Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-01-31

Termination resumed -Since my return 10 the
civ. have seen the of the boat-they ten.
dered me such assistance as needed-they did not
ask citing my testimony they asked me now the
boat got on fire. and told the same story as have
told every booy else.
Coroner WELL now about the 6re-what did
you do first? ~
Witness-l got out of my berth, went into the
crank room, and screwed on the hose. then opened
the cocks and tried to get the nose 10 woIn me
fire and smoke stopt me befo get u 20 play; tns
hose hung up along side the bulk head, close by the
air pump. then went aft OF the SHAFT 70 get some
breath; then tried to get the Buckets aown wHneh
hung over the shaft, but was prevented by the hre
then went aft with the intention OF getting INTO the
boat; there saw Capt. Childs standing on the rail
on the main deck, by the crane OF the boat, on .ne
alta rboa rd side; he sang out for the engineer Inc
latter answered. and the Capt asked il he could stop
the engine: he said it impossible, as the hre
was "a ing in that viciDity then got nearer 10 the
captain and saw the boat cut away by tue DOW
full of passengers; as the boat took the water she
filled at the bows, and she swung round by her stern
acklc. The aptain sung out, hold on to the boat;
and he stepped down on the fender on the OUTSIDE OF
the boat | stepped right over after him; he got on
the stern S. ees of the boat, and put my foot the
stern of the boat haul her back, and just as go
my foot hold of the stern tackle it was let go;
whether cut or not don't kn'w. The boat disap
peared, and that is the last Ofthe boat or the
ca ptain; then got the stern with the inten-
tion of getting the ruddcr; swung on the netting,
kicked IN three cabin windows, and so lowered my
self on to the rudder / stood there a minute or
two when Sc yeyal others came there and joined me.
l didsnot know the names Of any; one was wa er
on board. boy got over the stern, and told HIM
TO drop on to bale OF cotton He SAID, me couid
not swim" then tod him to tell some oil those on
deck to heavc over a bale OF cotton bale was
hove over, which jumped after, and gave the boy
nv place; got TO the cotton; renamed on IL
till half past O'Clock, when oriited back 10 the
wreck. There were some ten or twelve hanging
aboat r then in different places Hampstead was
there; Gcarge Banker, fireman; JOB Sands,
waiter; Harry Reed the maa that woke me up anu
oT he M m
an Eaglish boy; and deck hand called Charles.
did not know the others; some were passengers
and some walters; no woman that saw; waited
there ii three half past three, when she sank;
hung on anidship right where the shaft hung, and
about where think the fire originated; we staid
on the chips Of the boat the guards oil the boat
burnt off; the hips" are selid veins OF TIM
ber running fore and ALI keep her from rolling;
when left the wreck, which was not until she sank,
l swan to piece OF the guard and got on that; as
she began TO sink, the people left her. and four OF
them Joined me; they all persisted before daylight;
one was Harry Reed. another was George the fire.
man. the third was boy whose name did not know,
sn the other was the boy to whom l had gwen
place the rudder; they all died from cold ana
were not dr. ,wned; had to keep life in them by
rubbing; staid the piece OF guard until two o.
clock p. NJ and then was taken of by the sloop
Merchant, Capt. Meeker
/ was carried TO Southport, where had the best
care taken of me; was told that Mr.. billiard was
picked up about o'clock, Manchester about hall
past ten and myself about two O'Clock; Thought II
earlier; was quite sensible, ana swung UP my
cap as a signal for the sloop; my feet were badly
frozen and my fin GERS slightly.
have been in the Lexing ton since the 18th Of Dec
when she com neneed burning coal. have known
her to be fire before. The morning after New
Years she caught he main deck from some sparks
that ignted the planking She was then just round
ing the Battery. Ii did not blaze, yet u slightly da-
ma ed box Of goods ! know OF no other IRE on
board excep the last. The sparks did not come out
of the furnace, unless the damper Is shut IL was
our practice to keep 1T tied open
do not recollect the steamer getting on fire when
Frederick: Hampstead went in her. On that occasion,
I was up during the last half of the night. Coming
down we did not have tine blower ON, because II was
broken. | never saw any OF the brick work blown
down. The joiner who has been spoken CT wa. put.
ting up baggage room, and doing work at different
places about the boat, and IN the engine room. DO
not think he repairing any portion that had been
on fire never the casing OF the steam chin
new on i-c, until the night she was burnt up ne
yer saw any cotton fire, nor heard OF any suchoc
currencc, until alter the boat was burnt
By the jury have seen the smoke chimney on
fire. and flames coming out OF sulphuric color since
we burnt coal Ihave II high as six feet above
the iop.
have been fireman going four years, and in
boats where they used coal. The General jackson,
the Is blew up on the NORTH riVeri OUT since
then IL depends on the they blowers;l do
not consider them dangerous. have seen the pipe
of the General Jackson red hot from the top to the
bottom. -,
Lexington cannot speak as the origin Of the ire
Itbousht by the appearance Of the deck that about
rs passengers were on board. We can make more
steam with a blower than without When carrying
10 or ~ inches cam, take of the blower, and the
steam will down so, that the engine will stop an
the centre ha seen IL run from Ito inches down 10
an inch and half in about twenty minutes, when the
blower has been removed thought the engineer a
capable man.
Coroner-Do you know II Captain Childs ever was
suspended
Witness have been on board two years, and
never heard Of il. have heard that his brother was
John " yno examined-I am a carman residing IN
McDougal street; generally stand at Pier NO l.
N. r.; never saw the steamboats, on fire, but did
see bile Of ctton burning on the dock, between
two and three o'clock the day the Lexington lett ior
her last trip. II lay alongside the wood, and the
wood was b tween the cotton and the Lexin ton;
Just one corner OF the bale was On fire.
Coroner-Do YOU know II they took u on board
the Lexington
Witness-I do not.
Ccroner-Do yon know il il belonged To the Lex
iRgton
witness-No; I paid but little attention to IL, ex
cept that two Of the hands Of that boat were pour
ing water on IL. They poured about pail full while
staid. have had some difficulty with tie Cap
tains Of that line, because they ordered me ashore
from their boats, as they have other carmen and
hackmen never had any law suits with them
nor even sad would be revenged on them or any
person connected with that line.
William Sydney Thompson examined-l am
ship carpenter; ] worked In the Lexington, and
made n tr In her e. Ston,ngton and back; i was
putting in some T" new arms" and buckets" AZ
tie piece on ncr deck.
Odd you ever do any repairs in consequence
Of IRE 7
Ayes; about the third trip before she burned