The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-07-03
Tho Burning of the Ponnsylvanian.
urRILLINoAocoUNT,

Inflated steamboat Pennsylvania was Mrs.
J, J.. Tioe, Of Baltimore, who has furnished
a Cincinnati paper full account Of the sad
calamity, We copy the following passages
Of vivid interest
"The books were not saved, but a careful
estimate Of the number Of persons on board
ialls but little short Of four hundred and
ffy SOULS all that we're saved cannot by any
possibility exceed two hundred and hhy. II
is supposed that ify or sixty we're lost in the
cabin. The boilers seemed 20 be heaved up
wards and forward, parting the cabin at the
gangway, and rendering the upper works Of
the boat from that point forward a complete
wreck. Out of tweniy-siS state-rooms, all
full only ak or eight persons survived
Those occupying rooms al the gangway
wers nearly all saved. When the steam and
smoke had cleared up from the wreck, there
indeed was mournful spectacle presented TO
the vision Of the few survivors. The boilers
and smoke stacks were twisted together like
huge serponts, locking IN their hot embrace
scores Of human beings, dead and dying
Some we're killed instnntlyi others we're bur
ied.beneaih the rubbish, to await the advance
Of the flames which az yet slumbercd in the
hold Small fires that sprung up on the for
ward part Of the boat we're promptly extin-
gushed and for the time all danger seemed
at an end.
In the meantime, the captain, together
with others, had obtained Hat boat at the
woodward Of -----, and were slowly work
ing il toward the wreck, which they succeed
ed in reaching after about an hours hard
work. The fiat was mrde fast TO the stern,
when nearly all who were l,it alire ~'re Ia
ken in. All the fire in the forward part Of
the wreck had been eIt!nguished, and We
were congratulating ourselves rs TO our
chances ofsaiety once more, directing our ef-
forts TO the wounded and dying, when the
flames burst out Amidshps, preceded only a
moment by dense cloud Of smoke. Indeed,
80 sudden and unexpected was the fire that
those hlt who had not reached the fat sue
eeeded barely in escaping with their lives
Next came a new danger, and many who had
thought themselves safe, graspod their life
preseryers and cast longing, anxious look
ut the muddy WATERS beneath there were
pale faces and nerves unstrung, as the huge
wreck, with its lesping flames, nearly kept
pace with the unwieldly fiat boat, for there
werc no oars but those belonging to he'skiG,
s0d sBla.l g5easS.,ss- hoards. wtsF5- tJ som,
accident passengers had in their hands. 1t
was bad scamanshiP 10 90 teiow The wreck,
bat confusion covers a multitude OF blunders.
At last the Hat was urged away from the
wreck, and once more the saved breaihrd
free.
Some were still on the wreck. erouehing
and trying TO hide from the angry heat, stay
ing until at last they seized some plank or
drin, and committed themselves to the Sa-
,crs. The fire was so sudden and unexpect-
ed that those on the bow Of the boat had no
means of escaping except by swimming.
The fiat boat with the wounded, all that
could be reached, and those that were un-
hurt, was at last tied up at Ship Island,
which, b, the way, is no island now. as the
water covers almost the entire surface. Here
we lay until nearly o'clock in the after
noon.
The wreck honted majesticaly do~ the
stream, until we lost sight Of her around the
point, going, as we uscertained, some mile OF
two down and lodging on a sand-bOr.
| This is but a general outline OF the disas'
ter Of that eventful Sabbath. Those who
! have never seen destruction like THIS, cannot
form the faintest idea of it. One was buried
unhurt beneath the rubbish, screaming and
which only God could grant, and help which
no earthly force could render. Here wH'
one shaking the scalded flesh from his hands
and arms, leaving the white bsnes dry and
naked another striving in vain 10 drag {
huge splinter from his side; another with hi'
limbs caught beneath the heated boilers
screaming in mortal agonyi some with theil
heads blown off; some with their bowels pro
truding others sleeping quietly in death
without mark on their persons; one, la
/ dy, blown naked from her berth, scalded ant
mangled in most shocking manner.
No pen can portray scenes ike ,,sse-nC
language convey the ghustly horrors tha
hover around n scene like that.
As to the cause Of the explosion none car
tell, Some say it was burning coal in insult
able furnaces. The CRATES had just beer
cleaned, and new and powerful fires were jus
at their most intense heat. Some say sh,
was working but little steam, and that the ac
emulation of power overcome the old 6nC
somewhat weakened boilers. Some attrbut,
il to low water. Some, if not ALL Of these
ThfiHgs uTigttTr fTavt 5vvH thu vSurv iss+
in all probability will forever remain u mys
terry More of the deck passengers were kill
ed from the fact that it was a eoui morning
and many were standing and lying near thu
boiler to keep warm. The cause of the sud
den fire amidships was the turpentine stoweC