Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-08-15
FHE BURNING OF FHE RACINE.
Fun Particulars of the Loss of the Ra'
eine---TWelVe Lives LOst-.'AFrival Of
the Passengers and Crew at Buffalo


eine---TWelVe Lives LOst-.'AFrival Of
the Passengers and Crew at Buffalo.
The steamer Racine, Captain Arthur, be-
longing to the Western Transportation
Company, and running between Buffalo |
and Chicago, was burned on Wednesday
morning last, about fifteen miles off Point |
au Pelee, and some ten miles from the |
land We eondense ths details of the
burning Of the vessel from the Buffalo
papers.
The fire, the cause Of which has not yet
been ascertained, broke ont about two
o'clock Wednesday morning, near the
boiler, "a few feet from the furnace. Upon
the alarm being given, the passengers and
a part ofthe crew were panic stricken, and,
| upon their own responsibility and while
the Captain was below, endeavOring to
quench the fire, they rushed into and filed
the boat at the stern of the vessel. In the
hurry of lowering it, the ropes were cut
and the boat fell against the wheel and
was swamped, all its occupants being
drowned. Order was soon restored by the
officers, the life-bost and yawls launched
with great difficulty, and the remainder of
the passengers and crew safely placed in
them. Such valuableJ as could be got at
were also taken from the burning vessel,
together with provisions, cempasses, life
planks, &c. About $50 barrels Of -four
and highwines we-e also cast over. All
.l,,.,e, e,-4l-,t l>.',aan- haine ennld- do to
save life and property. The Captain at last
stood alone on the burning deck; thelurid
flames had Yearly enveloped him the jolly
boat was attached to the vessel by single
line-in the midst of smoke, fire and ruin,
he stood and unfurled the Stars and
Stripes, shouted "Freedom forever" then
gliding down the rope and entering the
boat he said: " Wo are aaoat, five perish
wo will go down under the old flag"
The boats lay near the vessel in hopes to
be Seen by some passing steamer. About
four o'clock A. N. they were picked up the
Canadian propeller Avon, Captain Smith,
who towed the burning boat to land, where
she was beached and scuttled. The pas
sengers and crew we're taken to Port Stan
ley, about fifty miles distant, and
have since arrived at Buffalo.
They lost every thing, except what they
had on their persons. The books were also
lost, although they had been carefully put
into bag, and placed in the life-boat; yet
in handing them on board the Avon they
were dropped into the lake and sank.
The following is a list of those lost:
CREW.
John Manahan, I'd mate.
John Leary, Fireman.
Alexander McLane, Watchman.
Patrick Lynch, deck hand, of Canada.
Thomas Weleh, ofNew York.
Peter Mullen, &" of st. Louis.
Michael Powers, of New York.
Edward--, could not get balance of his
PASSENGERS.
Peter Warner, German from Carp river,
Michigan, and three passengers from De-
troit-two of whom were young men, and
another man about 40 years of age.
The officers Of the Racine are said CO have
acted excellently, and Captain smith, of
the Avon, did all in his power for the re-
lief of the shipwreeked passengers and
crew.
The propeller Racine was built in Cleve-
land in the fall Of 1856. It was sold by
Charles Ensign, to the Western Transport
auon Company, aiter having been tnOr-
oughIy reftted the Autumn previous. The
vessel was IN good condition, ana rated Ar
It was insured for S25, 900 in the Columbia
Insurance Company. Tho cargo, which is
said to be a total loss, was as follows: 5,497
bushels corn, consigned to Cyrus Clarke;
"a, ,361 bushels oats, consigned to A. L Grif-
fen; 1000 barrels flour, and over 500 pigs
lead.
The Detroit Tribune says:
The Racine came out in 1857, and on diff
ferent occasions since that period has been
singularly unfortunate. Last fall, it viii
be remembered, she met with collision on
Lake Huron, by which she was sunk of
Forty Mile Point, and in one or two instan-
ces has had explosions of more or less vi
olent character.