The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-05-22
THE HUDSON RIVER DISASTER.
Additional Particulars.
c OR NER'S lNQUES ITS,
sc. &c. &c.
FROM OUR OWN REPORTER.

10 see the Empire which esla two miles down the
river the Duchess county side where she has been
towed by the John Mason which arrived here from
Troy Friday and has been since in attendance
her. She lies alongside, and the hands of the
EN- pire lat their meals on board of her. They have
succeeded in getting considerable quantity Of the
freight and baggage from the main deck and placing it
board the John Mason. went ON board tho En-
pre, and when | how easily every soul on board
might have escaped by simply standing the prone
made (saoon deck at all events the hurricane
upper deck, was filed with establishment ut the mis-
management by which many lives were lost All the
hands and the clerk OF the freight assured that she
more under water than she at that mo-
meut, and part of the saloon deck is there
than from three to four feet Of The after
part Of that deck is deepest down; from the middle to
the bow it is perfectly dry. or course, therefore,
and was during the whole occurrence. The part
of the saloon deck, from the mizen mast to the
stern mas been forced OIL by the OF the water
against it, wanting the support that susains and keeps
fast the other portion Of the deck besides it
under water 1t lies floating Immediately over that
part Of the steamer from which it torn Is merely
held by the tackle The hull OF the vessel is unnjured
and unsraned; with the exception of tho breach in
the bow there is injury except to the upper light
works, which be repaired at trihing expense
There about 50 tons Of freight and baggage
board and it is quite evident that it was not this
freight that kept the vessel aea for great part it
has been taken out and she is still buoyant be-
fore. On the contrary, some Of these boxes
heavy Saturated with water) that they will float
II was therefore, the small quantity of freight the ge
neral buoyancy of the vessel and the peculiar ghtness
dry PINE that kept her buoyan She toated for seve
raj hours after the Rip Van Wrinkle left her, Thurs
she has swung round with the tide each ebb and flow
1t appears surprising to many, how the schooner
and strong as the Empire. But it must be recol-
ected both at full speed and that the schooner
was very heavily laden An this however, would not
the bowsprit would have entered, and the aperture
would have been 30 high above the water to do
harm. But there was a sharp "billet.head" under
meath made of hard oak, and bound with iron. 1t
this that did the mischief 1t has been stated by
dent MIR Burden that the steam let of
This incorrect the safety valve merely opened
as is invariably done whenever steamer is stopped;
but II was closed again and the engines worked long
as ever it possible to work them, aud n the cold
water running the boilers condensed the steam
into water. 1t yesterday when the tide was low
was found He is supposed to be a newsboy. He had
the Jersey Sentinel in his pocket, and the sailors
Troy he had money He is about II years ofage.
This ming, at the ebb tide, two more bodies
frem other evidence They were got from the main
deck. One that OF woman having u cotton
dress; her name unknown: The other, that OF q de-
Gently dressed man, whose name from u ticket
found in his pocket, appears to be Auguste
Springer Most of those drowned appear to be
German emigrants, and the reason is, that they
aid not understand the English language and
could not 80 readily understand the warnings OF dan
ger and also from their ignorance steamers and
the mode OF escaping to the upper decks aud their
tenacity in wishing to bring their luggage with them
There is another cause Of the Deaths which applies
equally to all. At first there statement made
that there danger and this lulled many into
false security till it too late to retreat They
desired to the other side of the boat to right
her, when she leaning to the starboard side With
regard the schooner, there great difficulty in
getting board Of her. for she considerable dis
lance from the side of the Empire and it only by
climbing along the bowsprit could be effected at
first Ladies' could not possibly get into her. and none
of them, far could learn, taken off in her.
1t appears that the fast at first in the cabin,
but afterwards she filed more slowly. Some Of the
passengers the main deck carried of their feet
by the current, and drowned in depth Of water not
sufficient to cover them If they stood erect. Others,
too sucked down the passages into the cabin II
by Whirlpool James Scott Of Wigdonshire Scotland,
emgrant, told me he on the main deck with his
wife and four children that she was carried from be.
others. The poor fellow found his box ashore plum
dered Of its including his passage tickets to
predcanent and it is to be hoped the companies
with which they took passage will issue fresh tickets
place , lost two children Janet McCuIloch and her
daughter Scotch migrants also among the num-
Der Of the drowned 1t is fortunate there were so few
emigrant passengers-probably not more than twenty
in all-therwise the mortality would have been great
er. The great majority were first class passengers:
The entire number is about $50 The passenger list
It is a melancholy reflection that all might easily
have been saved and yet many lost. The clerk Of
the freight, Mr. Brintnel states that his sister, who
had retired to bed, alarmed at the shock and ran
out. So little danger did he then apprehend that he
told her back to her and she ctuay locked
the door, and he afterwards found some difficulty In
rousing her when he there really danger. Sc
veral gentlemen among them Mr.. George Hooper, an
Englishman and the steward though they slept in the
cabin had time to dress after the alarm was given and
escape without wetting their feet The steward John
the aft end, and at the side that lowest in the
had time to dress and without wetting
the soes of his feet Is not therefore, clear that
loss of life this melancholy occasion
One man who leaped overheard swan to shore, and
two who accompanied him for some distance went to
the bottom Among other alarms there was false one
of Gre for some time which tended to produce conf
tween steamboats, and schooners which makes them
more reckless Of consequences than they otherwise
the collision in time, 1t would have been avoided. This
is admitted by the hands and officers on board of
more blamed than the pilot and captain Of the other
boat because the rule with vessels meeting s for each
The latter is to 70 astern The pilot of the Empire pro-
badly thought the other would have tackled sooner, or
that he would have had time to cross her bows; and
The pilot of the schooner thought the Empire would
have followed the established rule. The pilot Of the
latter did like to be put out Of course perhaps or
10 lose time and he took the risk thinking the little
weasel would succumb. | understand there is great
anxiety between the opposition steamers to beat each
other IN me ssee Bnekaad who lost two boys
one seven, and another two years OF age Another
child and his wife were saved with some diihcuty they
The statement Of the captain IT, that he was in the
upper SALOONS when he heard the bells, and immc-
diately after he heard the crasn
at first, as they occasionally came In collision with
such vessels without any injurious consequences When
lie she filing he went to the state room saloon
and reused the out of bed and sent to
others, and tell them to get on board the
schooner. He also desired the to throw out the
lumber in the that the people might have some
thing to hold by. There objection made to
this by somebody board the schooner. But he did
il himself with his hands. He then thought the
Empire would 60 down When he saw she had settled,
and was sinking further he told the passengers to
remain on board and get on the hurricane deck.
The following is list of the bodies found .
BODIES FOUND.
No l. female, apparently Irish; had black muslin
de aine dress eghorn hat light purple Berage shawl
earrings with figure Of the harp; dark brown hair,
grey eyes mottled compile xon; twenty-five to twenty
eight years Of age plain gold finger ring, cotton
stockiugs cotton drawers, fine cotton chemsc, collar,
marked "E B.. No. S." white jean corsets, blister
mark on stomach prominent teeth 51s feet high, cot
ton or wool in her ears common lace boots; had two
no Q A female; dress apparently English calico,