The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1845-04-17

From the New York Tribune of the 9th.
DREADFUL CASUALIrY-TOTAL
WRECK OF THE STEAMBOAT
SWALLOW-SEFERAL LIV Z S
LOST!
The people of this City were thrown
into great excitement yesterday morning
by the startling news (frst published in
The Tribune Extra) ofthe loss of the
steamboat SWALLOW (Capt. SQUlREs, }
and of the lives of several passengers,
which happened on Monday evening, a.
bout l-2 o. clock, near Athens and Hud-
son. The following letter from Rev. Mr..
Harrington of Albany, was received by
us on The arrival Of The Rochester, and
Immediately issued in an Extra:
STEAMER ROCHESTER,, Tuesday, 8 A. Nj.
My DEAR FRIEND,-You may value a
few lines from an eyewitness, descriptive
of the terrible accident which bcfel the
SWALLOW last evening. AT about o.
clock, when going at rapid rate, the
boat struck on small rock island abrest
the town of Athens and the city of Hud-
son. was sitting in the upper saloon in
conversation. At the first severe shock
the passengers rushed below, but fears
were Gained for moment by the cutlery
that we had on " come in contact with a
raft. But our ears were speedily assailed
by the appealing sounds of the rending of
timbers, and the evident destruction of
the boat; while the stern settled with
frghtful rapidity. Those who had turn
ed in," in the after cabin, had barely
time to leap from their berths, before the
water was upon them. You can imagine
the horrors of the scene at this moment,
when more than three hundred souls
were thus exposed in the midst of falling
snow and almost utter darkness. AS the
water reached the boiler fires a sheet Of
mingled steam, smoke and flame poured
into the boat, Illuminating the ghastly
countenances with sudden glare Of
vivid light, and completing the consterna-
ton. The conviction that the curse of
fire was to be added to our other imm.
nent perils, curbed the resolution Of the
stoutest hearts. But the rapid sinking of
the boat extingushed the fires, and all
was darkness again.
In less than five minutes, by the bless
ing of God, the stern rested on the bottom
the water being above the windows of the
aft saloon state rooms. Several females
were drawn ont Of the state rooms by
dashing in the windows; two almost eX-
hausted-one very aged, and now lying
on beard this boat in precarious sltua-
tion-were taken from the Ladies' Cabin
by cutting through the floor. They had
sustained themselves on scuees, with on
ly few inches of breathing room for
their faces. The boat had been forced
high and dry upon the rock, and the bow,
split open amidships, was left rising al
most perpendicularly upward, covered
with anxious beings clinging TO the bull
warks. The remainder of the passengers
were sadly grouped on the toward up
per deck, many bewailing the.absence
of dear companions, and actuated by the
most dreadful apprehensions for their
fate.
BY this time the alarm had been thor
oughly communicated to the shore on
either side. The bells of the churches
began to ring, and the river WIS soon
covered with torches, waving in the feet
of boats that put off to our assistance;
while the Rochester, which had found it |
difficult to get to us and the Express,
which had now come up, were gradually
approaching along side. The sound Of
the bells peaing on the air, the shouts of
those in the boats, the light of the way
ing torches and the walling grief of many
on the wreck constituted features of
most impressive scene.
In the course of an hour all we're taken
off who remained. In the Rochester, the
past seeming like terrible dream, | am
approaching the city. 1t can scarcely
be but that several are lost Many leap
ed Immediately overheard in the frenzy
of mind which precluded the power of
sef-preservatlon in the water. The doors
of the most Of the State-rooms were so
sprung at once, as to be immoyeable, and
examination will probably discover the
utdu WuHlH SUlic vi tllGiu. CuI SCdICC-
ly hope otherwise.
The boat is a complete wreck 1t was
a mournful sight as we cast off from her
side. The Captain behaved nobly-
calming fears, and making his voice heard
every where in advice, with the most
thorough judgement and scll-possession,
The baggage is all deep under wa
ter, and will be recovered only in dam
aged state.
Our hearty thanks are due to the Off
GERS of the Rochester and Express for
their prompt assistance and untiring as
siduity to save every thing that hand
could be laid on.
Friends in the Rochester tell me that
the yell of agony, as they describe it,
which came to their ears from the sink
ing boat, was Of a character never to be
forgotten. Yours, truly,
HENRY +. HARRINGTON.
N. B.-Momiug.-The apprchensons
of loss of life which have expressed a
bovc, are fully realized. Several females
were seen to be washed off by the water
rs it rose above the guards, and all, il is