Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-06-01
tFrom the New Orleans Zee, May II.

AuDirIoNAL Particulars op THr Loss
OE rHg BEN SmERRoD.-Thc Natchcz papers
contain farther particulars of the deplorable
loss of the Ben s'hPrrud. AT the time she
took FIRE she was engaged in race with the
steaiR'r Prairie, and the FIRE took from the
great hras of the boilers, eaHscd by raising
her steam to It's extreme power. A barrel of
whiskcy was placed on the deck, Cor the use
Of the hands during the race. who drank to
excess aud became intoxicated.
At about l2 O'clock at night the furnace
became 80 heated that it communicated fire
To the wood, OF which there was on board
about sixty cords. When the crew dscov-
cred the fire, they all left their posts and ran
for the yawl, without giving my alurm to the
passengers, who were all asleep IN their
bertbs The captain for II time attempted to
rally the extreme confusion, by stating that
the fire was extingniShcd; twice he forbade
the lowering of the yawl which was altemp-
ted by the deck hands and passengers. The
shrieks of nearly three hundred persons OF
board now rose wild aud dreadful. The cry
was TO The shore, 10 the shore! and the boat
made for the starboard shore. but did not gain
IT, rs the wheel rope might have given way,
or the pilot been driven by the flames from
his station. The steam was not let of, and
the boat kept on. The scene OF horror now
bcggared all description.
The yuwl which had been filled with the
crew had sunk, drowning some who were IN
II, and the passengers had no other alterna-
tive than to jump overheard, without taking
even time to dress. There were ten ladies'
on board, wio al went overheard withon, ut
tering n single scream, some drowning ~.
stanily and Others elinging To planks Of
the number were finally saved. Some ofthc
passengers are supposed to have bnrnt up nn
board the Ben Shrrrod- one man by the name
of Ray. from Louisville, Ky. hung To n rope
at the bow of the boat, until taken mp by the
vaw! of the steamboat Columbus which ar
rived about half an hour after the Commence.
ment Of the disaster, on her downward pas
sage. Mr.. Rays face aud arms were much
burnt while clinoing to the boat IN the above
position--he lost S20,CC0 in Natchcz and
United States paper
The Steamboat Alton arrived half an hour
after the Columbus, but from the curclesSncSS
or indiscrction of those on board, was the
means Of drowning many persons who were
floating in the water. She drove into the
midst Of the exhausted sufferers, who were
too weak longer to make cxrrton, and by the
commotion occasoned by her wheels, drown
ed n large number. a gentleman by the
nHHe Oh lldlulI''ilI, lI''iii 'phH'y,
Alabama. was floating ON barrel. and sus.
taining also lady, whrn the Alton drove up
unl washed them both under-thc lady was
drowned. but Mr.. Hamilton came mp and
fnated down The river ID miles, when he was
taken up by the steamer Statesman.
Mr.. Mcdowell attributes the drowning Of
his wife to the ndiscrc,ion of the managers
of the Alton, as she was floating safely on II
plank at the time Mr.. Mcdowell sustained
himself some time against the current, 50 that
he only tloutcd two miles down the river,
when he swan ashore ten miles above Fort
Adams.
Mr.. Rundcll fioa,cd down the river ten
miles and was taken up by Hat boat ut the
mouth of Buffalo creek. lie saved his money
in his pantlloons pocket, but lost on" thou
sand dollars worth offrcight. Mr.. Mcdowell
lost his wife. son, a lady, Miss Francis Few,
who was under his protection, and negro
servant. Mr.. Mcdowell feels himself under
great obligations To- Mr.. William Stamps
family for their kind attentions to him in his
distress, soon utter he reached the shore.-i
Mr.. Rundcll acknowledges kind attention
from the same source.
There were two hundred and thirty five
persons Oh board, Of which not more than
sixty escaped, leaving one hundred and sew
enty-five drowned. including the Captains
three chidnca, and his father. His wife was
picked up by fat boat badly burnt. The
following are the names Of some OF the ladies'
lost:-
Mrs. Mcdowell, Of Belfoht, South Alaba-
ma, Mrs. Gamble. and three children, Of New
Orleans, Miss Francis Few, Of Beliont, South
Alabama.
Mrs. Smith Of Mobile, saved.
The following are the names ~ the pnsscn-
gers saved by the steamer Statesman.--
Thompson Duvall, Shelby co. Indiana. Mat
thew NJ. Orme, Na,chez, Thomas w. Bragg.
Alabama, J. &. Lowe, Tennessee, Chas. w.
Andrews, Yates CO. ~. Y. Cantin Macon, Gin
cianati, William Wallace, New York. John
Montgomery, Indiana, James Phillips, do, J.
w. Brent, Pecan Point, John Dasun, Edward
Bushman, Edward II. Burns, Indiana, John
N. Williams, do. Juhn Blanc. New Orleans
John A Davts. Florence. Ala. Daniel Marshall
Moscow, Indiana, Erastus Griggs, Marietta
Ohio, A. Randall, Rocky Springs, Mi, len a
Fort Adams, James r. Wilkinson, Richmond
Va. Ephraim Stanfeld, do, w. r.. Gnmbl,
and son, New Orleans. r Rosamond p. Andrews
A. II. Hartley, John Lowney, Indiana, Hugl
Simpson. Tennessee, Constantine Mahan, D
bio, Patrick II. Watkins, Brdforjco. Va.
In addition to the foregoing, Captain Har
states that he and the man at the wheel dis
covered the light Of the Ben Sherod on fire
ss soon as he entered the Mississippi from
Red River. ffteen miles below Fort Adams
Captain Hard met the Columbus and Alton