New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-03-02
Loss OF THE ERIE
Further Particulars of the Disaster-Re-
turn OF the Grew.

Il
turn OF the Crew.
We copy the following from the New
York Times Of Saturday:
The steamship Ontario arrived q. this
port yesterday. bringing the passengers.
officers and crew o.: the lost steamer Enc.
OF the same Inc. which. az Will be remem-
bertd, WAS burned IF! ,he South American
coast on the night of January J. The &C
count vi the disaster furnished by the OIL
GERS confirmed III eye!N respect the reports
already published in 'I.e Tin..s, adding also
new and Interesting details. The Erie left
Rio jane!rO OF her return voyage a, She
usual time. with -s.,.r.. bags ut coffee, The
largest cargo -; that stapl. ever taken ont
II q single vessel. Shr reached pernambucO
III tue :ime. and sailed thence at four o'clock
on the Afternoon. o: January :. with fifteen
passengers snG . crew q: eighty. including
the officers. During :hat afternoon
land was KEEP. IL sigh. while
steaInir. ror;EwerI a'opg Tie coast.
Shortly after ten O'Clock one Of
The crew observed smoke ISSUING
from -be midship section oi Che vessel. and
Immediately notified The chief engineer,
who, on examination. found the hold On fire
az tnat point. The fire apparatus was at
once 20: ready, and :ne crew brought, into
service. with the exception Of a few, who
were GtLalLCt 10 dSSlSs tHt sEiti OIllctT. VIZ.
Russell, in getting the boats ready 20 be
lowered. The passengers. some of whom
had retired, were alarmed. and gave their
assistance: but as 1t was thought likely that
the fire would he subdued. no one thought
"f saving their effects. On the staTb0arc
side the smoke was coming ont in volumes
forward Of the galley and flames could be
seen through the ventilatOrs of the origi-
nal deck house. Four streams of water
were directed to the fire. tn: without sue
cess, for at 1880 p. NJ. flames burst out
from the ice-house and on both sides Of the
vessel and the order 20 lower away the
boats was at once given. The burning ship
was now driving toward the land. and when
within twelve miles from the beach. at
midnight. her engines were stopped and all
OIL board got INFO eight boats and laid by
TIL daylight, v hen, after seeing the hut
sink, they succeeded in etfecting landing
OF beach near Simbahos q small fishing
settlement. Here the shipw1ecked band
were Hospitality entertained by a Portu-
guese gentleman who was on a visit 10 the
settlement. and IN the afternoon they walk.
ed overland TO Parahiba, seven miles dis
tant, where they were taken II charge by
the American consul. On the fourth :he
Coastlng steamer carried :hem 20 Pernan.
buco. where q large building which tad
been erected as marine hospital was placed
at their disposal. The second mate and two
OF the crew left on the ninth. on the bark
Polly Lewis. fos New York. and the rest
were brought on by the Ontario, and landed
safely in this city last night. The personal
losses of the passengers and crew have been
heavy. all tina. was saved being few
clothes and other articles. which were hast.
ly got together just before leaving the YES.
sci. The officers are unable TO explain the
cause of the fire. az there was nothing par.
ticuiarlv combustib.e N the cargo. An in.
veF:igation will shortly be heid by the GOV
eminent inspectors.