The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-05-28

A"Sus'" COMPANY came IN, we noticed they hnC
Settlng hen on one of the baggage wagons, anc
on another was dunghill cock tied on tail fore
most. The valiant fowl had cro,oed and ther
turned tail. .I.-
SHOCKING STEAMBOAT ACCIDENT.
The Southern Express mail brings us slips
from New Orleans, which contain the details OF
another frghtiul disaster which occurred on
board the George Collier. 1t is bur few days
since we had an account ola collision between
this boat and another, in which the George Coll
Ter was badly injured, and tits not improbable thai
the injury then received may have been, in great
part, the cause of the last disaster. The partic-
uars OF the heart rending accident, are given i'm
the annexed letter addressed to the New Orleans
Bullctln 10y the clerk of the Collier,
To the Editors of the New Orleans CONNER
cial Bulletin:
Gentlemen-It is with painful feelings that |
have to relate to you the particulars of an acci-
dent which occurred on board the steamboat
George Collier, on her voyage from this place TO
ST. Louis Mo. O,....
the 9th inst, when within about eighty mile Of
Natchez, the piston rod gave way, which broke
the forward OFFENDER head, and carried away a
part of The boiler stands. The steam which es-
capped scalded forty five persons, twenty six of
whom died the same day.
Twelve of the unfortunates were buried in the
| neighborhood of the disaster. The George
Washington shortly along on her way
down, and took the George Colerin tow. The
other fourteen who survived but few hours,
were inferred at u woody8rd nearer to this city,
We visited the Inflated boat yesterday and
the sight that met our eyes truly heartren-
ding. The survivors lay about on pallets, the
flesh boiled down of their bones, as it were;
some issued the most piteous moans-others, un-
able TO utter even groan. There were those
among them partially consoled by the soothing
care of friends: and more who had none from
whom to seek sympathy but strangers.
Fienchman might he heard 10 cry -"
mon dseul mon dieu. and poor German by his
side to calculate in sorrowng accents, ''mien got!
aaien gotn 1t was scene at which a heart OF
adamant would melt with pity.
On this heporahe calamity, the cause OF
which is not clearly set forth, the Bulletin re-
marks: "From what has been stated, it appears
that no blame is imputed to the officers of the
boat. If theysare eXonorated from censure we are
left to search for the of the disaster in some
flaw or imperfection of the machinery. The
nature and structure of steam engines is moi
such as to render accidents of the kind nevita-
ble. fthe fault did not lie in the management,
OF the machinery, it must in its manufactures
Impressed with these views, ready to in
quire, how long will the patience of the people
tolerate the eXecrable abuses of steam naviga-
ton? Day by day the duty devoves ns OF
recording-some new disasler-some new and
shocking calamity. While all the safeguards
of provident legislation are thro wn around our
property, shall our persons remain exposed to
the most frightful calamities without protection?
These questions which it is time to put to
the country-questions which the dying groans
and agonies of perishing hundreds Striking
into the public ear. The impunty of long Sc
ries of outrages has engendered, among certain
classes of men, perfect Indifference to human
snffering-and unless the strong arm Of the law
is stretched forth, the traveller who ventures in
to steamboat will run a risk appalling as he
that treads the verge of volcano whose convul.
sions portend the bursting of the lava. The e.
nactments of our national Legislature on this sub
fleet, ample enough for all purposes. The
only requisite wanting is their rigid enforcement
TO the importance of rigid exaction of all the
requirements of the law, would now invite
| the attention of our executive officers, and it is
TO he hoped that another awful accident like the
one recorded will not be necessary to arouse
their vigilance"