Two Hundred Lives Lost

We liuve llic paitiful news ofthedestruclion of the propeller Phoeni.v,togelhcr with upwardt oilwo hundred passenger.?, ofwhieh one hundrcJ and fifi y were Ilollandt-rs, on ïheir way to settle in the west. Th is melancholy news we got f rom the Eiiginecr, who returned to this city on board the propeller Delaware,thisday. Thfi Phocnix wns bound Op, and on Sunday morning last about 4 o'clock, when wiihin 17 miles of Sheboygan, she wns rliscovered to be on fire. Afler íinding it itnpoiaible to exiinguish the fire, and that all who remainnd on board woulc perish in the flnmes, many jumped ovorboardand endeavored to save themselves as best they could. About thirty güt into the small bonts and were picked up by the Delaware, which hove in sight after the PhcEuix was in flaines,but not n time to render assistanee lothose who remained on board, or who vvera unable to get into the small boats. The enginncer furnishes us the name of those known to have been lost, anc who ha recoliects by name: Mr. West and lady, Racine ; Mr. Fink and lady, do. Mrs. Heith nnd sister, Litlle Fort, Mrs. Long and child, do. J. Burroughs, Chicago; D. Büsh, SoLiihport; Misses Ilazleton, Sheboygan; About 30 other Cabin passengers, togeth er with one hundred and fifiy Hollan ders. Of tho office rs nnd crew were lost - D. VV. Kelley, steward. J. C. Smilh, saloon keeper. N. Merrill, 2d mate. . W. Oven, 2d Engir.eer. H. Robinson, lst porter. J. Newgenl, lst Fireman. Deck hands - T. Ilnsley, J: Fertaw, J. Murdock, A. Murdock, George . Cnbin boy - II. Tisdale. Wheelsman- L. Southwick. The names of those saved are - Capt Sweet Clerk, Donihue 3d Engineer, M W House lst Mate, H Watts Wheelsman, A G Kelso Deck hand, J Moon Fireman, Michael O'Brien Porter, R Watts The Phcenix had the largest load of passengers and freight she could carry. The loss of Ufe above is the lnrgct,vc believp, which ever occurred on the lakes, and the property lost is immens?. It is supposed that those 150 Hollanders had cbnsiderahle money with them, as they were seeking a location in the west ; hut how uncertain is üfe ! It is inieed mournful lo record this sad catastrophe. Both of the smnll bonts were launchcd nnd mmediately filled by those who were fot túnate enough to be nearthem. They were eqch capable of holding about twenty-three persons, and were commanded, one by the captain and the other by the mate. The boat of the male had but one oar, which was used for sculling, by which tneans they got out of the danger of the flatnes. Had there been more oars, it would have been impossible, from the crowded state of the boat, to have used thetn to any advantage. As to the crigin of the fire, t was impossible to ascerlain, aseach of the survivors wilh whom we conversed,had different opinions. The most probable conclusión is, that it took from fire near the boilers, as the first that was discovered of it, the flarnes were rushing out of the ventilators, used for carrying offthe hol air, situated direcily over or near the boilers. Wliile the Phoenix was yet n fire she was taken in tow by the Delaware, and when near the harbor of Sheboygan, the bow of the vessel burning, let the anchor drop while they were obliged to cut the chain and she went ashore on the beach. It is thought a large amount of the Sugar, Molasses, and other heavy sluffs that was in the bottom of the hold will be saved. The Phoenix was owned by Messrs. Pease & Allen of Cleveland and we understand was insured for $12,000. A later account says : " the fireman twice called the attention of the 2J tngineer to the fact that the water wns exexhausted, but he refused to cali the lst engineer, who was then asleep. At lnst the fireman went and turned the cocks, but he found that the water would nol run. The boilers had then become so het that it ignated the cakum and began to run along the hold. Thosewho were eye witnesses of this dreadful scène, say ihat language is inadequate to giveeven a poor description of it; all was confusión and tumult the cries and screams of the poor Hollanders, collected together in crowds on the bow of the boat, were enough to make the most resolute heart falter.and Impress on the mindsof those fortúnate enougb to escape, recollections of that awful hour, that timo can never oblitérate. Yüung and old - tbe vigorous and (] - women and eb ildren were all hudled togetlier perfectiy franlic, at tho orrible doom ihat awailed them ; th till smtill hope tlmt the Delaware would rrive n time to render (hen assistanca erved only lo prolong the sufferings of bose wlio clung to the boat to perish by he devouring element. At one time the rigging of the vessel was completcly crowded by ihose who ought re'uge (rom Ihe flornesand smoke; he fiie spreading rapidly,upon reaching the larred ropes that compose the rigging the whole was in one instant a perfect blaze and those who still clungto he ir last hopea, drope j lïke tha sea rei and yellow leaves before the chili blast of winter. Th is was the saddest sight of all , sickening even to contémplate.