The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1840-01-22

soon all access 10 the engine was impossible.
and y ronflnued TO woIk Tor time With fearful
.spiduy. Captain Chilis, il would appear. then
deiernnned TO Steer the boat for the nearest
part OF The Long Island shore. and he was last
seen IN the wheel house at the helm. In fl
teen minutes. however. the engine became i'm
movssbfe. and the course Of the boat arrested
about two miles from the land Here she con-
tinued 10 bnrn until sbont three o'clock in tho
morning. when what remained Of her sank.
we're neednsss to atienpt to describe the
seeoe OF sgenized Confusion which enxued A.
mous the passengers. and indeed all on board.
a. soon az the FIRE was discovered. No order
vas preserved. or any arempt made to preserve
II. The life boat which vss on board was
thrown over. foru,rd Of the Wheel. was struck
by the paddle, and broken 10 pieees-Ths
Lexington had three boats besides, which were
launched by the passengers while she was uo-
der foli way. and Immediately swsmped. Some
twenty Of them who had life prsservers about
them, jumped overheard. and the rest were last
seen as The flames drove them from the higher
parts oi the steamboat. cliaging in clusters to the
guard braces. where they hung. tin all went
down together.
Capt Hilliard. formerly Of the ship Missis-
sippi ofthis Port-oue Of the passengsu--e,-
capped. When the progress of the FIRE was
such As TO leave no hope, the passengers COM
menced throwing the deck freight overheard,
probably in the expectation that some parts of
it would remain floating. and might be the
means Of saving some Of them, Capt III. as
sisted in throwing about ten bgles Of cotton
overheard. and leaped on one Of them One OF
the fireman Of the boat also sucsssded in get
tidg on the same bale. and these two by means
/ N MI nj ho, I'd oh L.I
cesded 10 keeping the bale head on to the sea
until about four O'Clock in the morning. when
the bale capsized. but righted again with both
of them on II. Until this time they had kept
the upper part of their bodies comparatively
dry. but were now completely wet to the skin.
And now the fireman began to despond, talked
Of his wife and children, told Capt II. that hi.
name was Cox, and that he resided in Oak
street, New York. Capt. Fl. endsavored 10
cheer him up. and at last lashed him to the
bale, but at about o'clock in the morning, he
expired At II O'Clock. Capt. ii. was rescued
by Capt. Meeker, in the sloop Merchant Of
Southport.
The same vessel also rescued Captain Man
chester, the pilot, and fireman named Smith.
who we've each on bale Of cctton. The fire.
msa SAYS. that soon after the fire was dscov-
cred, he sought refuge on the rudder, expect
| ing the boiler would, burst. bur whilst there
two boys who could not swim. entreated him
10 give them his place, which he consented to.
on condition that they threw him bale Of cot
ton, which they did, and to which he swan.
The boat thsu drilled some distance ahead of
| him, hot when her upper works were burned.
be again 6oated near her. and saw several the
passengers and crew on pieces Of the wreck.
They. however, all gradually became exhausted
and fell off.
Captain Manchester, the Pilot. adds little to
The above particulars; he and the fireman last
spoken Of we're badly frozen, D.. .. ..
Captain Hillaid estimates the number ef pas
sengen at one hundred and fifty but Captain
Manchester says he thinksthere were not more
than seventy fire on board. and we fad that
this latter number is considered at the office Of
the Company TO which the boat belonged, to
be tho nearest probability. What chance is
I there tina, any more have been rescued! Cap
tain Hillard says. that at about eight o'clock in
] the morning a schooner beating to westward
passed him while on the bale OF cotton, about
a mile of. She did not see him. but il is poa-
! sbe she may have fallen 10 with some Of ihe
| other passengers floating on pieces ofthe wreck.
The confagrstion Of the heat was seen from
Norwich and Bridgeport. on the Connecticut
shore. but the state Of the tide and the ice pre-
vented them from getting out their boats TO go
to her assistance, and though the attempt was
From the Long Island shore. we have as yet
no account,, aud it is possible, the flames
must have been still more visible there, that
| some effectual assistance may hare been rem
derod 10 the unfortunate beings who were float
ing on the waves, yet the sea was so very high.
and the Geld so intense, that il seems almost
forlorn hope.
1t is stated in some Of the accounts. that the
tiller ropes were burned. This is not correct.
Captain IIillard says positively. that the boat
answered her helm up to tho time that her en-
CINE stopped and that had she not had metal
rods and chains condected with her rudder. it
would long before have bsen useless. That
she was provided with them is indisputahle.
1t is stated that as late as midnight, half the
passengers might have been saved, had assist
snce arrived. II was eight hours after the fire
commenced, before the boat went down,
The Providence Journal says:
Several suits have been commenced against
the Company BY p.rsoas in this ohy who had
goods on board. .....t .
The Lexington was bous ht for about 100000
and WAS partially insured. She had on board
one hundred and fifty bales Of cotton. and other
merchandise" --...
Passengers on BOARD THE LExiSoros.
Capt. Charles Hilliard, the only passenger
known to be saved.
William II. Wilson. Williamsburgh, l.. l.,
late OF Worcester. Mass.
Isaac Davis Of Boston,
John Corey Of Foxboro'. Mass,
Chas. w. Woolssy or Boston.
John Brown OF Boston.
J. Porter Felt Jr. Of Salem.
Abrsm Howard, firm Of Howard d Merry,