Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-10-08
4 COSTRAST ST.

The one or two slight inaccuracies in the
following description of the burning of the
Phoenix, many years since on Lake Cham
plain, recalled by the New York Independent,
do not destroy the general truthiulness of the
picture OF the fUrcc Of the contrast, and its
lesson.
When Capt. Sherman's boat was burned
many years since on lake CHAM plain, the
way to prevent steamboat disasters, or at
least to relieve them of their most frightful
feature of headlong and promiscuous sacrifice
of life, was taught with an emphasis which
at the time needed no understanding; and it
may he profitable now to recall it.
In the midst of the furious camor and rush
sweeping over the boat the instant the scream
of Fire was heard, and threatening de
structon to every one on board, there was
one man who was not frightened, and who
would be obeyed and that was the captain.
With pistol in hand and finger on trigger,
menacing IA death more speedy than by either
fire or flood to the first man, woman or child,
officer, passenger, sailor or fireman, who
stepped towards the boats without permission
with tones and an aspect which showed
that the menace meant all it said, and that
the bullet would infallibly be IN the brain Of
the first who disobeyed, before he had taken
two steps toward the gangway-Sherman or
ganized order from the widest confusion, ar
| rested at step the riotous rush, and turned
| it to intelligent systematic activity, first to
overcome the flames, and then to escape from
| them, and saved with ease every soul on
| board not excepting even fireman who
| had answered him insolently, and whom he
| knocked into senselessness with the breech of
| his pistol. The boats were put in charge of
| the officers, were carefully and quietly filled
with women and children, and SO were sent
one by one from the side. When they had
| all gone, scttees, benches, mattresses, &c.
were thrown overheard, and the passengers
| and then the crew, allowed to spring after
them. The captain was the last man on the
flaming deck, and went from it as coolly a:
if he had been stepping down to breakfast.
And as the result of his courage and calm
ness, foresight and determination, he had tbs
happiness of knowing that not a soul or
board was lost in conseq of the burning
that that most frightful of all caamities which
can happen to steam boat had been so front.
ed and turned back by him that it had not
snatched single victim from among the ter
rified scores and hundreds under his charge.
This is the story, as it lives in tradition, anc
as it was told us not long since by one who
had been himself an eyewitness,
How astonishing the contrast presented il
the case of the Inflated Austria who's,
horrible destruction with such enormous sac
rifce of life, has just appalled, and oppressed
all hearts
An iron steamship, divided below int
several compartments by iron partitions, pro
vided with ample extinguishing apparatus
and with engines to work it, takes fire at two
O'Clock in the afternoon, from the upsettinI
of tar-bucket ; and is instantly in the dires
confusion and uproar. From the moment o
the alarm all order is sunk in perfect wei
tering chaos of fright, and the blindest anar
chy. Tn captain PUSHES up excaiming W,
are lost :" and shortly after, while trying t,
loosen and lower boat, is tumbled into tn,
sea and seen no more. The officers who wer,
left do not seem to have tried to do anything
whatever for either ship or passengers, bu
only to save their own precious persons
Boats, as they are successfully lowered, ar,
swamped, or crushed by the blades of tn,
screw The only choice left even to tn,
most fortunate among the passengers, is thu
dismal choice between burning and drowning
and to many of them even this is not permit
ted, but they are suffocated in the cabins, Of
roasted in the smoking-room. The helm il
left with no one to guide it, Not the slightes
effort to check the flames is made by anybody
except by one unaided passenger. And tn,
issue of the less than three hours that follow
before a friendly bark comes near them, il
the death of more than Five Hundred persons
out of the whole company of less than 81,
Hundred, and the serious burning of some o
those who are saved
Can any thing be more amazing than this
when all the circumstances are taken int,