and help which no earthly force
could render. Here was one shaking the scald-
ed flesh from his hands and arms, leaving the
white bones dry and naked another striving
in vain to drag huge splinter from his side
another with his limbs caught beneath the heat
ed boilers, screaming in mortal agony; some
with their heads blown off, some with their
bowels protruding others sleeping quietly in
death, without a mark on their persons; one.
lady, blown naked from her berth, scalded and
mangled in most shocking manner
No pen can portray scenes like these--no Ian
guage convey the CHASTITY horrors that hover
around a scene like that.
As to the cause of the explosion none can tell
Some say it was burning coal in unsuitable fur
naces. The CRATES had just been cleaned, and
new and powerful fires were just at their most
intense heat. Some say she was working but
little steam, and that the accumulation of pow