Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-10-12
John Sution ral that "abo0l len min.


John Sutton stat S that "about ten min.
utes t1 eighl o'rlo wtftBto the star.
boad f.ngircei's store fecm wifh globe
ltnt 10. to G. pair Ill b am sea es TO
wsign,o ! whieh they wtie At hi lime
taking 10 gsti nj eov ia ales a
7 " encb = b d b.ebe glass d,uHiobn,
coplsiaina siirils n clpertiue sip d
upas lAuca cm'd ih went down
I to tn ct Under wheie they were Il wsfk
t. g haw mgc Of the s,iir to al ran
dom. | ~as % my way o tie Chitf
Eng II 10 fep1tt he circumstance Of
/ breaking the demiY hn, and bai lust got
on ihe bifth deck lajder and had moi
reached the spar deck b for hea The
cry offre urDed leQad Immediately
and say the hamss bursting up through
the grsiiags above the ST, am chest; /
ran on dcck, got fire bucket and en-
deayofed 10 extngush the fame
William J. Williams states, was by
ID. starting bars in the engiae room, u
work n the outside OF the cylinder; we
hearl something dripping down, and we
3
water here, (fur there was usually buck
Il If water kept in the store room aboye;)
4 he said YOU need not tie afraid, no more
would be coming down; we went on in
our work. and the first thing heard Cum
sing out FIRE; at tn same time | Nv the
flames burst up suddenly from Il c f-lt and
canvas which w around the seam eli est.
| jumped with Cum 10 tbs steam chest
aud PIPE, ard endeavored to haul the felt
IF, which We were rot able e. Go; ! then
went to work TO try end extinguish it."
alfred CHM states, | was at work
putting on the cover of the cylinder; |
saw something like woter drip ng down,
and sung out to Sutton. wh4 was in the
,tote room above; he said something
which did not understand had | ghl
near me, aud the water, S ! supposed i
to be, had clearly wet Il rough tn felt
and canvass which was around the steam
chest, VIII it f II down upon my lamp
which was below INN, dat ly the whole
ftltsand canvass was in sheet Of flame,
and together with vii inns, tiled to
aul the ftli Of, but could not succeed
the flame blazed up, and caught the
boards Which made the flooring Of the
store-rocm Immediately above; il was
impossible TO work about the packi gs OF
| tie cylinders with lantern"
There is no dt ubt on my mind sir, Us
TO tie correelnt SIS Of the above state ments,
and TO that circumstance alone must we
attribute the dreadful eallmiiy which has
overwhelmed myself and officers with the
deer, st and most painful fee Iipgs, the des.
tructi of our noble ship.
During the sad and u elancholy scene,
ana hopfy in having IL in my power 10
bear testimony to the zeal and irmness
of all the officers; they evinced On this
Itryit G Occasion coliLess wi ieh does
them infinite credit, and is a Ike honorable
10 Themselves and TO the service.
TIL" crew also did their duty like men,
and deserve well of their country there
are three or ur " no wee Iarricul.rly
distinguished for their Jealous efforts and
good tonducr, ind e wi ON iii sreak
gain in enolher oommuLicat on.
have the happiness to Inform GU thai
all he cre,e Of The Missouri mere Saued
ac,fhom SINGLE accident occurring TO any
Of them.
II, on rovi, G all tie circunst8n.
ces come cted with this disastrous occur-
r nee, YOU, sir, should &c m It exp dent
that Count Of Inquiry SHOULD be erect
et 10 investigate the facts in the case,
should le much graticd if such course
would be loIt d.
Lave the honor to be,
Most re- sFeetlully,
Your very obpdl, nj servant
JOHN THOMAS NEWTON,
Captain.
Hon DApIn HrNSu.u