Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-02-06


had drowned. What was left Of the main
deck vas nov on fire under Ms and the
flames came bursting out of The fore scullle.
/ The fire NJ last got us cornersd up into so
small space that we could do nOlling
more with the water. There were some
eight or ten Of us together, and they asked
me hat they were To do. ] told them
SAW no chnnce for any US, fer five stay
Il ed there we should he burnt to death, and
/ if we Jumped overheard probably perish.
Il When first got Oh To the .orecaslle ,hero
were about 80.
Il OF rhose that remnined with me To the
last were Mr.. Van Cot, and Mr.. Hoyt, & MIR.
| Harndcn who had charge Of the express
car. | took a piece ol u spun yarn and
/ made it fast to my coat, aud mndc II fast To
the rail and so eased myself down on To The
raft. There were two or three on 1t al
eady, and my weight sunk il from under
me. | raised n,yselfu up by means of the
line until it cameup, ns it did so sprang on
"a piece Of the beats ruing-on tire which
Il fell inlo the ater. From thence ] got Od
| to the bnle Of cotton on which was Que man
/ setting. The bale was made fast To some
| railing in the water. l Cut The bale loose
II from il. Some one was standing on tins
| piece of railing who asked me II there Tds
room tor another. mnde him no answer,
but he Jumped on to the bale of cotton md
knocked off the ,nnn who was sitting on il
with me. and then fell hack into the water.
| haaled The man he knocked off back u
gain and caught hold of n piece of board
that was drifting along past me and showed
the bale off clear of the wreck and let it
Il Al, a
fetch Crane neck psini. Finding | could
not d" this, | kept using the piece Of hoard
Il for exercise.
H 1t was l2 o'clock at the time ! left The
wreck.-i booked At my watch. The man
on The bale of cotton with me was named
\ Mckinney, aud he lived in New York;
|, he died about daylight lie appeared to
be- greatly exhausted when | got him on 10
the bale first, and told him to thrash his
hands which he did pretty much. When
he died he fell back on ihe bale nf cotton,
and the first SEA that struck il knocked him
"ff-hc went down without II struggle.
II My hands were Mt the time much fioZen.
Il While | was on the cotton ! looked mt my
watch ata 1 past one and then ngnin at 2.
/ After that time my hands were too much
frozen for me 'o inke it OIi. was wei up
II To my waist. The wreck sunk about 3 o.
clock. We still dritted down sound, mud
about The last Thing l rccolect was seeing
The sloop Umpr"yenienD coming down. l
nadc ont SO IA TO put my handkerchief in-
INTO cleft in the piece of wood aud got it
between The palms of my hands, could not
bend my fingers, in the hope that lhe sloop
would see it.
H NNh., I c.,, u,, ,o o., ,i,o L,J, Z
asiriie of il, but finding I was getting the
cramp, sat AS ] sit in this chair, with both
feet on one side. The bale wash, very
narrow, aud | sat nearly in the middle of
lIu. | wasn't upset nt all.
/ The man, McKenncy, spoke good de,i
# his wife aud children, snd said he kissed
H hem before he left them ou Monday morn
II iug, ard said he hnd never been IN the
/ sound before.
/ | received every Kindness from Capt.
Ale"ker, and also from Capt. Godiiey and
family, after we got inro Southport.
/ | hn,e known Capt, Childs about 10 or
ID years. Wcwrrc packe, masters together.
| considered him steady, capable mnn,
Il aud smnr man.
i by the C0r0ner-Wns he n man of n
\ quick perceptions, and al duci,ion Of char
II actrr.
/ Witaess--Vcry much go.
/ lie was confused when he first cane -
NE in the wheel house. have never been
with Calhain Chllis when the boat was IN
| any immediate danger.
/ by The Coroper--W Whn, is your opinion
of ihe origin of the fire.
/ Uitn,ss My opinion is that it origins.
tod ,h,,,, 81
there. ! have frequently seen j. red hor.--
II was :" on that nish,--iho night of The
calamity. The smoke pipe WAS red hot
abnve lbe promenade deck. The cotton
was piled within foot, perhaps, Of The
steam chimney--perhars two feet. Tie
| tllne when frs, saw it looked more like
that from wood than from coa!.
H The filler was always kept shipped -
Il There was no wheel nh. The engine was
going nt the rate If about I2 miles an hour,
bnt KEEP, decreasing in speed uriil she stop.
| ped, about twenty minutes after the FIRST
alarm. should think it was impossible To
have remained ~ the ,llIrr, nii during this
time, rs the flames aud smoke went i'm
II that direction.
/ Here the Coroner read letter from Sir.
Hall, the engineer who constructed the en-
cine, &c, for the Lexington TO Mr.. Hoe,
one ofthc jurors, from which we ex,rae, the
f"llowing:-
Il Tie Lexington wns the s,rongcs, boat |
ever put an cnsue into, bit ihe strength or
HE bat had nothing To do with her takinr
ire. What was the cause The fuel used
was anthracite coal, Lackawann. All an.
thr"c'lc coal contains carboraird hydrogen,
and viii and does inil,ne or take fire.
twice; ,l,a, is, opcc in The furnace, and thu
second time ahon, three feet above the innc.
iI"n at the main and steam chmurys, be-
cause The joints are not made tight round
The junction of ,he buitom of the chimney.
and also the damp.r spindle allows the n,-
mo'phrrlc air to enter aud then the gas
ceons products will in0amc tie second