The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-05-20

In the lower cabin Axes and crowbars set at
ladies' saloon, and they unable to any more
lives One lady that rescued stated that several
more were below. A hole was then cut through the
loudly on her brothers-four of whom on board
but they could not be found.
Boats with lights, from the shore, swarmed to the
Of destruction and aided in picking up the pas
sengers. man was seen to jump from the Empire on
board the Rip Van Wrinkle, with two children In his
He lost his balance and, struggling for his
life lost the children.
1t was impossible to give anything like idea of the
awful terror or Of the number OF lives lost. The Rip
Van Wrinkle remained alongside, her officers and Grew
doing all in their power to save the lives OF those on
board Of the Empire.
Mr.. Burden, Of Troy, was picked up in the river,
floating on box, almost exhausted A number Of 9TH
saved, who were found floating on boxes and
bales.
The Empire towed ashore by the Rip Van Win
ke, where she was left the water having reached her
state-room deck
The loss of life, it feared, great, large
number Of passengers had retired to their berhs The
number lost 1t Is impossible to state at present. SO
place the number as high as 49, and others not more
than 10.
We are called upon, to-day, to chronicle o serious
disaster, which took place on the Hudson river last
night and which, we fear has cost serious loss
The steamboat Empire, of Troy, when near New
burg. about ten O'Clock, last night came in collision
with the Noah Brown, of Troy, loaded with lumber
The schooner struck the Empire forward of the wheel
house, on the starboard side. So great the
CUSTOM that the Empire sunk almost instantly to her
state room deck
The officer Of the boat Immediately gave the alarm
signal for relief when the Rip Van Wrinkle along
side in less than five minutes after the concusson and
succeeded in saving the lives Of many. About two
hundred Of the Empires passengers taken of or
picked up by the officers and passengers on board the
Capt Schuyler it is said by those who were on board
Of the Rip acted through the whole Of this emergency
with great GOODNESS and discretion and with great eff
feet. As soon as he came alongside, the officers and
men under bis charge cut away openings to the saloon
this, his small boats were in service in picking up
those who had jumped overheard.
One lady was rescued by cutting an opening to the
ladies' saloon through the top deck She stated that
there several others in the saloon at the time
who, 1t is feared have persisted.
Nothing was saved from on board OF the boat; not
even the list of passengers The clerk barely
with the money he had taken during the evening
,hn after the PASSENGERS had been taken of and every
with the steamboat Hudson, towed her ashore the
fshk Flat where they left her sunk to the height Of
We have definite account to the number Of per-
sons who have persisted by this sad disaster list Of
the taken of by the Rip was collected and
given to the captain of the steamboat Troy while
her way to New York.
The Rip Van Wrinkle afterwards landed at New
burg, where many Of the passengers taken frem the
Empire remained some for the purpose of obtaining
their baggage and Others regret say for the pur
pose OF finding their friends whom they had not
since the disaster.
On the arrival Of the Rip alongside Of the Empire the
scene is by those board to have been truly
rescued with scarcely a rag of garment about them
while others escaped from the sinking vessel with but
reached the deck of the Rip they conveyed to
the cabins where everything that could be was done
for them For some clothing was obtained while others
were wrapped in blankets.
The statements made by those on board Of tho En-
pire and Rip Van Wrinkle are conflicting. We learn
from those who were on board of the latter boat thaa
vessel could be distinctly mile Off while others,
who were on the Empire, represent the evening as
being dark and that when the accident occurred the
vessel was lacking.
At the time the disaster occurred the Rip was two
miles astern of the Empire. She came up passed and
had got mile from her before tho signal Of distress
was given. When the Rip passed her the water was
being blown of the boilers, and Capt. Schuyler sup
posed that some accident had befallen her engine,
that her boiler had sprung a leak. The moment the
signal was heard he rounded and alongside, and
rendered all the assistance in his power.
The schooner was towed on the flats with the EN-
the boat.
Capt. Schuyler landed sixty of the Empires passen
gers at Newburg, and brought the number this
city, with but little wearing apparel on. large num-
Der were taken off the vessel. Mr.. Burden of Troy,
was picked up floating on dry goods box minus his
hat.
Many appalling were depicted to us by those
who assisted in rescung the passengers from this ill
fated boat In the ladies' cabin female cry was heard
after the Rip alongside; the top covering
was torn of, but before this done IL had ceased
Another passenger states that woman, while in fran
tic state Of mind threw her infant child overheard and
was afterwards taken board the Rip where she be.
came rational for moment but realizing the loss of
was landed at Newburg in almost a frantic state.
From the Albany Knickerbocker, May 191
young lady, in making her escape from the cabin,
wadng through the water up to her waist discovered
an infant floating on mattress. She dropped her
pet bag rescued the LITTLE innocent and restored it to
its mothers arms.
poor Scotohman, who arrived in this country day
or two since, with his uncle and aunt and four chill
dren tive of them orphans took passage the Empire
on Thursday night, intending to go to Canandaigua
came up In the Rip Van Wrinkle yesterday morning.
His aunt and the two orphan children drowned
lie was penniless The Scotch society took care Of
him The two children belonging to the drowned wo-
man were provided for by Mrs. Peter Smith. Their
father remained with the wreck to the body
Of his wife.
[From the Troy Budget, Extra
About ten o'clock last evening" the steamer Empire
was run foul Of by the schooner oah Brown in New
burg bay nearly opposite Newburg STAYING hole in
her. forward Of the wheels. She commenced sinking
rapidly, and in few minutes the water reached the
stateroom deck Fortunately, as the water reached
this deck the freight between this and the main deck
buoyed her up so that she sunk gradually until the
Rip Van Wrinkle alongside and took OF those who
were so fortunate rs to reach the upper deck.
The scene was terrible to those on board, and
TO those who were fortunate to get on board the
schooner, which was a small proportion to the number
81 the Rip Van Wrinkle ii expec ted that the Empire
must go down with two-thirds of her passengers on
board but just at this critical moment probably from
he cause ,ntonod above her sinking less rapid
md the water did not attain to the depth Of three
n four feet in the state hall until towcd ashore
~ the Rip Van Wrinkle.
About this time the steamer from Hudson bound
Town tho river, came alongside, and took those pas
engcrs who wished to return to New York The Rip
so left quite a number at Newburg The officers
nd Of this boat deserve great praise for their eff
render all the aid in their power their kind
,ess ~ sufferers never be forgotten
he resolutions passed by the meeting but fecbly
the gratitude of those who received their Kind
ttentions
Conspicuous among the passengers, we cannot omit
mention the name OF Joshua L. Jones' Of Albany ~
ne who did every thing possible to secure the suf-
errs aud rel def aid to those on board.
MI ix Ial flR aft al
ear could be asceI taned Quite number were |
svud, Who's. names not on the list
Our friends who on board assure that less