The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1845-04-23
Dreadful Disaster!--LOSs OF the steamer
Swallow

VI thS RtNoSht SSeSohs " an hAuSAat hNA4bCt VI
serious accidents.
The Swallow, il appears, left Albany on Mon
day evening, at six o'clock, having on board pas
sengers in numbers variously estimated at from
$50 to $50. At a little after eight O'Clock she
struck upon the point of the island between Hud-
son and Athens, with such force as 10 lift the bow
entirely out of the water, break the boat in twoI
and render her a complete wreck. Whether any
lives were lost is not certainly established, nor
can it be till we hear more fully from the scene
of the disaster. Some of the gentlemen whoI
came down by the Express or Rochester, with
whom we have conversed, says the New York.
Commercial, are of opinion that many must have
been drowned, while others are equally conf
dent that all on board were saved. The follow
ing account is given by passenger, in letter
to the editors of the New York Tribune, which
we copy. His description of the catastrophe is
appalling!
STEAMER ROCHESTER,, Tuesday, 8 A. NJ.
My Dear Friend; You may value few lines
from an eye witness, descriptive of the terrible
accident which bcfcl the Swallow last evening
AT about o'clock, when going at rapid rate,
the boat struck upon small rock island abreast
the town Of Athens and the city of Hudson.
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 outcry that we had only come in contact with
a raft But our ears were speedily assaulted by
the appalling sounds of the rendng of timbers,
and the evident destruction of the boat; while
the stern settled with frightful rapidity. Those
who had "turned in," in the after cabin, had
barely time to leap from their berhs, 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 sheet of mingled steam,
smoke and flame poured into the boat, illumna-
Ting the ghastly countenances with sudden
lgare of vivid light, and completing the conster-
J nation. The conviction that the curse of fire
was to Ge added to our other imminent perils,
curbed TIE 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 blessing Of
; God, the stern rested on the bottom, tho water
being above the windows of the saloon state
rooms. Several of the females wele drawn ou
| OF the state rooms by dashiug in the windows
two almost exhausted-one very aged, and now
lying on board this boat in precarious situation
were taken from the Ladies' Cabin by cutting
through the floor. They had sustained them
selves on their faces. The bow had been forced
high and dry upon rock, and the boat split oper
amIdships, was left rising almost perpendicular
y upwards, covered with anxious beings clnginl
; to the bulwarks. The remainder of the passen
gers were sadly grouped On the forward uppe
deck, many bewailing the absence Of dear com
panions, and actuated by The most dreadful ap
: prenensions for their fate
: BY this time the alarm had been thoroughly
: communicated TO the shore on either side, The
bells OF tic churches began to ring, and the riv
5 er was soon covered with torches, waving in the
fleet Of boats that put off to our aissiance while
the Rochester, which had found it difficult to gel
$ to us, and the Express which had now come up
s were gradually approaching along side, The
sound of the bells pealing in the air, the shouts
OF those in the boats, the light off the waving tor
: ches and the wailing grief of many on the wreck
. constituted features of the most impressive
| scene.
; In the course of an hour all were taken of who
s remained, in the Rochester, the past seeming
1 like terrible dream. am approaching the ci
. ty. 1t can scarcely be but that several are lost
Many leaped Immediately overheard in that fren
Izy OF mind which precudes the power of self
preservation in the water The doors of mos
OF the s.ate-roOms were so sprung at once
g as to be immovabe, and examination will rob
: ably discover the dead within some of them.
: can scarcely hope Otherwise.
,, The boat is complete wreck 1t was
mounful sight as we cast off fromhe side. The
: captain behaved nobI Iy-calming fears, and ma
king his voice heard every where in advice
: with the most thorough judgement and selfpos
session. The baggage is almost all deep unde
water, and will be uncovered only in damaged
: state.
Our hearty thanks are due to the officers o
the Rochester and express ior their prompt asss
lance and untiring assiduity to save every thing
that hand could be laid on.
Friends in the Rochester tell me that the yel
of gong, as they describe il, which came tc
: their ears from the sinking boat, was Of charac
+ ter never to be forgotten.
Yours, truly,
u HENRY F. HARRINGTON.
N. 8-The apprehensons of loss ofIfe which
n have expressed above are fully realized Sev
: en- females were were seen 10 be washed off b,
!, water, as it rose above the guards, and all, it
It thought, could not have escaped from the cabin
s Several on board our boat have nothing but thei
ii night dresses.
" LATER PARTICULARS.
Il The SwALLow.--The number of bodies no,