Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-01-20
The Erxin giou.

So long as NV York is city, will this name be
a sad Memento in the memories of Its citizens. Ana
the recollection of the late horrible disaster could
be wiped out by the blood of the msmanaging direc'
tors we think that he desderatum would be cheap
ly-cheaply bought. There is use in mincing
matters, on such an awful occasion; one hundred
and twenty human beings have been hurled from
time into etersity acknowledgements aied-and
their dying groAns and heart rendng streks cry
aloud TO the God Of Heaven for vengeance Shall
the names of the murdered be unappeased in a
land that takes the Decalorue for its creedf Shall
the souls of I20 human beings cry aloud at the foot
stool of tae Almighty for retrbuton, and vet go
appeased till the day Of Judgment The Lexington
was always a floating hearse. The Grand Jnr, is in
sess,on--iet it do its duty.
The following names have to be added to the suf
ferers making 10 in Ill, and only four saved :
Mary Russell, Of Stoningt on Conn George Bronson
Smith, Brooklyn; Mr.. Green Mino,, Maine; Joseph
Ray, mate of the Bohemia, of Kenaebunk, Maine;
Thomas Checker, Dedham, Mass; ]. Wilken;
Gilbert Martin; John Wyeth; John Marshall, Of
Gassworker.
Little remains to be added 10 the sad history of
the loss Of the Lexington. The fourth man saved,
was Crowell, the second mate. The company sent
the steamboat Statesman along the Long Island
shore, TO look for dead bodies and baggage the boat
came oacN Win nve D0Gies; one was N1T psoh one
was Mr.. Waterbury; two were deck ands-Bepja-
min Luden and Cyrus horburr; and the fifth was
little boy whom nobody recognizes. Hampstead,
the chief engineer, and Job Sands. the waiter both
dead have been taken TO Southport; five more bodies
have been picked up Long Island shore; making
twelve OF the dead in all recovered besides five Of
the living.
Seventeen bodies ont of l27 Various trunks and
packages have been picked up. Most of them have
been broken open and pundered by the wreckers
and wretches on Long Island and Of similar facts
we shall have trse statements and idle for
moath to come.
An inquest was held yesterday the bodies, and
the following testimony eliciteI:-
Joseph Bisnop examined-I am a ship carpenter,
belonging TO the firm Of Bishop x simonson. The
Lexington bailt IN yard IN the year 1873 |
she built part IL oak and part OF chestnut-the
floor tmbers were sixteen inches IN width and SIX IN
thekress-she was 25 feet long and Y feet breadth
OF beam Our instructions from Captain Vanderbilt
were 20 make her as strong possible The usual
precautions against FIRE were adopted Two or thee
months ago, she was repaired by u.s. and when nm
deck cd consider ed her safe possible Secor
did the iron work.
Cornelius Vanderbilt examined--was the owner
OF the Lexington prior 10 spril lS.Sj-has had no
interest in her since tbit time She was built under
the direc ions who. gave to the builders from day
10 DAY. Sne ha 81 per cent more OF asteninss than
any "ther ooit ever built She has navigated the
eomma,iders never 10 stop for foul wealth riff they
'aio only see ahead, they were to go ahead. saw
She boat when she was undergoing repairs, about six
weeks slnce i could not see any plank started. i
did not 90 below TO look at the boilers When |
owned her, often burnt coal do not know if she
ever took ire-it Is such common thag for steamer
60 take ire, that cannot recollect to the Lexng
ton. own a boat that took fire the other day.
From the information have since receiy ed from
Capt billiard, believe that the boat would not have
been burnt II no fire engine had been on board The
WAS "A
have suieed to subdue the fire, with buckets of
water. billiard says that when he first the fire,
two pals of water would have put out After II had
broke out Hiiisrd went into the wheel honse and on
his return ne saw the men trying 10 get the fire en-
CINE 90 work. The Lexington well supplied
with boats and buckets a well any steamer /
that floats on the water-When she went TO be repair
ed IL not because Of any particular defect but
because % the general wear and tear She was of a
peculiar bald; her deck arched from stem To /
stern; she built on what they term "Towns
lridge" principle. The wood work was v,ry near |
the smoke pipe, ut that not dangerous, because
IL hal outside costing which the steam hat to pass
threugh Def re II reached the cylinder. l cannot !
give opinion about the origin of the fire, whether
IL occurred from above below. little hemp
may have been laying about the engine room, or any
other n1smabIe substance. i have frequently had /
boat catch fire during nv career, but found no diff
heuty IN putting IL out. always deemed the Lex
ington the best boat Of New York.
Juror Did you ever burn coal while an the com
mani o. boafl
Witness-Oh yes.
Juror--Were YOU IN the habit OF taking any extra
prscautions at such times
" itness-l don't recoilect. always gave orders |
10 De careful
b. the roroner-Co1l is not more dangerous than
wood and the PLAZA OF the bsers Is Of the same
The CRATES would req sire little alteration because
the c1. taxes less rom than the wood The coal -
the more economical 81 the two, aud the easing OF
the chimney would be quite sufficient protection.
The boiler IN he hold, rising about ghteen
inches above the deck of the vessel According to
Hiiard the fire not there al first, but round the
chimney. The wheel house sixteen or eighteen
fec long. and a few feet from tue engine house.
ALWAYS steer with rope attached tn iron rods Don't
know hos thu. boat at the time Of the burning
She had an extra ier, and the head up through
the promenade deck. She was very strong boat, |
for she on reef of rock, while going |
between siNieen ara eighteen miles an hour
Ju-pr-Dtd Il not kapck her 20 piecssl
Witness-Oh No IL merely took piece out of |
thing speak of I mashed up the keel. and drove
n u, among the timbers. The boat not built
like the genertlfty of steamers, but made Of New
Jerscy live oak, which will not break.
Two witnesses were here introduced, who recog
n1cd the dies and the jury proceeded 20 the dead
house. e. take a view of them.
Ou their returs the agent OF the Lexington SAID
that tno owners would bury the 40 men, and the
coroner gave the requisite permission.
Csptsia Elisha s. iunker, eNimined i am the
Inspector of steamboats,, appointed under the act ~
Congress In the month 90 October last, inspected
Che Lexington, and considered her a sound boat IN
every respect. VI v nv daty Go inspec; the hui ~
q steamer every year, ADD the boilers once every sN
months. thought the Lexington a strong bes, Tor
her class The navigation ~ the sound IL more dan.
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