The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-06-21
Sinking of the Steamboat Empire at
Newburg, and Loss of Life.
SuN OFFICE, N. Y,
FRIDAY Morning. Nav

4.
Friday Morning, May 10, '49. !
The steamer Empire, Capt. w. w. Iup-
per, left her dock in this city last evening AS
usual, at seven o'clock for Albany, having
on boar a large number of passengers,
among " hom were u.any ladies. About ten
O'Clock, when opposite Newburg, the pilot,
Mr.. Levi Smith. discovered the schooner
Noah Brown with heavy deck load of
lumber, hearing down at a rapid pace thro'
the channel, apparently not discovering the
proximity of the steamer. He Immediately
stopped the engine and went forward To hail
her. Although his voice, crying to the man
at the wheel of the schooner to t'Luh! lutt!'
was heard III the cabin, 1t appears that him
for whom it was intended did not hear II.
III he eng ines were then reversed, and while
The steamer was still in the water, or making
Stern way, the schooner came upon her with
a tremendous crash. The bowsprit entered
the forward cabin ust under the larboard
guards. and so heavily was the schooner
loaded that she was not brought up until her
way bow had also entered the Empires
side.
The schooner was beating down the river
with a stiff breeze when the collision occur
red, the wind being from the south or south
by east, and she on the tack from the east
to the west share of the river. She was
owned by Mr.. Snyder, Of Troy, coal deal
err. The pilot of the Empire measured the
distance with his eye, and found 1t doubtful
if he could get by the bow of The schooner,
and for that reason had afforded her every
opportunity 70 come into the wind while he
could pass or 60 upon the other tack. The
awful scenes which followed cannot be de-
scribed. Most of tie passengers had retired
for the night, and were sleeping III their
herths. When she struck and the water
came rushing into the cabin, the men leap
ed from their beds and rushed TO the stairs
to save their lives.
[. is very possible that many in tho for
ward cabin, were overwhelmed with the
water before they could escape, though TO
all appearance they every one escaped. In
the terrible confusion they trampled and
bruised each other. In the ladies' cabin,
when it was found that the boat began to
sink, the most awful CONSERVATION ensned.
The screams OF the women were heart-ren-
ding. Wives called on their hu>baed>, and
children chung 10 their parents for safety.
On shore at Newburg, the first intmatOn
Of the dreadful catastrophe, was the awful
screams which arose from the passengers,
end the mourufuI tolliDg of the steamers
bell. Axes were brought, holes cut through
into the ladies cabin. and many thus liberia
ted. One of the ladies was accidentally
killed by blow on the head from an axe at
one of the holes; such is our information
from a passenger.
All this, including the assembling Of the
passengers on the after promenade deck and
around the pilot house, occupied period OF
less than eight minutes, during which the
boat was slowly and constantly settling
down, uoatWS mea"~nue VIVA nc tiiv.
When the water reached the furnace fires,
explosions, caused by its rush upon the bur
ming Goals, occurred, which forced out the
PANEL work upon deck, aud added still more
10 the confusion of the nomeut.
Shortly after, the steamer Rip Van VIM
hle, Capt S. Schuyler, bounf upto Albany,
and about two miles behind the Empire,
came alongside, and by admirable manage
ment the passengers were speedily taken
from their per,lous position, the Empire ia
ken in tow anh carried to the fats, where
she still iies-the stern caught upon the flat
and the bow fioatng-promenade deck even
with the wafer.
The steamer Hudson, bound for Hudson,
also astern, came up and rendered much
valuable assistance. A passenger on board
assures us that he saw many III their fright
Jump overheard, and he thinks that not less
than twenty lost their lives in this way, tho
a great portion of those who Jumped over
board were picked up by the small boats
from Newburg.
The only bodies which have been recov-
cred are those of two ladies and little girl.
One of The ladies' is quite elderly, and Is
supposed to be Mrs. Noble, WHO was
known to be on board. Of the other, no
thing was ascertaIned before the steamer
Troy left Newburg on her way 10 this city.
General Davis aud daughter Of Troy were
among the passengers. Both. we are happy
to state, were saved. The little girl was
the dau gber of Mrs. and during the
awful confusion at the time OF the collision,
the mother was seen running hther and
thither in her night Clothes and with an in
FAINT at her breast, calling upon all she met
to help her 10 ind her child. She was final
~ persuaded to give up the search and to go
above with the othar passengers at New
burg, in the hope that the child might have
been saved IN the small boats. Soon after
she left the Empire the body of her daugh-
ter Gas supposedly was found.
Ii is not Known how many, if any gentle
men, were drowned in the lower cabins
About $50 in all were there, and none of
those who escaped had time to save more
than they had upon them. Those who were
in bed and asleep were awakened by the
noise and screams, and barely escaped with
their lives.
There were about go passengers on board
all told and it is deeply to be regretted that
no list of those who were saved was taken,
and that the number of them was not count
ed. The Captains office was so quickly
buried that the books, papers, passengers
lists, aad money were not recovered.
To the kindness of the people of New
burg the passengers 10y the Inflated Empire
are indebted for many comforts which they
will never forget.
The Empire can easily he recovered, SO
that the loss TO the owners will be compare
ttvoiy triAipr ha Sbock xyaS cubdan