The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-05-01
Mem Fork Correspondence.
New YoRK, April %.

VIEW OhkS hpih 90.
STEAMBOAT DIsAsrERs are the order Of the
day with us at present. On Saturday night the
fine passage-boat SOUTH AMERICA broke her
shaft when about half way to Albany, and, the
engine continuing to work, broke her machinery
to fragments, throwing pieces of il in all direc-
tons, severely wounding two or three and scald-
ing two or three more, one of whom has since
died. fear there are two or three more who
will not recover. The damage to the boat was
first stated at 1000, but think il will hardly
exceed $4,000. do not see how the officers
OF the boat can be blamed, nor any body but the
maker of the shaft
Last, evening we had another sad disaster by
steam. A little past o'clock the steam tow
boat, HENRY EcKroRD, Capt. Tice, was leaving
the dock foot of Cedar street. for Albany, with
the lake-boat Henry in tow, when her boiler ex-
ploded with a tremendous concussion blowing
half the boiler, the engine, piston, machinery and
upper deck clear off the boat-most of them into
the water. The explosion made clear sweep
OF all on deck-men included, one of whom, Mr..
Amos Beliher, of Palermo, Oswego Co., was
blown from the steamer to the barge and
picked up dead. Capt. Tice was blown about 60
feet into the water, and had his led broken. He
was badly scalded, and cut in the head, but will
probably recover Mr.. John Swort, of Oswego,
was blown into the wheel-house, badly scalded,
and had his leg broken. Jonas Snyder hand
on the steamboat, was badly scalded. Al. Der
nick, another hand, is missing. Capt. Tice's son
was hurt by blow on the arm, but not danger
| d 70 lin n ao inlu
ed in water from the feeding cylinder, but not
scalded or bruised believe this Is all. The
engineer and his son, with fireman and a ne
phew of Capt Tice, were below deck, and es-
capped with little injury. The boat is used up,
but she ought to have been condemned and dis
| carded years ago. She has been towing these
seventeen years, and was very old and crazy.
She had entirely too much steam on-in other
words, this disaster is the result of criminal fool
hardness and incompetence. Where is the U.
s. Inspector2 ..@. ..
In politics, there is little stirring here. We
don't like last nights news from Virginia, so far
as the House of Delegates is concerned Ex-
President VAN buren,, Ex-Governor MARCY,
JOHN VAN buren,, etc., are in town, preparing for
the next four years. The policy of running
VAN buren, for Governor in 1S42, preparatory
to the great four mile heat in 1914, is agitated
They could not suit US better.
Our Legislature has concluded to cut down
the Appropriations for Internal improvements for
1s41 from 100000 to 100000, and think
the bill will pass by strong vote, and the bust
ness of the Session be closed satisfactorily about
the 18th of May.
Nothing more done in the MCLEOD business.
The GREAT westerns will sail from this port,
and the COLUMBIA from Boston, on Saturday.
The city is now full of strangers, and trade
quite brisk Little change in money Matters
Nopressure. Exchange on England LIZ ga
On Philadelphia So; Baltimore do. New Or
leans 6; st. Louis 8.
j. Produce-Cotton is not inquired for, bu
ID prices are unchanged. Flour is rising. Cana
n is held at IS.
s. Mitchell, the forging exM. c., was flourish
IS ing in Montreal a few days since.
/ Yours, HAROLD.