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


below, but fortunately the fire made little
progress and was soon extinguished.
The passengers took refuge on the
promenade and state-room decks. The
Rochester and the Express, which left the
city shortly after the Swallow, came
mp to it in about half an hour after
the calamity and took off most of the pas
sengers. 1t is difficult to ascertain what
lives we're lost. Mrs Starbuck, of Troy,
one of the society Of Friends, it is said,
jumped overheard, was picked up, and
carried to Athens aud died there. Mrs
Lambert and Mrs French are also reported
to be missing. Some ofthe rescued pas
sengers were taken on board the Express,
some on the Rochester, and some returned
to this city by the z. l.. Stevens. OF
course many Of the passengers have thus
been separated from their friends, and the
number of the missing may be greatly eX-
aggeraied. ......
The night was dark, stormy and cold,
and IN this city there was a !all of snow
and rain during the evening,
A slip from the Hudson Gazette, dated
at o'clock on Tuesday evening, says:
We have visited the scene of destruction
to-day, and melancholy sight it is truly.
The forward part of the boat is broke of
by her forward gangway and her bows are
thrown up nearly thirty feet and rest high
and dry on island some twenty feet from
the water.
The crash must hsvc been tremendous,
as every part ofthe boat is broken to pee
es and will be a total wreck.
The loss of life is awful, and as yet no
correct estimate can be formed as to how
many have perished
We are informed by the Captain that
there were about 800 passengers on board.
The scene that took place on her striking
is ndscribabIe, the gentlemen who had
ladies' in charge rushed for the Ladies'
Saloon, and the Ladies who were in it
rushed to the door to escape-the coniu-
sion and CONSERVATION was so great that a
large number threw themselves headIong
into the river, and many must have been
drowned.
The accident took place about o'clock
in the evening; it was very dark and
stormy, and the boat was under very mod
crate Roadway when she s!ruck-had she
been under full speed many more lives
must have been lost.
Some who jumped overheard had very
narrow escape. Miss Cornelia Plat, a
young lady Of Detroit, who was on her way
to New York, under the charge of Mr.. G.
II. Hicks Of that city, left the boat on
settce and was taken up a short distance
below, nearly exhausted. Mr. Hicks,
when he went over, had his over-coat on,
but finding that he coula not do any thing
with 1t Oh, and 1t requiring great exerlions
to keep the settee up straight, he succeeded
in getting it of--thc coat was found this
morning nearly 5 miles below, in one Of
the pockets was draft for a considerable
A large number of boats from
Athens and from this city Immediately went
to relieve the sufferers, number Of per-
sons were picked up. The steamboats,
Rochester and Express were just behind
the Swallow when TIE accident occurred
and they came side and rendered all the
assistance they could, and took most Of the
on board
The s,ernol the boat sunk almost mmc-
diaeIy and must have carried a large num-
Der down with it. At high tide the wafer
is clear up TO the upper deck over lie state
rooms, this afternoon at low water they
succeeded in getting out six bodies--hve
women and one man. One was recog-
nized to be the wife Of George NJ. Coffin,
of West Troy The rest Of the bodies were
not recognized,
The John Mason has been down and
taken all the baggage and what furniture
hey could reach belonging to the boat
We understand that 1t is the intention Of
he owners to take out her engines and
machinery Immediately SO that they can
raise the stern and obtain the bodies Of
hose who were drowned IN the cabins.
The coroner of Greene county held an
inquest over the bodies and returned a
'crdict according to the facts. The bod
es were then taken to Troy that they might
oe identified by their friends.
Latcr,-Up to the date Of cur paper
thirteen bodies had been found. 1t is
tina, several more are yet to
,e discovered.
TuE COLLECTOR OLE N YORK