Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-05-22
IFrem the Mp York Mirror, Aay 10. ]

clock last night opposite Newburg, by coils
ion between the steamer Empire and heavily.
laden schooner, causing, we regret 10 learn,
melancholy loss OF life. The full particulars are,
of course, moi. yet known, but the following has
been gathered from reliable sources:
The Empire left here last evening a, her usual
hour, 7 o'clock tor Albany, with large mum.
Der OF passengers and, when opposite New
burg, the pilot discovered the schooner Noah
Brown bearing down The river al a rapid raIe
having a heavy deck-load of lumber. II was
evident that The lookout on board The schooner
did not observe the close proximity OF The sIeam-
er SO The engine was stopped, and The pilot
hailed her. calling 10 the man al The helm 10 "lnn
luf," bnl no attention was paid to il.
The engine was then reversed and an effort
made 10 gel out OF the way but, before stern
way was made the schooner struck her with a
tremendous crash her bow-spril enlering the Tor.
ward CABIN just under The larboard guards and
her bow completely stove IN the side. The wa
Ter Immediately poured INTO The cabin, and The
passengers started from their berlhs in The great
est alarm and CONSERVATION, and rushed 10 me
Stars 10 gain The deck Iumbing over and tramp.
ling down each other in their hurry 10 escape.
i IS feared thai some in the forward cabin
were overwhelmed by The water and drowned,
although they all appeared 10 escape In the Ia
dies cabin, the alarm and confusion was fright
iui, when il became known that the boat was
sinkiDg-the screams Of the females mingling
with The mournlul loing Of the bell, are de
scribed as being fearful in the extreme.
Axes were used, and holes cuf in the ladies'
! cabin, and many were thus lIberaIed-one, II IS
rumorcd, was killed by blow on The head with
an axe but il is not confirmed. The passengers
then assembled on the promenade deck and il
was eyident that The boat was gradually settling,
and dropping down The river with the tide. AS
The water reached The furnace, 100, several er-
blossoms occurred, forcing out the panuel work
in the deck and adding TO The alarm OF those on
! board
The screams OF the females and the lolling Of
the bell, gave the first inimalion OF the accident
/ 10 the peroons a, Newburg, and several small
boas Immediately put on, 10 render all the assis-
lance possible In short Time, however, the Rip
! Van Wrinkle came up and ranged alongside, and
the passengers were speedily rescued The EN-
pife was also taken in tow, and conveyed to The
fats, where she now lies; the Stern being aground,
and The bow doaling-lhe promenade deck level
with the wa.er.
Ii IS impossible 10 tell, al present. how many
lives have been losl. IL is reported thai several
persons Jumped overheard in their fright, and pro.
badly some peilshed, though great many were
| rescued oy The per:oIa ~ The small boats. The
bodies Of TWO women and lue girl has been re-
coyered-one was supposed 10 be that OF Mrs.
| Noble, VINO was known 10 be on board The
mother II IS supposed ol the little girl was seen
rushing ffaEica v atout the deck in her night
clothes, having baby al he! breast, calling up
| on her child and was finally almost dragged
aboard the Rip Van Wrinkle and landed al New
Newburg. There were about 300 passengers on
board, but no isl was taken OF those saved
None Of them saved more than they CHANGED 10
have on al the time OF the accident.
the boat can be- recovered without difficulty,
and The damage Is supposed 10 b6 copparative-
ly trdIn2. The accident is clearly the result Of
ulpabe negligence On the part Of nose on board
the schooner. and they will dou5 less be held 10
srict accountability Tor The fearful consequences
that euSued.
From tle Nep Yrk Sunl
The steamer Empire, Cdpr. w. W. Topper,
leil her dock in This city on Thursday evening,
Al O'clock for Albany having on board large
number OF passengers among whom were many
ladies'. Al about len o'clock, when opposite
Nrwourg, the pilot, Mr.. Levi Smith, discovered
lhs schooner Noah Brown win heavy deck
load OF lumber bearing down a, rapid rate
through The channel, apparently moi discovering
The proximity nl the steamer
He Immediately stopped The engine and went
forward 10 hail her. Although hi> voice crying
10 The man al the whee OF The schooner 10 "Luff
Luf l"wds heard IN the cabin, il appears that
him for whom was intended DID nor hear il.
The engines were hen reversed and while the
slea mer vas Sill IN the wafer, or making Stern
Way The schooner came upon her with lfemen-
dous crash. the bowspr entered Inc forward |
cabin just under The larboafd guards and 50 heav- |
Iy was The schooner loaded that she was not |
brought up I'LL be! very bow had also entered the |
Empires side. 1
hoo -. !
a stuff breeze when Inc collision occurred, he |
wind BEN. from The South uf South by East, |
and she Oh the rack from the Eastlo the West |
shore Of The river, She was owned by Mr.. Syn |
der, OF Troy, coal dealer |
The pilot OF the Empire measured the distance |
with his eye, and found il doubtful il he could |
get BY the bow Of the schooner, and for that rea-
son aforted her every opportunity 10 come into
The wind while he could pass or go upon The 9th
er lack.
The awful scenes which now followed cannot
be described. MosI OF The passengers had reti:-
ed Tor the night, and were sleeping in their
berhs.
Correspondence OF the New York Express.]
LATEST FROM THE STEAMER EMPIRE
NEwguRo, May lSh-l0 p. Nj.
Seven bodies have been found on the wreck,
four OF which have been identlfed-aIl taken
The lower berhs ami genllemen's cabin are sup
posed TO contain IS or 80 Of the untor unae pas
sepgers. A c0roners inquest sits here on three
0i Inc bodies. Another sits Tomorrow, al FISH
Kill landing.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
Further intelligence induces 10 hope that
lever lives were lost Than was al first anticipa-
led. Up 10 late hour on Friday night only Sc
ven bodies were discovered, and only three of
EAI .L..r .t.n
missing, and among these are Cyrus f. Darius
Della Avery, Of Slonipgton, CT; Margaret Mac
donell, from Scotland; child OF George Buck
land, seven years DID, whose brother was found
drowned, and two children OF Mrs Hayes, who
had just arrived IRON Ireland; their mother ieels
assured that they arc lost. Her two eldest chill
dren are saved. Also, an infant child of Laiay-
ellie Smith, one year old. As the blow was a
sudden one, and escapes were made in various
ways, il is possible that some OF these persons
may yet be discovered.
Oh the number on board The accounts are as
mucn confused as ever. Some estimate the num-
Der al $50, ard others al 800 or thereabou;s.-
The number which got or hoard the Rip Van
Wrinkle is put down al from IS TO $50. mum.
Der got on board the Noah Brown, and as many,
II is stated. as IS persons in all. number were
picked up Oh The ri"er.
Moves Laid esifies that The following persons
are mis>ing-SiIas Ladd Darius Ladd, Nathan
5. Laid, Elias w. Laid, Adelia Avery and &C.
celia Gallup.
The bodies OF George S Buckland and Isabel
la Carson are buried al Newburg. The body
Of Mrs. Noble was taken on board the Troy, 10
be conveyed 10 her friends in Essex county.
The reporter of The Tribune says:
"Severa ladies went into fits when carried
and cold The causes; some were in
lie water. Some female passengers came ashore
rolled up in banke's; others in heir night clothes;
most persons lost their baggage
"The ladies' saloon was iull OF water, and they
cut holes through the promenade or hurricane
deck and thus saved ladies confined there. Hub
bard helped 10 pull lady up ai!er The deck had
been thus cut through
"A gentleman OF Newburg who boarded The E.
Immediately alter she was struck, thinks that 81
minutes elapsed before The walter came over her
main deck"