Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1838-07-11
From the Baltimore Patriot
THE PULASKI.

survivors from the wreck, have reached this
city, and among them, to the great Joy of
his numerous friends, and the citizens gen.
orally, Maj. James p. Heath. From him and
Mr.. Copper, we gather the following par
ticulars.
The steamer Pulaski left Charleston at
@ o'clock in the morning, and at IL o'clock
at night the starboard boiler exploded, blow
ing off tho wheel house and all the portion
of the deck above the boiler, shattering the
starboard side amidship the head of the
boiler was forced out and rent on the top.
From the larboard boiler having been un.
injured, the starboard side was kept partial.
ly out of water. On rolling in heavy sea,
she took in large quantities Of water from
the shattered side, and settled rapidly in the
water. The settling continuing, the ladies
were transferred to the promenade deck,
above their cabin. The water soon reach.
ed the promenade deck, and the boat broke
in two parts with a tremendous crash.S-
Upon this separation happening, the parts
arose and hoated for few moments, but
the stern part soon settled again, and
second separation took place, the PRONE
made deck parting from the hull. The deck
part canting over, precipitated the ladies
and children who had taken refuge upon it,
into tho ocean. This part of the boat then
parted into several pieces, and many per-
sons regained position upon the floating
fragments. The bow portion of the boat
together with tho mast, which continued
standing, hoated, apparently, ten or fifteen
feet out of water. The engine, boilers, and
aportion ofthe centre of tho boat sunk, when
the boat first parted. All this occurred with.
in forty.fv minutes Of the explosion Of the
boiler.
The two small boats left the steamer with
in ten minutes after the explosion, and bo-
fore tho passengers had any determined i.
dea Of efecting their escape, otherwise both
would have crowded into them. The boats
remained about the wreck nearly four hours
and during that time picked up as many as
could safely be carried. The sea was run
ming very high at the time, with fresh
knot breeze from S. f.
When the boats left the wreck, the ocean
was strewed with fragments OF the steamer
and the excrucia;ing wailiIgs of the dying
and those calling for aid were heard from
every direction. AT this time large pro-
portion Of the passengers must have been liv-
ing; for as they had very generally retired
to rest, it is not probable that many were
killed by the explosion.
The two boats left the wreck about 3
o'clock, A. M, made land at IL, and reach.
ed the beach at o'clock, p. M. Mr..
Hibberd then stopped until the boat with
MIR. Copper came up, when he stated that
his crew, being exhausted were resolved to
land. Mr.. c. protested against this step
rs being fraught with imminent danger,
and urged the ProPrioty Of keeping down
the coast, in the hope Of finding some inlet,
or meeting with relief. Mr.. G. being over.
ruled, the attempt was made to land thro'
the breakers, which were setting with great
violence as far as the eye could reach
Mr.. Hibberd proposed 10 lead the way, that
they might aid in saving the ladies and chill.
dren, should they reach the shore in safety.
In making the attempt to land, he lost fue
of his number: the other boat then contin.
ued to lay offuntil sunset, when, the persons
in her refusing TO row any further, and in
sisting on landing, the attempt was made
about sunset; the third breaker or biow
turned the boat completely bottom upwards;
Notwithstanding this disaster, the whole par.
ty reached the shore IN safety.
Among the number saved in the small
boats are two of the crew. who state them.
solves to have been near the boiler about
the time of the explosion, and observed that
the steam guage varied between &c and 20.
One of these men noticed the engineer
touching the water guage- cock, and instead
of the usual sound attending the escape of
water, that shrill whistling was heard which
is produced by q high pressure of steam,
and indicating the want Of an adequate sup.
ply Of water in the boiler. The explosion
is represented 10 have followed this disoov.
cry in few seconds.
The presumption from these circumstan-
ces is, that the second engineer, who was
on duty at the time, in blowing off water
had neglected to close the escape pipe, and,
perceiving the state of the boiler, had turn.
ed on a full supply Of water from.ihe feed
pipe.
Major Heath and twenty.one others were
rescued from a portion Of the wreck of the
Pulaski, after having been upon 1t for four
days and four nights, without food or water
The suffering became so intense as to pro.
duce proposition to sacrifice one of the
party by the lot, for the sustonancc and
support of the rest, but was abandoned
to MAJOR Hcath's firm and determined op.
position.
Major II. thinks the ladies' cabin went
down in mass, carrying down about so la.
dies, most of whom he supposes had not ris.
en- from their berths.
The surviving passengers, Maj. II. rep
resents,are unanimous in charging the chief
engineer with having caused the dreadful
calamity. lie is reported to have declared
previous TO leaving Savannah, that it should
be the shortest trip ever made between that
port and Norfolk. There were four parts
of the wreck to which passengers chung;
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