New-York tribune., 1871-07-25
THE BURNING OF A STEAMER on LAKI
NTTCVTGtN
From The cIi-aso Tribune, JaIy2o,


terrible disaster occurred early yesterday
morning on Lake Michigan, % miles west OF ST. Joseph
The steamer Joseph Barber caught fire az midnight
in bed and a fearful panic ensued. The flames oreina
ted the smoke stack and IN very sior1 tlie ,e
and the passengers rushed on deek uteHhg clics o.
and despair The officers OF the vessel 9GteG WIN
admirable cOOness and succeeded in calming TIE excite
ment of OF the passengers ana INDUCING mem 70
assist the in handling the buckets, ana keeping
the flames under number OF persons, now
ever quite lost tnCr presence OF mind under the terri
bic calamity and jumped into the lake, where tey man
ged 10 keep hoa pieces OF timber and cabin doors
Harrie Wachter j. c. Nesbtt, respectively steward
AT III a. ~. Wachter awakened by cry OF fire by
the mate George Germain at his door. He jumped out
whose room was found TO De full of smoke, Ncst being
almost su!ocated. The two rushed forward along the
main deck got pals ~ the kitchen and went below
TO get water a the pump On returning 70 tho cabin
they found full Of smoke and flame, aud were driven
out. Throwing down their pals, they went along the
,y m savint thcir riotbes Tie rooms were lrll of
managed to get coat aud pair ot pants but nag to
throw them away. Just then the cap1aain pa
engine had been stopped and r the m bow g,os 9t had
Wachter and Nesbtt rushed up to the hurricane deck
and with the captain and three or four or the crew. set
flames and smoke burst OH the ROOF OF the CABIN, and
they obliged to run Tor their ives TIC caltGa
eang.piany doors or whatever they could, aud throw
thoui overheard then jump over Themselves The cook
and Of tGe saloon The Captain and clerk each seized
door and Jumped into the lake, I1e clerk aligned ex-
&e5f bfT bfSTHf6 ~ np t. l aim, and the door isdc - -
cellent le-preserver. He was somewhat bruised, and
hurt his thumb quite severely. He had his books in his
hands when he Jumped and they fell on the door and
were saved The captain, upon getting h0ld OF MS door
the wreck Macher TO the bOilerdeck and some Of
the handed him hatch, when he threw into tno
lake and secured after going overheard himself
Every one appeared to be very much frightened
Ncsbitt mad, in the mean ume, been on the upper 0ec
trying get his clothes and when he came down TO the
IoWer deck Wacer about 20 rods from the vessel
Wachtcr called TO him TO JUMP n when ne 1lu, ana
swan To the hatch and the two shared IT, The two pas
songers broke into the captains room ana secured
lounge which they took possession OF IN the wafer
When picked up the lounge was water'olheu ana Ie9uy
10 sink and they about exhausted James Murphy,
a waiter jumped or the stern and managed TO ma u
fender TO which he clung Wachter padded over TO him.
and the fender and hatch were fastened together lhe
Barber drifted away rapidly before the wind ana the
three the raft were soon mar mile usdnt from
her After floating Is 20 minutes more, they saw
propeller about two miles of, coming toward them
Saced the 6O0 0teUon Mt Of 6ooa the propeller which
proved 10 be the Van Raalte yawl was lowered IRON!
Waobter and hls companions were picked up The
second engineer OF the Barber new man, was cool
gained considerable headway walked around the decks
with his yalise in his hand hunting IOr something WIN
which to save his life. He finally secured plank ana
iumped overheard with it, still cnging TO his yalse:
boat approached to take him on board Ae handed
frhe steamer Corona came up Immediately after the
Van Raalte the other side Of the burning vessel anu
small boats which were lowered rom her rescued ~ pei
sons The propeller Skylark, which was Few mics IN
advance OF the Barber seeing the names put DaeA
and came upon the scene but too late to render any AS
sistance All those rescued placed on board the
Corona when the captain counted tlein only Two p per
sons were found 10 be mssingthe watehDan ana deeB-
hand mentioned above. They must have gone down. oe-
the light Of the burning steamer made
in the lake visible FOR great distance ana all enOFss 10
find them unavaing. The Skyark transferred her
load ofIescued people the Corona, and remained IN
the vicinity until daylight Yesterday booking Tor the
missing men, but did net ind them - .u,,,,, ,,o
The fire started in the wooden casing around the
smOke-stack on the boer-deck. The timber was very
dry, and Nesbtt had extinguished fire IN the same
place about three weeks before, While the ves7e was
lying in Benton Habor The weather was quite calm at
the time Of the accident, very fortunate CIR
to the mercy of the A furious gale spraug
up soon after the vessel sank and 1t the opinion OF
every that ii the fire had occurred hour later than
il did all would have perished 1t Is said that thorough
investigation to the OF the disaster will be made
Immediately.