The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1840-01-25
MOST APPALLING CALAMITY.
ONE Hundred 3 FifYR L1YeS
E5Sg,

LGH&s
The New York and osslctn pspets are
illied with hcsst-sending accounts Of tho
hurning Of the steamboat beSisgtcn,n Long
lsiand Sound, on ihc night of the 18th inst,
on her way from New York to Providence,
aud the loss of l5Q lives, The MY GAG.
Gays, "The Lexington left New York 8;
3 O'Clock in the afternoon, AMI about seven
the same eyenining che caught Ere, and
burned ill she sunk, by this lrighlful dis,
a5tor, very great number Of lives we're lost
what number it is impossible to ascertain
and will remain unknown for a long time,
pcrhups forever. The number Of those on
board is varously stated from III to l75,
We hope the lowost number is exaggerated
as SO frequently happens in such cases, but
it is very much to be feared that as many
as Que hundred and fifty persona were in
;he unfortunate vessel, Only three ihdiviJ-
ual are known TO have been saved
The Bridgeport Republican Farmer of
Jan. 10Th Gays i--~Our citizens were alarm
ed Oh Monday evening, by the appearance
of great light at some distance west on
the Sound, which was generally believed
to be n steamboat OH FIRE. Nothing concuA
sige, however, was heard in regard to it till
the arrival Of our boat from New York, on
Tuesday afternoon, which brought the mel
anchoiy intelligence that the light was oc-
casloned by the conlagralion Of the steam-
boat Lexington, which was entirely destroy
cd, ana that all OH boatd except three per-
| ished. One OF the survivors, Captain hii-
lard, Of Norwich, this State, whom we
have seen and conyersed with, came on
here in the boat,
The Lexington left New York. at 3 o.
clock P. H., Tor Sionmgtcn, Abou! half
past o'clock, when off Ea,on's Neck, +.
l., the wood work, casings, &C., about the
hues, was discovered to be on fire.
An alarm was Immediately given, and all
efforts to subdue the flames proving unavail-
ing, the pilot headed the boat directly for
Long Island shore. In about fifteen min
utes it was found the tIler-ropes were burnt
in two, and the ropes consequently unman-
agoablo.
The engine, however, kept IN operation,
under heavy head OF steam. The three
small boats were got out with ali possible
haste. but they swamped soon after they
struck the water,in consequence Of the speed
at which the steamer was going towards the
shore.
4 iiie-boat, which was aboard, was also
launched, but by some means waa in few
minutes unfortunately lost. No relief,
therefore, was obtained from either of tho
boats.
" hen the Lexington had got within about
TWO miles of the shore, her engine sudden
ly stopped. All hopes of escape to these
on board except by clinging to such articles
of freight as would sustain them, were cut
OF.
The freight of the Lexington consisted
principally Of cotton, On winch some Oi
the passengers tried to save themselves, but
nonee succeeded except Captain Hiiiard
and fellow passenger, both Of whom got
a cotton bale, on winch they KEEP! together
ill 6 o'clock IN the morning, when the
suenglh OF Captain billiards companion
failed him, aud he fell oil and was drown
! cd.
Capt Il. continued upon his bale OF cot.
to- till ii o'clock, A. M. Tuesday, when
he was taken Off by sloop which went
out from Southport, having been thus ex-
noseu about 10 hours. Two others, cling,
ing to airagment OF the boal,wero also rescu.
ed by this slooP;one the engineer, the other
fireman of the unfortunate boat.
The bodies of two others, one colored
woman, were likewise taken FROM q part OF
the wreck, on which they had perished with
cold.
The number on board, Captain II. thinks,