Burning of the G. B:Grillith—Pullpirtios of
the disaster—Fearful loss of Life.
Wo are indebted to Capt. Norton, gxpress
messenger, for the following extra from the Cleve
land True Democrat.
Monday, June 11th, 1 o'clock P. M.
Death has visited us in fearful form and with ter
rible effect,.
The steamer G. P. Grillith, was Consumed about
daylight this morning, and , we fear some two hun
dred souls perished amid flame and water!
When first the alarm was given, the passengers
were cool and collected. It was thought the boat
could reach the land—:fiir which sho was steering-4
and that thus all would be saved.
But, sadly, the steamer struck •upon a sand bar,
half a mile off shore, and - then, panic reigned. The
, passengers, according to those who were saved, be
came wild with despair, and plunged madly into the
water as if life was safe ther6t Death, alas! came
to them arbid the gurgling sounds of the watery
waste, and by scores they left their home on earth,
for their home, we'hope, in heaven.
Of the cause of the! fire, we know nothing. And
the saved, unfortunately, can explain nothing.—
They were asleep and in bed. All, they know is,
that about three o'clock—or about day-break—the
• alarm of fire was given. The shore was in sight.
Hope said it could be reached, and all were still.—
But when the bar was struck, .tope was converted
into despair, and, wildly, death by fire was shunned
.to meet death amid the , waters. The passengers
plunged into the lake, and'but few were saved.
The number of passengers on board is thus stated:
Steerage, - - - 256
Cabin, 45
Crew, - - - - 25
Total. 1 ..
Mr. R. G. Parks—Postmaster of Rochester, Pa.;
and well known to our citizens, was aboard, and one
of the saved. We give his account as he gaye it to
us:
lie was roused at or near 4A. M. The fire was
then burning,in the rims of the chimneys of the
boat. They were distant frbm land 3 , miles'. The
second mate ordered the boat ashore which was im-
mediately obeyed.
• When within half a mile of shore she grounded.
The flames had not then bust out in the forward
part of the cabin. ' But immediately after the pilot
110080 was enveloped.
The command was then given from one of the
officers to the passengers to save themselves.
Many of them immediately jumped overboard,
when the Captain called to the men below to throw
the wood, which was on fire, overboard.
Men then tat the cabin, and on the lower deck,
jumped overboard in crowds, some twenty at a time.
The Captain remained on the upper deck, near
his state-room, forward of the wheel-hone. After
all the passengers had jumped overboard the Captain
threwahe barber's',wife, his mother•in-law, wife and
child, into the lake', and plunged in himself. He re
mained a moment on the surface, when with his wife
in his arms, they both sank together:
. Not a a female or child—fifteen were counted—
was saved except the barber's wife.
There was, at least, according to Mr. Park's es
timate, two hundred and fifty emigrants! [chiefly
from England and Germany] forty-five or fifty c`abin
passengers, besides the , crew, numbering about
twenty-five.
The number of those saved on the beach, was
scaly forty!
Mr. Parks was on the wheel. ' Ile, could net
'swim. While there, scores floated round him,
shrieking madly, Savo me, l eave tae! Ile could do
nothing. He felt like giving up. But with a few
others he held on, and soon the struggle was over,
and all was quiet save the sound of the waters as
they beat against the charred hull of the steamer.
This was 'the first trip Captain Roby'llad made.
The people on the shore were alive with anxiety,
and did all they could to relieve them.
After daylight, search was made for the bodies.—
Two anil three were taken up.at a time; and they
were laid upon the shore.
It was a sad sight to Witold. Their reguiem, the
moaning of the surf; their death-place, the wild
lake shore. Stranger and relative lay there, young
and old, as quietly and still as - if in their temples
naueht had ever burned save wh,aemight be incense
in heaven!
No books were saved. A list, therefore, of the
names of passenger's cannot ,be given. These we
• must catch up as we can. The accident has boon
attended with a fearful loss of life—as fearful as any
we have had—and every means should be taken—
not only to pay every respect t. the dead—but to as
certain the cause of the disaster and the names of
of those who have perished.
The steambnit Troy, which arrived this morning
furnishes the following additional particulars:
LOST. —Capt, Roby, wife and daughter.
Michael Juno, 33 engineer.
Mr. Mann, wheelsmau.
I)any, Ist porter.
Tillutn and Paulding., saloon keepers.
• Wife and child of Wm. Tinkcom.
C. Leonard, porter.
D. Weber, waiter.
Mrs. Wilkinson, and daughters of J. Champion.
In all about 250 lost-s-150 of whom were lying
upon the bewail near the scene of the disaster when
the Troy left.
Known to bo saved about 40, among whom are
Mr. Stebbins, the Ist engineer—the clerk, Wm.
Tinkum, and Franklin Ileith.
The Troy has
-0 dead bodies on board, the wife
and 4 children of Franklin lleith. The other 4 bodies
are those of the crew. • -
The flags of the shipping in this port were at half
mast yesterday afternoon as a token of ts,rrow at
this disaster.
The boat was insured in this city for $27,775, as'
fellows:
In the Astor Co., New York, $6,000; North Wes
tern, $6,000; Buffalo Mutual, $6,000; Buffalo Mer
chants! Mutual, $5,000; Lexington, $2,500; Co
lumbia, $2,275.
The destruction of the steamer Griffith was atten
ded with a more awful destruction of life than any
accident ever . yet occurred on our - lakes. The cir
cumstances too, under which so many have been lost
are strange and unaccountable. Happening at a
very early hour in the morning, yetquite light, whet
all was calm, the waters smooth and the vessel but
fy short distance from shore, it can hardly be suppos
ed possible that two hundred and sixty or three hun
dred individuals should have met a watery grave
within the space of twenty minter. Yet such seems
to have been the case. The moment the alarm was
given, a panic must have seized all on board, even
the Captain.
Ti L asta who were saved, state that it became ne
cessary, to escape from being burned, to leave the
boat, within some eight oliqutes after the first alarm
wao given; that fifteen to twenty females were seen
to Plunge at the same moment into the water, and
seizing hold of each other, struggled a moment and
suri# to rise no more, The men werero no less panic
stripkbn, for they jumped into the,water, regardless
\of in hazard, in such numbers that they went to the
bottom in compact masses.
Mr. Hell!: states he reached shore after great effort
that evrey struggle he made, blood Would gosh from
hie nostrils. He wo entirely exhausted and had to
remaiu some half hour before ho could return to the
wreckito seek for his wife and lour children; whom
he had one by one helped into the water rather than
see them perish by fire.
Ho got a boat and assistance, and returned.—
When he approached the wreck, so clear and placid
was the water, that hi could see the bodies on the
bottom as distinctly as upon its surface. He could
distinguish his wife hy her dress, and his children
also, and had no difficulty in rescuing the bodies at
once of his whole family. lie took them ashore and
Lad them put on beard the Troy and brought to this
city.
The hull of the boat laid in seven feet of water, and
around the wreck could bo seen at the bettem, lying
In groups, numbers of bodies clinchedrwith a fast
hold upon each other.
We had intended to give a list of German passen
gers on, board, but, it islso imperfect as to be of little
service, the agent of the boat here taking only the
heads of families. As most, if not all,. the bodies
will be recovered, it,is supposed that a
,list of the
passengers may yet be made out.
The steamer Empire; ou her way down, last even
ing, pulsed a scow, on its way to Cleveland,. with
D tare lumber of bodies taken from the water, most
of whom were - cabin passengers.—Buffa lo Re
blie, .
44JRNNY Tonaccowis,tho lutes ng ,
tiun in Virginia. Jug tliiuk of Jenny chcwillg!
Light and Heat from Water.
The discovery of Mr. Pstnn,, the produCtion of
Light. and Heat by decompsing. Water ) is. either
the greatest achievement of Science• or the most
stupenduous humbug of the age._ The value of the
discovery is soon to be tested, by 'experiments on a
grand scale, and the public will await 'further de
velopements with the greatest interest. The N. Y.
'Tribune of Thursday has the following on the sub
ject:
We yesterday conversed with an intelligent gen
tleman who had visited Worcester for the express
purpose of examining into the alleged discovery, and
who assured us that after using every means to de
' test imposition he had become satisfied that there
was none whatever. Ile himself produced hydrogen
in liberal quantities, from a jar of water which he
placed upon d.table, entirely isolated from every other
source from. which gas could ba derived;
,he even
went so far as to detach the machine from the clock
work, by which it is usually put in motion and turn
ed it with his own hands: lie came away convinced
of the genniness of the discovery, and only uncer
tain as to whether it could be applied on a sufficien
tly large scale to perform the entire lighting and
besting of a great city like New Yurk or Lon
don.
But the opinion of an individual can have little
effect in settling the public mind as to whether Mr.
Payne has produced the mightest discovery yet made
or only a grand and ingenious humbug. That ques
tion cannot be answered by abstract reasoning or
general assertions on either aide, but only by a con
clusive experiment on such a scale and in such a
manner as to silence every doubt. Such en experi
ment we are happy to say is now on foot. Arrange
ments ore now in progress for lighting the Astor
House by this process, and it is expected that the
trial will be made within a month, as soon indeed, as
the machine can be prepared for the purpose. That
establishment is now lighted by gas made by its pro
prietors on the premises,rand has no connestion with
any gas company whatever. The pipes and bur
ners now used are perfectly adapted to burn Mr.
Paine's carbonated hydrogen; all that will be nec
emery, will be to attach them to the new one.—
The experiment will be,tried under the eye of the
proprietor and :other gentlemen,, rind collusion or
trick will be impossible. Every means will be taken
to ensure a fair trial, all the parties being as desirous
of success as Mr. Paine or, his friends can be. If it
succeeds, the thing will be established. If it fails,
that will be the end of the affair.
EMI
This experiment is to be made to satisfy a - riamber
of highly respectable and responsible parties who
propose to buy into the patent right in ease of suc
cess. The conditions are that Mr. Paine shall
bring'a machine of his construction to New York
and produce at a nominal expense, say five cents per
thousand cubit feet, gas enmgli to light the Astor
House for six successive nights. Before he commen
ces, the parties in question are to deposits one bud
tired thousand dollars with some person acceptable to
'the proprietor—John C. Pedrick, Esq.', of Boston,
who has aided Mr. Paine in carrying on his experi
ments fur the past twoyears—to be paid over to Mr.
.I'. as soon as the trial is declared succesful. This
,is by way of bons or guarantee, in case there should
be a failure to pay over to him the sum of Ono Mil
lion, which is to render those parties pin proprietors
of the invention. The value of the patent for the
United States (the city of Worcester excepted,
which is reserved for Mrs. Paine) is fixed at ten
millions of dollars, and a iiint stock Company is to
be formed to manage it. In this Company Mr. Ped
rick Ls to hold from one-third to one-halt the stock;
on the remaining part which he sells the million
handed over immediately on the success of the ex
periment is to be considered an installment, and the
balance is to be made up by sales of rights. Thus
the parties buying in will receive no dividends until
Mr. Pedrick shall have been fully paid.
Such is the arrangement, agreed upon between
Mr. Pedrick and these gentlemen. lithe trial here
should prove successful, it will no doubt be carried
into circa; if not, the New York speculators will
loose nothing, and.the invention will be heard of no
more at present. We devoutly hope for a Success
ful result though we shall not be very keenly disap
pointed by a failure.
A WORD TO THBL 4 DODINBIT MODE OF MAKING
BRBAD.-Our readers may, remember the notice we
gave of the bread making machine of Dr. Lewis, ex
hibited at the late fair of the Mechanics' Institute.—
Having been favored by the Doctor with a recipe, we
(that is, wife, self, and a couple of, friends in a fam
ily councils) concluded to try the experiment of bread
making on the new plan. The first two attemps
wero failures; but the third was crowned with tri
umphant success, and since then we have heal bread
not to be equaled by the bakers—light, moist, sweet,
free from the mixture of sour and bitter usually found
in freinented bread. Here is the recipe for a good
sized loaf, large enough to fill a common bread-pan:
Take three pounds of il mr; mix with it three tea
spoonsful of soda, passing the whole through a sieve,
in order that the soda may be well mixed with the
flour; to one quart of water and a table spoonful of
muriatie acid in the liquid Ulm; pour the mixture
into the flour, and mix the - whole justenough to get
the ingredients farely incorporated together. Wet
. the hand in cold water and mould into shape, clap
it at once into the oven and during the cooking of
any meal, with five minutes' labor, you can have ex
celent bread. The soda and acids constitute the
elements of common "salt. dad they not only raise
the bread by combination, but salt it in the bargain.
Try the experiment, ladies.—Chicago Tribune.
MEXICO HA'S risco= ova PHNSION6II.—When our
country agreed to pay Mexicosl2,ooo,ooo at the con
clusion of peace, for the cession of California, tut ~it
was supposed, says the MilWatikie Wisconsin, that
the money would be of service, in carrying on her
government: but few imagined that they would lean
on it as their only resource: yet at the recent session
of the Mexican Congress, they paseed laws "to ap
propriate each month from the U.S. indemnify, an a
mount sufficient to complete the sum of $540,000, to
defray the monthly expenses of the Federal Govern
ment, to which sum they have been reduced by law.
Of the $3,500,000 due for May, about $2,800,000
have been already disposed of in various ways, so that
only 700,000 is rendered available by the govern
ment." It will become a question whether any stable
government can be maintained in Mexico after the
whole indemnity is spent, land they are compelled
to resort to additional taxation.
Pnoormas OF REFORM IN TURKF.Y.-A letter from
Beywort, dated April 15, gives the following grati
fying account of the progress of reform in Turkey:
"One of the most important events in the history
of this country has jut Oaten place, by the issue of
a firman, which, by US
i iltura consequences ) will se
cure the comfort and in, ependence of its people, and
',be hailed as a blessing liy the (country at large.—
The firman entitles the 'present occupants of land to
become proprietors, subjects only'to a thithe or tenth
of taxes, and not liable to any other but the ordinary
and moderate tax called the Tirdi and capitation
tax. It was by a master stroke of policy, similar to
I ,Lis now adopted, that Baldwin tha First proved the
bencfada,:r of Palestine, and saved Jerusalem from
the ruin wilier' at that time threatened its impover
ished people. A firman of a similar einracter, in its
general application, is in .p:ngress of•preparation.—
Another important measure utter; contemplation is
the building of bridges, quays, public institutions,
Ez.c., and the better conduct labor; the results are
certain, and were the Turkish authorities not ham•
pared and intimidated by officious officials, matters
would be far better, and Turkey and her people
would be more atiease, more quiet and peaceable, and
she would long since have improved her position as
a nation. Religion is now fully tolerated through
out Syria, and, happily, neither missionaries nor peo
ple can complain of persecution."
RomANTic MARRIAGE..--There arrived lately at
Brownsville, Texas, a man named William New
hall, and a lady named Miss Caroline Hawks,—
They had come from the city of Zacatecas, in Mex
ico, several hundred miles distant and the object of
their journey was marriage. They were Eng Hell by
birth, and Protestants. Mexican laws would not al
low them to be married by Protestant rite, and they
would not consent to a marriage by a Catholic priest.
So they set out on thqir pilgrimage of love, which
terminated intheir marriage on the 6th inst., by the
Presbyterian clergyman of Brownsville.
CLAY' PUT IJICDRA Tne DAPIrOr OHIO W11109.-C.-
cording to the Journal, Judge, Johnson, the whig
candidate for Governor. made a market house speeceb
in Cincinnati, in which . he - catne down on Clay, and
gave in his adhesion to General Taylor. We be
lieve the same man once on a time went over to
John Tyler and got an office. Pie-haps he is looking
to oIJ Zack for b like favor,—Columbus Slatrsinan.
The Disoovery of Humboldt Harbor.
Cotrespondeuee of the Tribune
SAN FRANCISCO, Monday, 59th April, 1850.
Honaen Ganttnne, Esq. 7 —Dear Sir: When I
last wrote to you I had seen nothing of California
but the sterile-looking hills which surrounded this
Bay; but since that time I have visited the Valley
of the Sacramento as far up as the Yuba River, and
the American Fork as far up as Mormon Island.—
The country through these. regions does not appear
to be well suited for agriculture, and notwithstand
ing the luxuriant appearance of the hills at a dis
tance, when closely examined the grass is to sparse
upon them that one is really surprised that so many
cattle should be able to exist on such pasturlage.—
The trees also have an aged look, and nothing in the
shape of twig or sapling shows itself to replace them.
I have, however, recently made a voyage alung
the coast from this place to Cape St. George, on an
exploring expedition in search of the outlet of Trin
ity Riverdand the result of my observations of the
topography of the country has given me ii mote cor
rect estimate of the value of California than I could
possibly- have acquired without this opportunity to
observe the richness of its soil, bdautiful streams,
immense growth of timber and delightful climate.—
Since I know that the country is so well adapted to
.agriculture' and the gold. mines, continue to yield so
abundantly, I shall not hesitate to advise my friends,
who are competent to endure reasonable hardships
and aro not profitably occupied at home, to come to
California with a full confidence that with energy
and intstry they will succeed in the course of time
in obtaining a competency, if not wealth.
I inclose herewith a sketch of a Bay and Harbor
which I had the good fortune todiscover and the first
to enter with a vessel. I have named it Humboldt
Harbor. -
But what will perhaps most surprise you is, that
although it is only some twenty days since a small
party:from my vessel was landed there, it is even
now a place of some considerable commercial impor
tance, as three vessels in this harbor are loading
with merchandise and passengers for that point. I
believe, that the ease with which the rich Diggings
on the Trinity can be reached from its head waters,
in addition to its agricultural andsother advantages,
will give it a permanent value.
Yours, Eze.: DOpGLASS OTTINGIM,
In the San Francisco Journal of Commerce Extra,
we find a map of Humbult Harbor, which, it appears
is very similar in form to that of San Diego, the
enterance being of a narrow channel, about half a
mile in width, insinde of which the harbor expands
to the length of 15 miles. It lies in Lat. 40 48 N.
which is a little to the north of Capo Mendocino,
and about 20 hours form San Francisco by steamer.
We copy the following descripton of the harbor
from the report of Messers. Lansing and Kellogg,
who accompanied,Capt. Ottinger on his cruise of ex
ploration in the schooner Laura Virginia:
This harbor combines, in an eminent degree, all
the essentials of a Commercial Port, with capacity
and depth of water to admit vessels drawing at least
twenty feet, and has,room to anchor two hundred
sail in perfeckaafety. The entire bay is about eigh
teen miles long, and from ono to five miles wide.—
The soundings, in fathoms, as given on the sketch
above, can be relied on, as they were taken at low
water mark by Captain Otting er in person. The
lands on the shores of this b ay - are so admirably
adapted for cultivation that 'it must become ono of
the richest and best agricultural districts on the
shores of the Pacific, and its extensive and Magni
ficent forests will supply all California with timber
for ages to come. Here, also, is found pure clay,
fit for all the various purposes to which this article
is applied. In addition to this, grime of all kinds is
abundant, as well as shell and other fish. But ono
of the features of this localiuty, moat important to
the present inhabitants of California, is, that the
rich mines on the Trinity are only from thirty-five
to forty miles - from the head waters of the bay.—
This information was given to our party by a person
who had traveled the country, and appeared to be
fsmiliar with the country, and the route, as well as
intelligent on that subject; and also by a party of
miners arriving on the Bth inst., directly from the
mines. •
According to the mop, the soundings of the en
trance are 4 fathoms, at low water. Entering the
harbor, the water deepens to 6,7, 8 and 10 fathoms,
gradually diminishing to 4 fathoms at the point op
posite the entrance, which has been selected as the
site of a town. The harbor which extends inland
toward the north, for 10 miles, cdntaining an island
named Indian Island, has the average depth of 3 lath
-01119.
A Bad Wife and a Heart-broken Husband.
A very respectable looking man who, from his
manners and conversation, had soon better days, was
picked up a few 'evenings since very much over
come by liquor. On being brought before the mag
istrate in the morning, he narrated a most melanchol
ly and heart rending chapter of his history, as crow
ded with stirring events as the most exciting 'novel
of the day. Ills friends and family belong in Hart
ford. He emigrated from there to Buffalo nearly
live years ago, and -enterted into business. lie
was prosperous and he married a beautiful woman,
who became the mother of a beautiful boy to bless
him with its inrocent endearments. He was hap
py and while prosperity was smiling on him, he re
ceived intelligence from Hartford that his mother
was dying, and to hasten there if he desired to see
her, hurried away, desiring an intimate friend to see
that his wife should want for nothing in his absen
ce. His mother lingered for weeks in a dying state.
The morning after the remains had been deposited
under the green sod of the grave-yard, he received a
letter from a friend at Buffalo. informing him that
his wife had eloped and left his hearth 'desolate.—
He returned to Buffalo heart-broken, and found his
infant boy in charge of a neighboring family. Dis
couraged and disheartened he sought relief in the
bottle, and soon found himself a miserable drunken
loafer. He left the Queen city last fall, hearing that
his wife and paramour were in Troy and made his
way to the latter city, where he arrived in a state
of complete destitution, He must either bog or steal
he could not starve to death. He was too proud to
Solicit bread to eat, so he was forced to steal. He
was caught in the act and sent to the Albany Peni
tentiary. A month or two since his term of impris
onthent expired, and he was again thrown npon the
world without money and without friends. He
found himself a few evenings after in the lower part
of the city, and on entering a house of prostitution,
the first object that met his gaze was his wife sitting
upon the lap of a disgusting ruffian, and resigning
her tender cheek, which he had not antlered "the
winds of heaven to visit tooroughly," to his disgus-
Aing caresses. He rushed from the house in a state
of phrenzy, mad with rage, and calling down the
vengeance of heaven on the head of the wretch who
had seduced his wife and blasted his peace and hap
piness on earth. In this condition he was picked
up by the watch. We are glad to hear that ho has
been kindly cared`for, and is to be sent home . to
Hartford.—.4lb. linickerboder.
TIM LATE Mn. Mairrir.—The Mobile Herald and
Tribune says, Mr. Meth died at the residence, of
Maj. Chamberlain at Toulminville. SoOn after the
nttack, Dr. Gaines was called in and found the 'pa
tient suffering from excrutiating pain in the pit of
the stomach. Medicine was speedily administered
and a favorable change occurred within a few min
,:tes. Afterward calomel was given with the hap
piest efr,.et, the cold and clammy state of the extrem
ities and surface Diving place to a gentle, warm and
healthy glow. Binh physician and patient thought
'the danger passed. But suddenly the pain return
ed and shifting to the region of the tiPllll f soon pro
duced death.
Elsner Ltrit.—Professor Agassiz says, more than
a lifetime , would be necessary to enumerate the vari
ous species of insects and decrihe their apperance.
Meiger, a German, collected and described 000 spe
cies oldies, which ho collected in a distance of ten
miles circumference. There haveleen collected in
Europe 27,000 species of insects preying on wheat.
In Berlin, two professors are engaged in collecting,
observing and describing insects and their habits,
and already they have published five large volumes
upon the insects which attack forest trees.
ESTENSION OF NAVIOATION.—It appears from a
letter published in the St. Louis Republican, from
Minnesota, that a small steamer, called the gov ern .
or Ramsey, has been placed on the Mississippi,
above "the falls ofSt.Anthony, designed to ply as high
up as the Sac Rapids, some hundred miles above.
She draws eighteen inches water, and consumes
only five cords of wood per day. The introduction
of steam in that region must efect much tower&
developing the resources of the country.
brie Mflllll o,sttlitr.
WM. T. MORISON, of, Montgomery.
01 Our corrosmdont "Cr," Now York, con loud by
Express. ,
We acknowledo the receipt from our friend, D. A.
Crain, No. Cheapsido, of several specimens of the
different kinds of Sugar and Coffee in his establishment.
Of course wo do not intend to "puff" "Barney," not a
bit of iti—but then we do say his coffee is as good and
his sugar as sweet, and we doubt not •as cheap„as any
in town; and as ho is vary accommodating and pleasant
to customers, ho deserves, what we doubt not he willob
lain, a goodly.portion of the public patronage.
The prospects of a connection with New York and
Buffalo early next spring are extremely flattering. We
think both are beyOud any contingencies. Tho Fredonia
Censor, says "the work on the Now York and Erie Rail
road is progressing rapidly. Tho contractora for the first
twenty-four miles have from seventy-five ttiono hundred
men to the mile at work, which is sufficient, we are in
formed, to complete the whole contract in six months.—
They are-now at work on the heaviest portions of the
road, and will bet ready to coinmenco laying the rails on
this end of the line next month. The route for tho first
twenty-four miles is quite favorable, and laborers are had
in abundance at seven shillings per day. The country
through which it passes is healthy, and provisions cheap,
which makes it an object for the laborers to secure work
on the line. Tho same circumstances will.be favorable
to the construction of the Buffalo and State Lino Road,
on which they will soon be at work.". In another arti
cle, in referring to the Buffalo road, the Censor says:—
"That roadrcill be built, and within two wooks the work
men will bo engaged in its construction. The enter
prise has tho approbation of the people on the lino who
will give it all the aid in their power."
U. S. R. Marine.
Burning of the Griffith—R. G. Parks' Statement
In another column will be found as full an account of
this appalling disaster as wo have boon able to obtain.—
Taking all tho circumstances into consideration—the
time, place, state of the weather, the number of small
boats on board, and the opportunity afforded, from the
moment the fire wtut found to bo beyond control to the
limo she grounded on the bar and tho passengers forced
to choose between a death by fire or water, to procure
material to float upon—it may justly be looked upon as
the most heartrren ding and destructive steamboat disaster
that over happened upon the western waters. The des
truction of the Erie, by Ere, some years since, was a
most appalling disaster. but this is mere destructive still.
The Erie caught in the night, the lake was rough, and
this air, for the season, unusually chilly; the passengers
were forced, from the rapidity of flames fanned by a stiff
breeze and fed by the newly painted upper-works, to
leave her and seek safety or a grave in the water two
or three miles from land; and yet out of a less number
of passengers more wore saved than from the ill-fated
Gniverru, which grounded within a half-mile of shore,
when the lake was perfectly calm, and before the flames
bad burst from the forward cabin. It would bit useless,
and perhaps unjust both to the living and the dead, to
attempt to fasten blame upon any one for this unparal
leled destruction of life when so much material to facili
tate escape was it the corntnand of the craw and pas
senors, but the whole circumstances of the disaster can
not but strike every ono as evincing an unaccountable
lack of forethought, or a want of a proper realisation of
their danger, on the pert of all concerned. From the
statement of Mr. R. G. Parkes, proprietor of the Erio
and Pittsburgh Packet Lino, who was on board and a
mong the saved, we aro inclined to look upon the latter ea
the moat probable cause. Ile says after it was discov
ered that tho fire could not got under, tho boat was
headed diagonally for filet), the officers all the time
assuring the passengerst he would got within:a very
short distance of shore before she would ground. This
was fetal; for while this angling course caused her to
reach, and finally ground, upon the only baron that shore,
much farther out thini had been anticipated, the assur
ance of ultimate deliverance prevented nearly all prepa
ration for a struggle with tho waters. The bar upon
whictealte struck is formed by a creek, and a few rods be
low. it is said, the boat could have approached within a
short distance of the land—near enough, at least, to have
enabled most, Knot all, to have reached it In safety. It
does not appear. according to 'Mr. P's. staternont, that
the least drat was made, previous to her striking the
bar, by either passengers or crew to procure means to
enable them to reach the shore. She had' Eve small
boats—not ono of them was lowered. There were cab
in doors enough to have enabled fifty or a hundred to
have escaped, and time enough to have wrenched them
oil; not one was touched. Hardly a chair, not a settee,
nor a table, and but one or two plank, and but a few
sticks of wood were thrown over. Mr. Parks states that
there was no confusion, no panic among the passengers
until she struck. They appeared to be all cool and col
lected,—the ladies all dressed, and the gentlemen with
their valuables secured upon their 0011101111.—waitlog as
calm as the circumstances would admit for her to reach
the nearest point to the shore, and thou take to the water.
But when she grpunded so much farther out than they
had anticipated, and the most unfortunate info rmation
communicated to them by one of the officers that every
one then must look out for himself, the appalling nature
of their situation appeared to rush upon their minds like
a flash of electricity, and nearly the whole mass took the
fatal plunge at once. This accounts for the awful des
truction of life. A good swimmer stood no more chance
than one that Could not swim at all, for ho would be
sure to bo fastened upon and dragged to the bottom by
others. Mr. Parks states he could not swim, and did
not jump from the hurricane deck like most of the cabin
peesougers.kut , weited until almost every body else was
in the water. He then Came down the stairs near the
gang-way. and at the foot-found some wood on fire—he
throw over some of it. together with his valise, and then
let himself down into the water, and after some strug
gling managed to buoy -himself above water with the
help of tho Wood ho had thrown over. Near him was
the second mate upon a fender, which Mr. P. also seized.
I lie asked the mate if ho could swim. He replied that
he could not. Under such circumstances he concluded
his safest plan was to look out for some other means of
support. and he accordingly made for tint wheel, which
h e uteee i,;;Pd in reaching, and drew himself into it.—
While here ho diecoveree. a women etrugglingin the wa
ter near him, and when she came in reach. he seized
her and helped her into the wheel also. This teas the
wife of the head-waiter. They both remained in the
wheel until taken off by the scow from shore.
Wo have received two numbers of this truly excellent,
and exceedingly cheap monthly Review. It is publsbed
by Messrs. Huntington & Savage, ono of the oldest and
most enterprising publishing house■ in Now York. The
maiml department is under the Editorial management
of Mr. I. B. Woodbury. a gentlemen of fine musical
taste, and the Literary supervision is entrusted to the care
of 0. C. Gardiner; formerly of the Hemocratic Review.
The price is so extremely low that it Is placed within tile
reach of all. and we hope to see it obtain, as it deserves.
an extensive circulation. Terms al cts. A specimen
maber can be seen at this office.
ERIE. PA
SATURDAY MORNING. JUNE 253. 1850.
DiXOCItATIO NOMINATIONS.
CANAL COMMISSIONER.
AUDITOR GENERAL,
EPHRAIM BANKS, of Mifflin.
SURVEYOR GENERAL,
J. I'. BRAWLEY, of Ciawford.
Acknowledgment
Railroad Prospects.
"The American Musical Review."
"Stand by the President."
There is a farce just now enacting by our whig rulers
at Washington, says the Buffalo Courier, or rather one 'I
that was commenced In Philadelphia by them, 'and has I
now progressed to some of its most ridiculoui passages
or denouments. The jugglers of the whig party—the
seekers after the spoils of office—the man of no motives
or incentives but those of ezpediency—selected a condi- I
date for the Presidency, not for his fitness for tho place,
nor because he had the requisite qualifications—for
they know he had not—but simply because ho was the
man that stood the best chance for success. It was, so far
as policy was concerned, (saying nothing about honesty.)
a shlowd party menceuvre and aeuccessful one. Their
candidate told them in the houesty and simplicity of his
heart, that he was not qualified; repeatedly told them so.
He told them, on ono occasion, as wo all remember, that
ho had not taken interest enough in public affAre to have
ever cast a vote in his life; that for forty years he had
been so engrossed in his profession, that he had not in
formed himself upon questions of national policy.
And now, with such man in the Executive Chair, they
would have it understood that ho is directing public af
fairs! :noir totter-writers, their newspapers, talk grave
ly of his opinions, of his docisous upon matters which, to
consider at ill, would require information, knowledge of
public affairs, experience, which ho has said he had not,
and which all sensible men know ho has not. No man
that ever conversed with Gen. Taylor ono hour, if he is
honest, will say that he is capable of discoursing intelli
gently upon any Intricate question of public policy. Why
should he bet Knowledge, such as a statesman should
possess, does not come upon a mart suddenly. intuitively
—there is no seventh son business about it—it is only the
herd earned fruit of study, such us Gen. Taylor's mind
was never adapted to. Beyond the details of his profes
sion, his mind through life, has boon engrossed in that
which calls for the exorcise only of the smallest attributes
of humanity—the faculty of acquiring, of money getting.
Au inordinate desire of gain absorbs all higher and bet
ter aspirations. Hence his honest' onfession, when po
litical demagogues proposed to call him from tho camp
and invest him with the Presidency. What a farce, what
a mockery; what an insult to public intelligence, is the
pretence that we have any thing more than a nominal
President!
This farce has boon a harmless ono so far as the mere
details of government were concerned. It is only in a
moral view, that the oxamplo is a poruicions one, of for
cing a weak man into tiro Presidency; making him giro
pledges and afterwards violating thorn; prostituting the
high place to the use of political gamblers. But in the
aspect of things at Washington just now we can wall see
that far greater evils aro coming from it. In his reliance
upon irresponsible advisers, in their endeavors •to make .
him shuffle of a dangerous question of sectional agitation
by a miserable expedient, he is standing iu the way of re
storing peace and harmony to this glorious Union of
States. Tho demagogues in whose keeping ho is, by far
a too bold and dangers a hand with him. When strong
men, eminent statesmen, in their desire to restore peace
and harmon, to allay sectional agitation. have noby
stepped forward and aro laboring like intellectual giants,
forgetting self, in their desire to heal the wounds that
agitators are.inflicting; those who have the control of Gen.
Taylor, like birds of ill-omen in a tempest, are crying
out—" Stand by the President!" This is a mere clum
sy expedient that they have devised and put into hia
hands; a thing that accomplishes nothing, settles no thing;
will neither be acceptable to the North-nor the South.—
A thing that is worse than nothing, for it shuffles off the
vexed questions and postpones the evil day, as it were
to give time for agitators of both sections to strengthen
their heuds,and consummate their mischief. It is a "plan"
with which neither the North nor the South should ito
satisfied. It has just enough vitality it, is just enough
artfully contrived, to prolong mischief; no tenough to pre
vent it; just enough to thwart the noble efforts to com
promise the vexed questions, for which it would seem
especially designed. Fortunately there is little probabil
ity that his "plan" will receive any considerable support,
in either house of Congress. No other plan, it is pretty
evident, can succeed except the Compromise. and that
measure may yet be carried through successfully, should
Ibe the wish of every well-wisher to the perpetuity
of the Republic.
"Judge Thompson and the Iron Interest." '
Upon the return of Judge Thompson to Washington,
from a visit to his family in this city, tho "Union" news
paper, in announcing such return, said: **We are in
formed that Mr. Thompson gives a flattering report of
the comprotniso spirit that now actuates tho popular
mind of the democracy of tho Keystone State. The
tariff question has blown away. We will carry the State
tho ensuing fall by from fifteen to twenty thousand ma
jority." This has called out a letter from the Judge de
nying that "the Tariff question has blown away," and
asserting "that in regard to ono great interest much
depression is experienced at this time," with much more
of the same sort. This is eagerly seized upon by the
Gazette as evidence in favor of its protective dogmas,
and the question triumphantly propounded. "What says
the Observer to this?" Well, **the Observer says to
this" that it may be Judge Thompson's opinion, but it is
not the Observer's. He has the right to his opinion, and
we have the same right to ours. But then, soya the Gazette,
you differ with him! Certainly we do, and have a right
to—at least as much right as tho Ga:etle has to
with Henry Clay, the man that made the Whig party.
A Case of Conscience.
Tho Butlet Herald relates a case of extraordinary con
science, which has produced unusual and strange excite
ment in that quiet toWn. Rev. Loyal Young, on the
29th ultimo, received tho following letter,: post-marked
Cincinnati. May 25, containing $240.
"I am told you are an honing man. This money be
longs to the county of Butler. Pay it to the county Tress.
tarp $240."
There is no signature to tho letter, and conjecture is
quite active in trying to solve this mysterious affair.
Our Answer.
The Gazette. last week, asked us tho'questian: "Why
was the 'extra pay' bill passed by the 'Democratic',
House without a call for the yeas and hays?" To this
profound inquiry we made no reply because we deemed it
quite irrelevant, and superfluous. But the Editor of the
Gazette presists, in his fondness for small things, kit we
shall answer it, and calls upon us to "walk up to the
rack, fodder or no foddor." Well, here goes "after the
fashion of a plain and honest-hearted native born citizen
of rofinsylvania." "Our answer is, we nicer inquired,
and consequently don't know." Vide, Gazette of the 13th.
(Cr Wo call attontion to the letter to tho New York
Tribune, from Capt. °clanger, of this city, now intedi
fornia, to be found in another column. The discovery
claimed by Capt. 0„ if it proves to be all that ho seems
to anticipate, will be the most importakt yet brotight to
light upon that coast, and cannot fail to redound not on
ly to his fame as a navigator, but to his pecuniary ad
vancement. '
OE7 The two whig paper. in Crawford have been con.
solodatech Mr. Hayes. of tho Journal, having purchased
the Gazene establishment, and united them under the
name of the "Meadrillo Gazette and "{Mfg Jourhal."—
Although
,politically an antogonist of Mr. Hayes. wo
have always esteemed him a more estimable personal
friend; and trust his pecuniary resources will be eminently
enhanced by the change.
In We goo that our old friend, Dr. A. T. WALLING,
has assumed the Editorial chair of tho Coshocton (Ohio)
Democrat. Of COMO the Democrat is bound, under his
auspices, to physic and blister the whole Gielphin fait.' so
long as thorn is a drop of Federal blood in their veins.
A GOOD OBE.—The Louisville Democrat says that tho
Whip have kept one promise—they promised to lessen
"executive Influence." and they hays dope it:
True. but it is because they cap not help themselves,
and it therefore should not he piaci:dam tho credit,side
of the people's lodger.
A?
rr The term of Daniel Sturgeon, U. S. Senator, ex:
pima on the 4th March next. Tha name of Mr. Buchanan
having been mentioned by some of the papers as a person
to fill the vacancy. the Pounaylvitnian states that Mr. B.
is not a candidate Cog the station.
Mutual Banking.—Something New.
It has been said by some grave philosopher that "there
is nothing new under the inn," but we apprehend the
period when this sage piece of wisdom was given to a
gaping world was not blessed, or,lif l the reader pleases,
cursed with the inventive, ever searching, foyer citified
spirit which appears to animate the whole race of Yan
keedom. Ali experience novas beyond controversy that
"every day brings 'remit!' rig new" in science, polities,
and religion. In a word tl is is a "fast age." We have
"fast" horses, and "fast" men—"fast" children, and
"fastern•boys—"fast" ate , mboats, "fast" riiiiroads, and
"faster" telegraphs. Mu e is\ a pretty "fast" man,
but Paine bids fair to be a faste/„" for while the one has_
only curbed the lightning • , d harnessed it down to min- -
ister to our artificial wants, the other is about to put us in
a way of actually cooking ,or pork and! cabbage by fuel
otained from tho same pu p that furnished the liquid to
boil them in: This achiev • ant we should say, were we
to give an opinion, sould be looked upon as "some pump.
Moe" in the field of acient fic discovery,—aufficient, at
least, to send the diseovere 's name down to the remotest
generations in a blaze of lis own" creation! We said
Morse had proved himse a "fast" man by his tele
graph, and Paine teas abo t to show himself a "faster"
by his "light and heat" f sin water, but the "[utast"
man is yet to come forth and hero he is! Let us intro-
duce you, reader. He is Banker; not a Safety Fund
Banker, nor a "national r gulator," nor a manufacturer
of Ohio Red-Backs. nor y • t the disembodied spirit orate
"Michigan wild-cat" .yet
while they prqjuiscd, a' le
amount of specie, and am
lie confulonee," our "fas
immortality and eschews
Whether he is a Scotchm
or a Frenchman, with a h
pined point. His birth
immaterial—it is with his
tom, which is called ".N
deal. The first grand pri i
oy - theory of Gray, the
Frenchman, (for they bo.
oily) is "the abolition o
Banking systems based I I
"wild cat system" all hal
somewhat of an improve!
"Regulator." But what
havol;we think.wo hear t
will enlighten you. Abi
then give us, they contin
try alone." And the nol
kind c of "currency" is Te l
legislature," they say, I
'get a Banking House an d
'house. The farmer wit
"which We will deposit 1. 1
'paper reptoseuting tho 1
'preciate, because based • pen real wealth—not upon cred
'it or reputation, as the .aper which now floats. The
'shoemaker deposits sho.s, the hatter deposits bats, and
'each receives notes ,re .reseuting their respective pro
'ducts. So of all other branches. There can be no
'fluctuations, because as the products go out the money
'goes in." The whole .poration, you see reader, is jolt
as easy as "rolling off a log," if not more so. If a man
builds a steamboat, or a steam ong,;ne, or a
meeting house, all he h to do to obtain his "currency
based upon industry alone," is to "toat" them off to the
"Banking [louse," and tumble them into the "bin," and
March up to the counter and demand his "stamped paper
representing" the said steamboat, eaw-will, engine or
meeting house! Admirable - Wm it 7 Beats "free bank
ing," and all other kind of Banking, because it is so
simple and convenient. What a glorious system it would
be for the farmers, date present prospect of a scarcity of
hay the coming winter should bo realized. All they
would have to do, to dispose of their surplus stock, and
obtain "these notes" that "cantiot depreciate," wouldbe
to drive up their flocks, like Noah did into the Ark, to the
"Banking House," and the "currency" would be forth
with theirs. Whether the cows and asses lived or died in
the big "bin" of the "Mutual Bank," it would certainly be
no business of the farmer—ho has his "stamped paper
representing" thorn, and as ' these notes cannot depre
ciate," why he is safe as a "thief is a mill," whether the
things they represent starve, to death or not. And then
what a glorious invention it would be for us, poor prin
ters. We should have no more delinpent subscribers;
indeed we could get rich in a "jiff)" without tiny sub
scribers at all. We would deposit our papers in the""bin"
of the Bank, and draw out our notes; and then the more
papers we deposited, the more of the "notes" we would
get, and thus by being pretty "industriolis" for a few
' mouths, we think we might retire and set up for a gen
tleman of leisure! Our mind is made up, we go for this
system "every time," and one over!
An Unr,slignt Remark.
Mr. Wm. Lloyd Garrison, in a “Woman's Rights"
meeting in Boston, the other day, after remarking that
he wished that ho could see one ball of the members of
Congress. and one half of the members of our Legisla
ture, women, said the men behaved and talked ten
times more decently before women, and so he had no
doubt women did before men. The naughty, naughty
man, to insinuate that the ladies, bless their dear smile,
talk and act different before the men front what they.do
behind their backs. •
"Oh, the Iron Interest is Ruined."
Tho Safe Herber Iron Works, located on 'the 'ones
toga, Lancaster county, Pa., are making railroad iron,
at the. rate of 140 rails per day, or 150 tons per week, or
7,800 tone per annum. 'Three steam engines, of the
respective capacities of 45, 100, and 125 horse power are
employed In the rolling mill and bloat• lunacy. The
number of operative, employed is about five hundred.—
The cash expenses per diem exceed one thOnearkd dol
len.
A Whig's Opinion of the thilphin Swindle.
Some of the Whig' letter writers from Wuhington,
unlike such writers es the Editor of the Gazelle, are too
independent to cloak up tho Galphin swindle, perpetra
ted b 3 the cabinet of the "Second Washington." One
of these, writing to the Washington (Pa.) Common•
wealth. says:
"I must say what I think in regard to this affair.
Whether Democrat or Whig be concerned, this whole
Galphin claim is a mass of cheating and corruption, by
which a quarter million dollars have been filched from
the public treasury, one half of which has gone into the
private pocket of the Secretary of War—aet one cent
was over due from the United States. and not one cent
was ever authorized to be paid by law."
In the Field,
The Bayou Sara . (La.) Journal—the Editor of which
has his place of business in a house surrounded for mites
by the waters of the Mississippi. and who visits his friends
and neighbors in a canoe.hartmn up its flag for
already. It bears the names of Lewis Cass for Presi•
dent, and Daniel B. Dickinsone for Vice President.
A Goo. Hit.
A witty correspondent of the Richmond inquirer, in•
forms tho editor that be has a claim for furnishing mate
rial to build Noah's ark, and says that he intenlis to em
ploy Secretary Crawford to present the claim to Jr. Mer
edith, and get it allowed on the Galpinic principle; and
will only ask theintorest without principle, in considers•
lion of its being a rather antiquated debt.
07 The Bradford Reporter, the organ of Mr. Wassor„
raises tho names of the candidates recently nominated at
Williamsport, it the Democratic State Convention, and
cordially commends them to "the support of every Demo
crat," Considering that the Convention roailirrnod the
Baltimore platform, and that the Reporter is a Free Soil
Democratic paper—its present course is a fair and manly
tribute to the decision of an overwhelming majority of the
Democratic party of Pennsylvania.
rr The Democrats of lowa, 112 the Congressional dis
trict now represented by Ur. Tilowpsoir. have nominated
as their candela MR:III.IRT Hess. Esq.. Durex's !Berne
weeeefore the Convention. but withdraw before a vote
was bed. The nomination of Sir. Ihns we:unanimous.
It elected we hope he won't prove himself a-.regisler
"biddy"' and eevateli uportl s i'ffoo•diti" platform.
m. iie biota thorn all, foi
I t, to Bank upon reasonable
treasonable surp us of "pub
lest" wan takes a abort cot to
the "specie basis' altogether!
n, from the land of 'o cakes,
ad full of revoluti.ns, is a dis
lace and name, however, are
project, or rather his new sys-
I utual 'Banking." we have to
Iciplo of this new paper mon
cotchinan, or Prondhon, the
`h claim the honor of its pater
all metalic currencies, and of
pon metals." This beats the
ow, and that, we all know, was
. ant on Nick Biddle's famous
sort of a currency would they
in render ask. Listen, and we
fish all =talc currency and
e, "a currency based on indite
itus operandi for obtaining this
• simple and easy. "Let the
give us a charter and wo will
~ in connexion, a larga•wars-
I come to us with his wheat,
a bin, and • give him stamped
heat. These notes cannot de-