The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-01-19

en- having escaped from the wreck win
nothing but their night clothes. Some
who were landed below. travelled bear-loot
to the nearest place of shelter.
The Henry Bry, bound for New Or
leans, started for the wreck shortly after
the accident happened. and Eer officers
rendered to the survivors all the assist
ance in their power. The Captain ofthc
II. Bry remained with the wreck, labor
inc to save all he could, until he was so
badly frozen as to render it necessary TO
cut off part Of his clothing. The ferry
boa. lcelander was coming up with a
part OF the cargo of the ST. Louis, and
was oil the greatest assistance to the pas
sengers. She landed about 100 survivors.
The Agatha aud the ferry-boa. Wagner
were sent to the scene of the disaster yes
ierday. The latter brought up so of the
survivors, and two corpses. The corpse
of one child, about ten years of age, was
picked up some distance below, The
bodies Of two females noaied ashore near
Vide Poche. Several children were lroz-
en- 10 death before they could be taken
ashore.
The hull sunk so rapidly that the pas.
sengers had no time to save even their
wearing apparel. They hurried from
their bcrths TO the hurricane-Jeck, and
those who were not precipilated into the
river, were exposed to the severity of the
weather with nothing but their night
clothes to protect them from the cold.
The feelings which prevailed this COM
munily yesterday, cannot be described.
Tho Shepherdess is supposed to have
had over two hundred persons on board;
and many here who were anticipating tho
arrival Of friends or kindred, are left
without The means Of ascertaning
who were on board and consequently
who were lost. Many Of the survivors
are thus thrown destitute, among strang-
ers, deprived Of all their effects and with
out even their ordinary apparel.
A few minutes before the disaster hap
pened, the mate reported FIVE feet of
water. but he had not passed half the
length Of the boat before the water was
up to his shoulders. SO sudden was the
blow that general alarm could not be
given before the hull sunk. The pas
sengers hurried from their berhs, but ia
the confusion Of the moment, many leap.
ed overheard and were drowned, and
others persisted with cold. DR.. V. ].
Fourgeaud, of this city, was among those
who escaped.
The frequency Of such disas,ers-al-
though this is one Of the mos. painful!
that has occurred for years--shows how
outrageously western interests have been
neglected by the Federal Government. In
the neighborhood OF one of the largest in
land cities Of the Union, tri1ing obstruc-
ton TO navigation is suffered to remain.
endangering the lives Of all who pass that
point. and hurrying, at the same moment.
from forty TO sixty persons toa premature
grave. In all our western rivers, from
the head of navigation to the mouth Of
The Mississippi, similar distractions are
permitted by the General Government to
lie undsturbed, year after year. TO the
imminent peril Of life and property, whilss
millions of dollars are expended on the
Atlantic coast to improve harbors which
are not of onc-tenth the importance Of the
navigation of the Mississippi for any half
dozen miles from the mouth Of the Hi