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| SS Griffith on fire. |
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| SS Griffith. |
Cortland County Express, Thursday, July 4, 1850.
THE BURNING OF THE GRIFFITH.
(From the Cleveland True Democrat.)
WILLOUGHBY, O., June 22.
EDITORS, TRUE DEMOCRAT: Happening to be at Willoughby a day or two, I was prompted by a natural curiosity to visit the scene of one of the most dreadful calamities that ever occurred upon our waters. After wending our way some three miles through the woods, we emerged upon an open bank overlooking the lake; and the first sight that greeted our eyes was the pipes and wheels of a steamboat almost wholly out of water. Such an object was nothing very strange to look upon; but oh! what a tale it told of human beings "in the twinkling of an eye" launched into eternity—of friends severed forever from friends—of home made desolate, of wailing unutterable, of hopes blasted, of prospects ruined, of earthly happiness fled—and might we not add, of heavenly blessings lost. It tells, also, how inscrutable are the ways of that Providence which safely led across the ocean those of other climes; and when thousands of miles distant from the homes they had left and almost in sight of their future home, they were called to a land they knew not of.
Upon the bank overlooking the place of the disaster are deposited in large trenches some 150 bodies roughly boxed up, and to which number are being added a few every day. May the "Judge of all the earth" have mercy upon their souls, and grant consolation to the many afflicted who still live to bewail the loved ones so suddenly snatched away.
There were six bodies lying upon the beach while I was there and a more horrid sight I never witnessed. Along the shore were strewn fragments of the wreck, and among other things the mast to which was attached the clapper, but the bell itself was gone—an emblem of the soul and body; the former still remains, while the latter is forever gone.
This has been a strange and sad week to the people of Willoughby, and much praise is justly due for their unceasing efforts in behalf of the living and the dead.
Now how came this most deplorable accident to happen? Was it the result of unavoidable chance, or through the want of due care? The latter seems to me the most reasonable solution of the matter. In the first place, was this lost not racing? A certain expression by Capt. Roby to a passenger on the St. Louis, I think it was, "We will show you hell," which I fear has proved true. If the Griffith was racing, the excessive heat produced might easily account for the disaster. If there was an efficient watch, why was not the fire detected sooner? How could they think of running 20 miles to Cleveland with the boat all on fire? Why were the little boats not lowered ere the fire reached them? Because the engineer says they thought they would have been swamped which, on such smooth water, appears ridiculous. Why were the gangway planks, doors, settees, and such things not made ready, and the passengers told to use them? Questions like these naturally suggest themselves and till satisfactorily answered, naturally lead us to believe that all was not done that might have been done, to stay so great a destruction of human life.
It has been said, and many believe it, that the Griffith was being driven with unusual speed, and that the officers had been drinking the night before, more freely than usual, having had a sort of a "spree" in honor of their new owner and captain. We hear not that the captain or other officers gave any orders whatever, except telling the pilot to "run ashore," and the passengers to ''save themselves as well as they could." If these men had awakened with the fumes of liquor still upon them, we wonder not at that thoughtlessness which could permit passengers to sleep in their berths until the flames enveloped them, or permit those to leap into the water without one word of advice as to the means of saving themselves.
If these things be true they ought to be known, and the voices of the numerous dead cry out against these things being passed by unheeded and imply that those implicated shall be tried, and if guilty, be made to suffer the penalty of the law. Too long have we slept while the lives of our fellow citizens have been taken from them by the most criminal carelessness and negligence.
R.
THE GRIFFITH.
We learn by the Cleveland Plaindealer of Monday, that 213 bodies had been found. Persons have been detected in the attempt to rob the bodies, and there is no doubt that a great deal of property has been feloniously appropriated.
From the 19 bodies found in Cuyahoga county more money was recovered than from the 200 found near the wreck. A man was caught in the streets of Cleveland on Monday and taken to jail a raving maniac. He had lost his wife and six children on the Griffith, which calamity had entirely destroyed his reason. How he got ashore, and where he had been wandering, no one knew. One little German boy was saved who lost father, mother, three brothers and four sisters.
FIGHT BETWEEN MORMONS AND INDIANS.
A letter from an authentic source at Salt Lake City communicates information, that during the last winter a battle took place between the Mormons and Indians, in which the latter lost forty of their number. This decided victory had an excellent effect upon the Indians who have since remained very quietly disposed.— St. Louis Republican, June 17.
EDITORIALS.
The Griffith.
Our curiosity has been on the stretch, ever since the terrible disaster occurred on lake Erie, to divine the cause of the fire; why the small boats were not lowered ere the fire reached them; why settees, gangway planks, and other things were not thrown overboard, and passengers enabled to escape thereby. At last we are put in possession of the cause of this terrific destruction of life; it was, that the officers of the boat had been drinking to excess! The captain and his men had been on a "spree," the night before, and had driven the boat with unusual speed, producing excessive heat. But this whole matter is ably set forth in the daily True Democrat of Cleveland. We have copied the article at length, and believe it will be generally read. How terrible are rum's doings!
◘ The article on our first side, headed, " The Preacher," needs to be accompanied by the cut which preceded it in the Chief, from which paper it was taken, in order to be fully appreciated. In that sheet the rum-seller is represented as standing behind his bar, as in his pulpit, surrounded with bottles, and holding one by the neck with which to make the appropriate gestures. This is decidedly the richest "fuzzytint" that Brown has yet executed. We doubt whether he can excel it.
◘ To CORRESPONDENTS.—"Kate'' is entitled to our thanks for those beautiful lines on our first page. We are sorry for having made one error in them; this however, is typographical, and does not impair the sense. By the way, we can have no excuse for not printing her communications accurately, for they are carefully, aye, beautifully written. Mr. Fellows' favor shall appear next week, simultaneously with Mr. Hills.
◘ We have had a succession of most delightful and refreshing showers. Corn in this section is doing finely; grass promises well; and we are very much mistaken if the season will not prove highly productive.
MEETING AT THE BAR.
At the opening of the Cortland County Circuit Court, on the morning of Thursday, the 13th of June A. D. 1850, Horatio Ballard, Esq., in a few appropriate, impressive remarks, announced the death of Joseph DePuy Freer, formerly and till his death a member of the bar of the County, concluding with a recommendation that there be a meeting of the members of the bar at the Court House that day at 12 o'clock M., for the purpose of paying a proper tribute to the deceased.
In pursuance of this recommendation a meeting was held at the specified time and place at which Hon. Henry Stephens was called to the Chair, and Lewis Kingsley was appointed Secretary.
The object of this meeting having been appropriately stated by Horatio Ballard Esq., on his motion a committee of three were appointed by the Chair to prepare and report proper resolutions for the consideration of the meeting, which committed consisted of Horatio Ballard, Robert O. Reynolds, and R. H. Duell, Esqrs.
The committee having retired, returned and then its Chairman reported the following resolutions, viz:
Resolved, That we have received with deep regret, information of the death of Joseph DePuy Freer, Esq., for several years a member of the Bar of the County of Cortland.
Resolved, That the amiable deportment, known firmness of character, unblemished integrity and the legal attainments of the deceased, had justly acquired for him the regard and respect of the Community, and more especially of the profession who were most intimately associated with him and insure that his name and character will long be remembered and respected.
Resolved, That as a mark of our respect for the memory of the deceased, we will wear the usual badge of mourning for thirty days.
Resolved, That we sympathize with the relatives of the deceased in the loss which they have sustained, and that a copy of these resolutions be communicated to them.
Resolved, That the resolutions be signed by the Chairman and Secretary and published in the newspapers of Cortland County.
Robert O. Reynolds, Esq., moved the following additional resolution, which with those reported by the Committee, were unanimously adopted.
Resolved, That the members of the bar of the County will meet to-morrow at one o'clock P. M., at the Eagle Tavern, and thence proceed as a body to the residence of the deceased for the purpose of attending the funeral, and that the members of the bar of other Counties in attendance at court be respectfully invited to join with us on that occasion. The meeting then adjourned.
HENRY STEPHENS, Chairman.
LEWIS KINGSLEY, Secretary.
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