Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-10-25

ed up and dashed into the cabin paoxysm OF fear. He
looked around him and speed upon
the boiler deck then turning around upon the guards rushed
past me and up the get upon the hurricane
deck. From the latter a short pipe carried down the
into the wheehouse This panied white, and seemed
to the terrified sight Of my fat friend sturdy pillar and just
the thing help his descent As be seized his feet slip
ped the pipe gave way, and down he rolled pipe in hand
struck the guards rolled more which last
brought him to the cabin stairs down these he plunged
struck fender that happened TO hang up at their foot and
landed directly underneath the boiler The dsck-hands
him and drew him from his warm berth, but the
ment he on his feet he made attempt jump
board When he brought into the cabin he presented
very odd appearance, covered with dirt, and yet graspng
very tightly his inrm but constant friend, the pipe
The other that Of upon the small steamer
/" Mechanic" The boat making her way slowly up
against very strong current and when opposite Paquemne
she struck large log that gave her pretty jar
II was about midnight, and the mana Texan recruit
had spread his bsnke, upon the hurricane deck pear the
pilot house, and fast asleep. The moment the boat
struck up he jumped and, without stopping TO ask any
questions the full length Of the deck and jumped
board. Being very good swimmer, he saved although
such good fortune would have beaen but few The old
river men have saying that "the Mississippi lets go
of who has his clothes on, and 10 generally true.
Among the serious accidents that have happened to
American boats the destruction Of the Ben Sherrod"
by fire, nearly two hundred passengers lost the "Ere
upon the Western lakes by fire. hundred and twenty
lives ost the Lexington" upon Long Island Sound, BY
fire, one hundred and forty lives lost; and the "Mo-
the boat had only just left the wharf, no accurate estimate
could be made.
The !" Ben Sherrod" was one Of the finest and fastest
boats upon the rver and the time the accident occurred
senge had become very much excited with the race, and
of the latter piled the fremen with liquor until they
all drunk The woodpe the boilers had taken
FIRE times before from the intense heat of the furnaces
but reckless and intoxicated as the wee they cared for
nothing but win the The FIRE broke the fourth
mo among the wood and spread with fearful IaPidiy The
pothouse was almost Immediately developed n flames the
er rope burnt and the boat under M immense pressure Of
steam. hurried through the water with fearful veocity uncon
troed and unconoableby mortal hand This occurred Old
River where the Mississippi ssx miles in width, and although
the Prairie and other boats were near hand the
that they could render necessarily but small To add to
the panic and confusion among the passengers, It wal
nounced that there two hundred kegs of powder on
board. Some twenty-five persons only were saved
With the terrible loss of the Erie most of my readels are
familiar and also with that Of the Lexington.
The latter boat when her passage from New YGk to
Stonngton, took FIRE "A PM, opposite Eatons Netk, on
Long island She had board one hundred and ten pas
sengers, and Of ihiy-fve, all of whom, four,
lost It the 3th Of January. lS4O that th oc
cured, and the weather of unusual severity One of
the survivors, Capt. Chester Hard commands the slip
st. Charles He was returning to his family from Pro-
voyage and saved after he had foaed about
the Sound for thirteen hours, supported BY bale Of cotton
The "Moselle" entirely new boat, and had beer
built with view to the attaining great speed Before sh
left the wharf at Cincinnati the fearful height
She short distance up the river, and then turned he
course down stream.
Passengers crowded her guards hsndkerchefs were was
ing, and band on board playing an inspiring air; when
Just she opposite the landing, the bell rang, the en-
gne stopped, and she blew up in instant Occurring
this did, in such moment and in full sight of the end
and relatives Of the lost perhaps the most fearful Of
Western steamboat accidents The loss Of life was fghu
tits to be regretted that have perfect record of th
various calames that have belen steamboats, from thu
time of Fulton. With regard to the Western disasters, al
though imperfect have been made yet gen
orally incorrect have they been that reliable deductions
be drawn from them least from the accidents of b
last twenty years. Previous to that time the comparative
pauciy Of the boats and the greater attention thata serious g.
cdent excited have given data upon which dependence
be placed and the results sufficiently curious aot
OF essential Importance
Although the comparative loss Of life upon our Wesern
has been far greater than that Eastern waters Sme
statistics connected with the latter may be of service ance
obtain other The following table sppis to