Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1837-07-07
The Ill fated Ben SherrOd.
FACTS, BY A SUFFERER.

Castleman was preparing 10 leave the levee at New
Orleans She thronged with passengers. Many a
beautiful and interesting woman that morning was busy
in arranging the little things incident travelling and
they all looked forward with high and certain hope
the end of their journey Little innocent children play
ed about in the cabin, and would the guards now
and then TO wonder in nfantine language at the next
boat or the water something else that drew their
tention. "Oh, lock here, Henry-I don't like that boat
Lexington"-" wish was going BY her" said Henry
rusingy, The men were urgent in their arrange
of the trunks and getting board sundry arti-
cles which days passage rendered necessary In
6ne all seemed hope and joy and certainty.
The cabin of the Ben Sherrod on the upper deck,
but in proportion 10 her build for she was what
is technically called Tennessee Cotton Boat To
those who have cotton boat loaded, It is
wondrous sight The bales are piled up from the low
guards wherever there is crany until they reach
above the second deck being merely left for pas
sengers to walk outside the cabin. You have regular
alleys left amid the in order pass about the
first deck Such a cotton boat carrying from 1900
1000 bales
The Ben's finish and accommodation Of the cabin was
by no means such would begin compare with the
regular passenger boats. 1t being late III the season.
and but few large being in port in consequence
Of the severity of the times the Ben Sherrod got an IN
been avoided for her accommodations not emit
cling. She had heavy freight on board, and several
horses and carriages the orecastle. The build OF
the Ben Sherrod heavy--her timbers being of the
largest size.
The morning was clear and sultry-so much so, that
umbrellas were necessary to ward of the 1t
curious sight to the hundreds of citizens hurryng
on board to leave letters and them coming away
When steamboat is going off the Southern and
Western waters the excitement is fully equal to that
attendant upon the departure OF Liverpool packet
About 10 o'clock A. NJ the Inflated steamer pushed off
upon the turbd current of the Mississippi as swan
upon the waters. In a few minutes she was under
weigh tossing high in air, bright and snowy clouds OF
steam at every half revolution of her engine Talk not
Of your Northern steam boats A Mississippi steamer
of 700 tons burhen with adequate machinery, IS one
the sublimites of poetry For thousands OF miles that
great body forces its way through desolate country
aoanst an almost resstess current and all the evidence
you have of the immense power exerted IS brought
home to your senses BY the everlasting and majestic
burst of exertion from her escapemen pipe, and the
careless stroke of her paddle wheels In the dead Of
night when amid the swamps on either side your no
BILE vessel winds her upward way-when not soul is
aeen ON board bun the officer deck-when nought
IA heard but the clana of the fire doors amid the
boarse coughing of the engine imagination yields to
the yastness of the ideas thus excited your mind and
if YOU have soul that makes you man, you cannot
help feeling strongly alive TO the mighness OF art IN
contest with the mightness OF nature. such scene
and hundreds such have | realised with an intensity
cnpo.,, ,,e described always made me better man
than before never could tire Of the steam boat navi
CATION Of the Mississippi
On Tuesday evening the 9th Of May, 1887, the steam
boat Prairie on her way St Louis, bore hard upon
the Sherrod II necessary for the latter to stop at
For, Adams during which the Prairie passed her
Great vexaton was manifested by OF the passen
GERS that the Prairie should get Natchez first This
subject formed the theme Of conversation tor two or
three hours the Captain assuring them that he would
heat her ann hor The =. arie is very fast boat,
and upier equal chances could have beaten the Sher'
rod So soon as the business transacted at Fort
Adams for which she stopped, orders were given to
the men TO keep up their fires to the extent II was
now little after IL T. NJ. The Captain retired to ms
birth with his clothes on and left the deck in charge OF
an officer During the evening barrel oil whiskey
had been tsrned out and permission given to the hands
20 do as they pleased As may be supposed they drew
up,n the barrel quite literally. II Is the custom ON all
beats 10 furnish the remcn with liquor though dine
renee ex;ss as 10 the mode But is due TO the many
worthy Captans now ON the Mississippi state that the
practice Of furnishing spirits is gradually dying away,
and where they given u : only done ~ moderation
As the Sherrod passed on above Fort Adams towards
the mouth Of the Homochtta, the wood piled up IN
os Of the furnaces several times caught hre and was
twice mperfectly extinguished by the drunken
hands II be understood by those OF nay readers
who have a western steamboat that the
boilers entirely above the frs, deck and that when
the fires well kept up for any length OF time, the
heat is almost indispensable. Were il not for the draft
occasoncd by the speed Of the boat il would he very
difficult to attend the fires. As the boat booming
along through the close in shore, for in ascend
ing the river boats go close they avoid the
current negro the beach called the fremeu
tha, the wood was fire. The reply was go to hell
and mind your own business" from half intoxica
Ted hand ooh, Massa," answered the negro, if yor
don, take care you be in he'll before | will" On, on
on wen, the boat al tremendous rate quvering anc
arembinr IN all her length at every revolution Of tn,
wheels The steam was created fast that il cont
nued to escape through the safeyvave and by its sharI
singing told tale that every prudent Captain woule
have perfectly understood As the vessel rounded thu
bar that makes of froi the Homochi TIA being COMPEL
ed to stand GU, into the middle u the river in
aucnce the fire was discovered. II was about O'Clock
in the morning passenger had got previously ane
was standing the boiler deck when to his sstonish
nent the fire broke from the pile cfwoos little