Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-08-01

met similar fate on the night Of the 18th inst
was discovered to be on ire-whch spread with
such rapidity that many jumped overheard, and
! it is believed that number were drowned-we
have heard positively of one; but what adds Pc
cuiar horror to the circumstances IS, that four
Individuals Were burnt to death, consisting OF q
man, his Uife and child, and sister-ha-law! The
progress of the flames was not arrested until the
Boat was burnt down to the guards.
Ii is a fact, not to be disputed, that so accus-
toned have we become to relations OF steamboat
disasters, that they no longer excite any other
than monentary interest, and not even that on
ly under the most calamitous circumstances, like
the present 1t is time that the causes which
lead to this waste of human life. (eaving proper
ty out of the question,) were inquired into
When a stage driver, by carelessness or inatten-
ton to his duty, causes injuries to be sustained
by passengers, he is tried, and If convicted, is
mulct in heavy damages; and why not on board
boats. or other vessels, where ten times as many
lives are jeopardized?
The frequency of these disasters forbid their
being treated lightly and longer. Let those
whose especial duty it is lock to It. 1t would
have been well If Congress could have found
time. in a seven months session, to have lesisat-
cd upon this subject, but they were too much ia
ken up with personal alterations and broiIs, to
attend to the inter ests Of their constituents or
their own duty.
Since writing the above, we learn that the
name of the family was Emerse; they came on
board at Ripley, and were OH visit to their
friends in this city.
The Rait,oay .fccident.-The particulars of
the melancholy accident on the Quincy Rail way.
on Wednesday, were, in the main, accurately gi-
IN fho ~ .,f torI,
addition, that Mr.. Belknap escaped without inju-
ed. Mr.. Bend had three ribs broken, and the
sinews of leg parted. Mr.. Gibspa's jaw was
broken, and he was otherwise severely bruised,
but neither leg is broken. He remains in great
pain, anil it is feared that he has suffered some
internal injury. Mr.. Backus was thrown out at
the first bound Of the car and instantly killed;
he was buried yesterday afternoon, in new
tomb lately butt in the Quincy burying ground.
About twenty gentleman from this city were pre-
sent. and followed the body to the grave
Messrs. Bend and Gibson remain at the Rail
way House, too severely hurt to be removed
Mr.. Be!knap returned to the city on "Wednesday
evening.
Tie first report, that the chain of the car
broke was Incorrect The nut which fastened
the hook Of the car to the chain. came of, and
let the hook out; the car descended the declvi-
ty to the level. distance of three hundred and
sixty feet, and then bounded about six feet high
and ten 10 twelve feet forward. at which time
Mr. Backus was thrown out, and the Car would
probably have run on without farther injury, il
it had struck the rail square. but it struck little
of from the true line, and broke through the
bridge, falling with Messrs. BeIknap, Gibson and
Bend among the blocks of granite. distance of
l.. l.A.l-
that although both Messrs. Gibson and Bend.
whom taL4.,--r---e- G,unu ryrng IN Mr.. Belk |
nap that gentleman lie the least hurt of the three.
The car is broken so as to 30 entirely useless.
although tine heaviest and strongest IN the rail. |
way; tbe iron work is broken in every way. II
was the car used for carrying the heaviest u-cks
ur E,""',., and weighed three and half tons
The plane which they were ascending is said |
to be inclined at an angle of nearly forty de.
grees; andr IS supposed that when the car struck.
it mast have acquired velocity of sixty miles
an hour Boston Courier.
The Blind. 1T is already known. pr"~-hly to |,
most Of readers, that DR.. S. g. Howe. who. te'.
months ago, went to Europe, for the purpose OF
examining the schools for educating the Blind,
has returned. Dr.. Howe went out as the spe'
cia Agent of the New England Asylum, and'
but for the miserable policy OF the Prusslan u"'-
ernment, which prevented him from visiting Sc.
.eraI importan, institutions in that Ki"gdom and
Germany, he would have returned with mass
of practical information that must have been OF
the creates advantage to the contemplated IN
s,itulon in Boston. AS it is, he has rot return
ed empty handed. He visited several celrorat'
ed sthooIs in England, Scotland and France.
Fom an Institution in Paris he has brought
Young gentleman to serve in the capacity of an
in,racte,, and one every way qualified for the
Office. This young gentleman is about 90 years
ct age, and lost his sight when he was about A.
He has no conception Of colors, but in regard to
all obi ,cts, the notions of which depend upon the
exercise of other senses than that OF seeing, lie
appears to b. well informed. tie has been
teacher of mathematics in the Partisan School
whence he came. His knowledge OF that alb
strusc science. aud the rapidity with which he
answers questions that require arithmetical ope-
rations of considerable length, are truly surPrs-
ing The mental operation by which he arrives
al the solution of problem, Is unknown.
Questions of difficult character and requiring
,,E mol ne q q