The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-08-29
BURNING OF THE STEAMER
TRAVELLER.
A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE
DIS FER
The Steamer a wreck and the Cargo a
Total Loss.

Although the steamer Traveller, of the
Lake Superior Line, was burned on the 18th
inst, the full particulars of the disaster
have but just come to hand. Mr.. John
johnson, Clerk of the Iron City, furnishes
the following reliable account of the affair
to the Detroit Free Press:
The i'll fsted stesmer Traveller ar
rived at Shspley & Co.'S dock at
Eagle Harbor about IL o'clock, and shortly
afterWard she was discovered to be on hre.
1t was soon ascertained that the nre had
originated in the fore hold, and IS it spread
with fearful rspidity the CONSERVATION
among those on board may well be lmag-
med. An attempt 10 suodue the flames
succeeded but momentarily, and soon the
flames licked their way up to the upper
deck with the rspidity of lightning, and
being famed by q gale of wind from the
west, the whole upper works of the boat
wereenyelOped in flames. The 1amesspresd
in q vast sheet enveloping everything
within reach, and leaving but momentsry
work, as it were, to save whatever was
within reach. The workmen set TO work
with a will after the remainder of the pas
sen1ers had been sent ashore, to secure the
baggage and other articles, and in this they
were almost completely successful, very
| little of account remaining on board when
the flames drove them from the burning
boat. In the hustle and confusion, the
hose which had been got out to drown tho
Ere became obstructed through the freight
having been thrown upon it, and was
rendered comparatively useless. Some OF
the officers and men were engaged below
the forward hatch removing freight, con
sisting mostly of hay, at the time, and the
fire, catching hold of this, soon filed the
boat with a dense sitting smoke, which
accelerated the destruction by driving the
men from their posts. Hardly ten minutes
elapsed before it was found that in order To
save the dock, and perhaps the village, shC
must be cut adrift, and abandoned to bel
fate. Captain Stewart, who, from the time
it was evident that to saw the boat wal
next to impossible, made q bold attempt Il
scuttle her, but the effort was ~unavsiliDg
Others attempted the same thing, but Wer'
driven from their purpose by the heat anC
smoke.
Nothing whatever was got out of the hold
and the bulk of the freight, which was 70
parties in Eagle River aud vicinity, wa
abandoned to the flames. The clerk, Mr.
johnson, managed to save all the book
and papers belonging to the boat, entire
though not without an effort. The expires
books and packages were also saved, an
many articles in the cabin-those NOR
, easily hsndisd-Were thrown upon tn
7 dock, before she was cut adrift.
The officers and crew may be said to hsv
1 lost everything of personal effects, their ef
forts being entirely directed towards ssVin
the passengers baggage and other freight
Some of them returned with only the cloth
ing they had on their backs at the time
+ As soon as the upper decks were in flame
a the pitch and tar between the planks bega
4 to melt, and dropping below added me-
fuel to the flames, and all hopes of saviD
, the boat vanished.
o The strong breeze which was BLOWN
from the shore drove the burning wrec
. across the harbor toward the beach oppI
, site, where she burned to the waters edg
, and sank headforemost. Her bows are no
g lying in twenty six feet of water, while Il
stern is submerged only six feet. III
damage to her machinery has not been e
timated, but it must be material. Capital
q Stewart displayed great coolness an
q energy while the work Of devastation vi
q going on, but all his efforts and direction
o could not avert the catastrophe.
. The following card was issued by the pa
> sengers, whose names we omit, immedist
ly after the disaster:
IT, To-. H.,uap 1