Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1840-01-30
From the Republican Banner.
BnIDGEPoEr, JAN. 6.

bRiDSEFoIsi, Jan W
The Steamboat Lexington burat-One
hundred amt fGy tiu.s iost.-Our Citizens
were alarmed on Monday evening. by the
appearance of Il great light al some dis
lance west, I'm lh, Sound, which was gcn-
eralty believed 10 be steamboat on fire.
Nothing conclusive, however, was heard
in regard 10 it, I'LL the arrival of our hual
from New York. on Tuesday afternoon,
which brought the melancholy intelligence
that The IighI WAS occasirncd by the con-
hlgratiun of tie steamboat Lexington,
which was entirely destroyed, an.l that all
IN board except three pcrsfcd. One OF
the survivors. Cap, llilliari. Of Norwich,
this State whom We have seen and con
vcrscd wlh, came on here in The boat.
The Lexington left New York, al three
O'Clock, p. NJ. for SInniuglon. About
half past seven O'Clock, when of Eatun's
Neck, l.. L.. The wood work. casing, DC.
about The lues was discovered TO be on fire
An alarm was Immediately given, and
all efforts to subdue the flames proving
unavaIiug, the pilot headed the boat di.
'7ectty for Long Island shore. In about 10
minutes it was fonud The tIler ropes were
burnr in ,wo, aud she consequently un.
manageable.
The engine, however, kept in operation
under heavy head of steam. The three
small boats We're got oul with all possible
haste, hut swampcd soon after they struck
the waller, in consequence of The speed at
which The steamer was going toward the
share."
life boat which was on boarl, was al.
so launched but hy some means WAS in n
f'w ImnuIes unfortunately lost. No re.
lief therefore, was obtained from either OF
the 'huats.
When the Lexington had got within a
few miles Of the shore her engine sudden.
" stopped. All hapes of escape 10 those
on board, except by clingins to such ar
lcIcs Of freight as would sustain them,
were cut oG.
The freight Of the Lexington consisted
principally ofcoltnn, on which some Of the
passengers Tried to save themselves, hnl
none suceccedcd except Capt HiIliartl
and a fellow passenger, both of whom got
as,ridc of d cotton bale on which they kept
together until six o'clock in the morning,
when the strength Of Capt. billiards com
pauion failed him, and be (eIl uf and was
drowned.
Capt. II. continual upon his bale Of cot
toe ill II o'clock, A. NJ Tuesday, %ien
he was taken of by slnop, which wenl
out from Southport. having been thus rx-
posed about fifteen hours. Two others,
clineins TO fragment of the boat. were
also rescued by this sloop the cnsi-
neer, the other fireman, Of the un!Orlu.
nate boat.
The hnfics Of TWO others, one cnlored
woman, were likewise taken from part
of the wreck on which they had perishet
with cold.
The number on board, Capt. II. thinks
was NOT less than Us, of whom $50 were
passengers, out of which lie believes him
self 10 be the only one saved. Among the
number were or 6 women ana 2 or 8
children.
The scene on board was awful beyond
description. The fire reine' midway the
boat, cur of all communication from one
end 10 The other. The passengers crowd
cd together in The bow and stern, moaning
and bewaiing their fate, iiI compelled to
cast themselves into The watery deep, tc
escape The flames.
The boat driied with The lille, and sank
al 3 o'clock of our harbur.