New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-08-03
DREADFUL DISASTER ON THE ST. LAWRENCE
STEAMER ROWLAND HILL SUNK:
LOSS OF LIFE!
AN APPALLING SCENE
Correspondence of The Tribune.

Quebec az O'Clock, In the Steamboa: Quebec, Tor
Montreal Al IL O'Clock at night, as We were ap-
preaching the wharf at Three Rivers, the Rowland
Hil a Steamer coming down from Montreal, and
racing most furiously with another boat was
brou ght into collision with the Quebec. was
aroused from sound sleep, in my stateroo', By the
crash of the two boats and looking out Of the VIZ
dow, saw the Rowland Hill, with her wheei-hoose
and wheel entirely carried away lying neaiy -PoD
her side, and drifting On the current oy US 1
violence Of the collision may be inferred Eoin ',.e
fact that solid iron shaft, eighteen hches ~ u'
arne.er. was broken off, and the fragment Oh 'he
shaft with the wheel attached, was lett upon 'he
howe NJ onr boat. The water was covered with
s,s,,oen,s Of The wreck, and here and there could
he aeon struggling in the stream. the heads and
those WHO By the shock had been thrown from
s boat or in their terror mad eaped overheard The air
was sea with confused oucries French and English
md most appalling srieks uttered by those in the
water ard those who striving 10 eztrcate them
selves from the sinking boat.
The wreck drifted rapidly away upon the broad cur
rent Of the ST. Lawrence end was soon 80 lost IN me
gloom of night tina. nothing could be Oh. tie lights
which were suspended around il. There was not
breath Of air rnoving-,he stiffness Of midnight vas
around u.s. except we heard from tue distant boat and
from those perhng in the waves such shrieks as nav
ing been once heard be forgotten. There was
in particular female voice coming from the water,
loud piercing, so expressive Of terror that even
now it rings in my Shrek utter shrek she uttered
she foatec away upon the dark stream and though II
was probably more than FIVE or ten minutes before
her voice silenced. it seemed TO me an age. We
heard the morning that gentleman and LADY were
rescued from the water by boat from the shore but
whether it was the lady who uttered these piercing
shreks who was rescued whether her body now at
the bottom of the St Lawrence, cannot tell
The Captain of the Quebec apprehcnsive that we
might have received fatal injury and might be in
sinking condition considered necessary to examine his
own boa, before he proceeded 10 the assistance oil the
other Some minutes occupied in this cSarrina-
ton when it appearing that no serious damage had
been incurred the Quebec moved down the river IN pur
suit OF the wreck. II necessary to proceed very
cautiously should sufferer float
ing upon the water or strike boat proceeding 10 the
rescue from the shore During all this time, which
seemed very long fearful shreks necessarily heard
from the region of the sinking boat and from different
points in the dark water around. AZ length, however,
arrived a, her side while boats put of from the
Steamer and one two had arrived from the shore, to
search for those VINO struggling in the stream We
found tho Rowland Hill. lying upon her side, sunk in
about ten feet of water upon bar upon which she had
driiicd. Had she sunk few moments
sooner or few moments later, she would have gone
down in ten inthoms water and few could have been
saved The part OF the covered with the
passengers and crew.
There We're in addition 10 many cabin passengers,
large number of French Canadians and some Indian fam
lilies and immense volumes OF smoke began TO roll
from the wreck and the terrible cry OF FIRE rang through
the air there cnsucd of terror and Of uproar
which s ndescribable and uninuginablc For helove
Of Cd throw us SOME axes come with your buckets"
q we are all on fire, were exclanauons which were
heard rising above the clenor and the voceratons OF
the multitude Of Canadians And then the report ran
through the Quebec that were also aground, and
could no, escape from the burning wreck at our side.
There were several gentlemen from Boston and New
York, travelling in company and all OF Us had ladies
under our protection Apprehensive that should be
under the necessity of taking settce and casting our
selves into the river did dare 10 the risk of
being separated from ladies in terrible an emer
gency and consequently had 10 watch the progress of
the fire without any efforts for its extnguishment Vast
pillows of blnck smoke rolled up. as holes cut
through the deck and though of ladies utter
cd an exclamation OF fear there not OF the party
whose heart did not throb, and whose cheek was not
pale
To our infinite relief we the fire subdued.
The passengers were in the meantime removed from
the wreck Here mother frantic in search OF her
children, from whom she was separated. Here was
husband rushing in every direction to find his wife
Here sister absolutely insane md with maniacal
and whisper inquirng for her brother, and whom
no one dared inform, that when last he
struggling with the Here q sailor with
infant in his arms. searching for its mother. Here
beautiful little girl richly dressed about five years OF
age crying out mamma! mamma wherei my man.
ma r. And here comes grey-haired old gentleman
with the blood streaming down his cheeks from cash
in his head Such some OF the pictures In this
scene Of CONSERVATION.
The Steamboat Lord Sydenham. with which the Row
land Hill racing alongside and assisted in
the rescue We remained by the wreck until the
ing; and then went way Montreal taking with
Us many of those who had been saved. The Lord Sy.
dcnham took others Quebec, and many remained q,
the village called Three Rivers. Two were found
crushed death BY the collision. and il Is supposed
that many drowned but il is not known how many
Five only We're rescued by the boats from the
Mos, of the baggage saved though several every
thing escaping only with their night dresses.
Al subsequent meeting. on board the Quebec il seem.
ed 10 be unanimous opinion of all present from both
boats that the Captain OF the Quebec a, all to
blame and there appeared be- equal upaniIty in the
opinion that the disaster TO be attributed 10 the
pardonable rashness OF the Captain OF the Rowland Hill
who, regardless OF the repeated approximation of his
passengers urged his boa, 10 the utmost in the furious
But the lash OF public ind! enaron and of severe
retribution should fall not upon the worthless Captain
alone who mere instrument but upon the Direct
OF the Company, who exposed tho lives Of the pas
seagers 20 the recklessncss OF such an agent.
JOHN :. C. ABBOTT
Mr.. JnrnaSin.
There is no more determined Wing in the t. 5
Senate than SPENCER JARNA6IS of Tennessee