The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1824-05-21
AWFUL OCCURRENCES

most painful feelings of distress that il
'aiis upon us TO notice the heart rending
particulars OF the explosion on board the
steamboat Btna, captain Robinson, on
her passage from Washington, N. Jersey,
| to this city.
About half past 2 O'Clock, on Sa,ur-
Gay evening, near Robins Reef. mile
thIs size of the Kills, the centre boiler of
the Etna exploded, spreading instan, de,
stroctlon among the passengers, MACH.
merry. &c. and filling the minds OF the
survivors with INDISPENSABLE misery, and
which none can find words to give any
correct idea of the horror of the drca,,
fuI scene.
There were on board at this time, the
passengers in the Citizens Coach line
from Philadelphia, and others taken on
board at Elizabethtown Point, making in
all, Including the Etna's crew, about so
souls. As lar as we have been able to
ascertain their fate, the following is be.
lieyed to be correct.
Lost IN the cabin by the explosion,
the wife OF MIR. Job Furman, he, sis.
ter, daughter of Mr.. " alters Fur.
man, and Mre. Meserole, daughter Of
Mr.. Job Furman, all of one family, who
| had been to Elizabethtown to attend the
funeral OF near relative. A young lad
bout 13years of age, belonging to the same
family, was, at the time of the explosion.
sleeping on the covering Of the boiler,
was thrown into the air, and fell into the
vacuum caused BY the removal of the
machinery, and received no injury
A female chile about four years of ape.
asleep in the after cabin, supposed to be
Mrs Dougherty's, and Miss Bates of this
city also persisted.
Three personsjumped out of the for.
ward cabin windows, two of whom were
drowned,viz. one gentleman with green
spec,acles, supposed to be foreigner,
and who had been reading music a few
minutes before the accident and the
other, Victor Grasse, the bar keeper.
| Mr.. Charles Hollingshead, of Prince.
ton. New Jersey, who was in the forward
cabin, jumped overheard through win
dow, vas saved by seizing bench tina;
was thrown over, and afterwards picked
up by the Etna's beat
After the boat had been towed up, the
body of a stout man was found covered
was marked 81. p.
| The following persons were sent "a
the hospital, two Of whom are since dead
i John Winter and John Gillons, of Phi
f, ladelphia {; Alexander Cromwell, of ia.
maica; Nancy Deugheriy, of Auburn
Iitty Taylor, of NJ York JOS ph Ste.
vens, of Ireland Michael Eckfelt of Phi.
ladelphia Thomas Brady or Braden, o.
! Wilmington, Del and Mrs. Ann Tho
, mas. of Philadelphia. all but two of whom
belonged to the boat.
Il III is believed that FIVE others will no,
survive but that Mr.. Bradun and Mr.
) Eckfelt, stated TO have been drowned
viii recover.
Mr.. John Pearce and MIR. Rivers, both
OF Philadelphia. escaped without injury
being on deck near the bow.
! Jonathan Case, of Schenectady Be.
ncdict Arnold, of Amsterdam, N. York
Mr.. Heacock and lady, are also among
those saved
When this awful catastrophe took place
the steamboat United States was abom,
five miles astera, and coming up with the
f Etna, took her in tow, and left her in
Whitehall slip. Captain Robinson, who
was not much injured, did all that II was
possible for man to do, TO save those un.
injured, and to afford assistance 10 the
wounded. His conduct is spoken of in
the highest terms Of praise. The Eina
was under an easier pressure of steam
than usual, making as we are informed,
but IS strokes minute, while 20 is her
usual gage.
The Htna has been running for seye-
1 raj years past on the Delaware, and was
brought round here few weeks since
on account Of her being we'll sdapied
to the narrow passage from the Raritan to
the town OF arlington. AS she is propeI
| led by whai is termed high pressure, most
people are OF opinion that this is the cause
off the preeeDt accident. We profess to be
ignorant of the difference of danger be
tween the boats of high or low steam !;
but IN all cases, both on land and water.
when opposition lines are conteDding for
the greatest despatch, the lives of pas
sengers are eDdangered-and we hope
this melancholy instance will convince
pToprietors oflhe folly, to say the least of
II, of hszardiDg so much to crafty their
own feelings
Extract Of letter written by a Young
gentleman who was on board the steam