New-York daily tribune., 1861-06-24
DISASTER ON LAKE ERIE.
BURNING OF THE PROPELLER CATARACT
LOSS OF FOCR LIVES
From ne CIereland Piaind.alsr, Jarels.


r. From THs Cleveland PlaindcaLey, yune1s.
capt. John Wake, second mate of the propeller
Cata'ac which was burned off Erie on Sunday after.
noon last, arrived from Es this morning
6y the cabin boy Capt. Wake gives us the folio wing
particulars OF the burning Of tue Cataract:
Iae vessel runs between Cleveland and Dunkirk, On
| the New-York and Erie line. Size lett this port On
Saturday evening last. with large cargo, consisting
in part Of tobacco, bghwines, flour, " heat butter
eggs, &c. The FIRE fret broke out at 81 o'clock on
sanday afternoon, while the propeller was about Ave
miles from lanc, and about two miles below Erie.
The first mate and second engineer were Oh watch
at the tme-the second mate first engineer and cap
tain having turned in. The first intimalion of any DIFF
fculty was slight exploeion, which woke up the hr
engineer, who thought the shaft had broken Tue
flames burst out Immediately after the explosion inst
forward Of the pipe, and the dire alarm OF fire was
raised. Capt McNalley spang out of his BERTH and,
kicking open the door Of the second BERTH cried,
+" Tue boats on FIRE Lower away the boats IL
Mate Wake pulled on his boots and hurried on deck
to assist in lowering the boats. The Gfe-boat was
lowered in safety, but the flames spread with such
rapidity Capt Blake was driven away, unable lower
the other boat lis hands and face were burnt in fhs
attempt, and whiskers and hair singed. Capt Blake
got into the ifebOat and attempted TO keep it away
from the propeller Many Of the hands yer. greatly
excited and jumped recklessy into the boat, which
was quickly filed There nineteen men, all told
on the propeller-no a. sepgers. Twelve OF them eos
into the eboat and the remainder lowered th-m.evea
from the propeller into the lake doors Irl links,
&c. So rapidly did the flames rpread, the secJnd
gineer who rushed deck at the first alsrm,
able to get back 10 the boiler-room to shut off stea
and the propeller while burning was moving east under
full bead Of steam. There was no wind and the lake
was still. Capt. McNaley was the last to desert ths
boat
The fe-boat capsized three times owing to the agi-
tation of some of the deck hauds who were ry an
tic with fear. The first time three of the twelve men
were missed, the second time another man failed -
appear. The third time the boat was rolled over,
Capt. Blake kept IL bottom up and told the men 70
hang on until they were sufficiently composed 70 ht
II ii, A ouudt in fhsiR
vicinity with which the hfe-bost was finally bsiled
out and the eight remaining reached shore 10 tho
boat with safety. TIE schooner st. Paul. Capt. Mo.
sher, was near tie of disaster. Capt. MoSher
got out email boat and picket up Capt. McNay aud
the carpenter A fishing boat picked up the ronain-
ing men. The were in the water about half an
hour. The tug Brooks OF Erie, came out, took Tho
Cataract in tow and towed her to the east END of The
Erie Peninsula, when hole was in her bottom and
she was sunk in twelve feet of water. Yesterday
noon when Capt. Blake was there about 400 barrels
OF -four and hignwiEes have come ashore The captain
and lost everything they had except the clothing
The Glowing wers the men who were lost:
Hugh Fitzpatrick, wheeLnan, single, aged 20 yeary,
residence, Kingston, G. w.
John Horigan, watchman, single, aged % yearN,
residence, Dover, o.
John Posey (colored, deck hand, wife in Columbus.
He had sent for her to come TO Cleveland and meet bin
the next trip
c. H. Gowans (colored, deck hand, res dence, Cleve-
land.
The origin of the fire Is not known. The alcohol
was xix feet from the boiler and separated from byS
bulkhead.
Capt. McNalley is in Erie saving what he of the
cargo small part Of it will be saved ia damaged
condition.
There is coincidence connected with the disaster.
CAPT. Morher, of the St. Paul who picked a, Csps.
McNalley, picked him up on Lake Superior Two yeas
ago, when the propeller Indiana was lost.
Among the men who were lost, Horrigan was the
only one who could swim. He was lost when the lite
hoo 6,ot, cd hQ nr0r AM M
thinks he went under the propeller and struck BY
the wheel which was Ia motion.