Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-12-07
Boom ll.e BaI.imore cemmrrcial.

THRILLING INCIDENT. Among the
per'ous scenes OF the heavy gale which
caused such wide spread disaster to our lake
shipping. fortnight since, one has come to
nur knowledge equaling in interest the most
highly wrought tale Of fiction In that fear
lul night, ibe steamboat Constitution, Capt.
Appleby. was out amids, the ,crrors Of the
gale. BY the glimpses caught at intervals,
when the hIul storm for moment broke
away, the anxious and waichlul comman.
der was made aware ofthe critical situation
OF his boat, which was rapidly drifting in
under the hurricane power of the gale.
which blew almost directly across the lake
toward a dangerous reef from which escane
would have been impossible. He went d.
reeiiy TO the engineer and ordered on more
steam" he reply Of the engineerwas that
there was already as much on as the boilers
would safely bear.
Again did the captain seek the deck, 10
see II his laboring boat was making head
way, and again returned 10 the engine room.
He exclaimed TO the engineer their haz-
ardous situation, and told him that all hone
was lost, If no more Roadway could be gain.
ed--but lefl The engineer 10 act his discrc.
ton in the crisis A moment of reflection.
and bis decision was made Life or death
hung on the issue. Certain destruction a.
waited the boat and her devoted crew. in n
lew brief minutes, if she did not gain upon
the driving storm. This might be averied.
u the boilers-nlready crowded 10 a fearful
pressnte-could yet bear heavier strain.
and that he determined TO TRY. True. the
awful horrors OF an EXPLOSION were vivid
" before him--the mangled limbs. the
scorchrd and lifeless bodies. the death
shrieks and the groans OF the HOPELESS vic
tins, were before his eyes and on his ear
the alternative vas fearful one. yeti, mus, be
restored to-
He coolly directed the heads OF two BAR
rels OIL TO be broken in, and the furnaces
were RAPIDLY led with wood dipped in the
highly Infiammable liquid, while two men
with ladies' dashed the oil into the tlames-
The intense heat which these combustibles
created, generated steam with the rapiditv of
lightning. and soon the resistess vapor for
ced up the safety valve, and issued firth
with Tremendous violence, It's sharp bissinc
heard above the wild uproar of the waters
and the storm. With desperate and do.
termined courage which cqualled the mos,
daring herosm that The page Of history hns
: 49, 'NNo'e' VI 'hc Vugi SCI d0frn uDOn
ne ierer Of HE safety ralce, 10 confine and
raise the steam 10 the necessary power re-
CURED topropel the boat against the drifting
waves In this awful situation he calmlv
remained, until the prodigous efforts or he
engine had forced the Constitution sufficient.
y oliishore 10 be beyond the threatened dan
ger
This intrepid act was not rash and vain.
glorious attempt TO gain The applause Of
multitude by fool hardy exposure of life
N some racing excursion,-it was not Inc
deed Of a drunken and reckless man. wick
eddy needless Of the safety Of those whose
lives were peried--bui It was the seltnos-
sessed and determined courage Of one whose
hrmness IS worthy Of all admiration We
give il as i was told 10 US as one Of those
frequent scenes Of real life, whose actual re-
llI'les are indeed stranger than fiction" (
American and English Sieamship.--A
writer IN the Post last evening, states that a
rial Of speed took place between the Fulton
md Great Western, on Friday, going down
he Bay, The Fulton beat the Great Yves.
ern at the rate off IL miles an hour.