The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-07-31


and residences Of the deceased-that We snbjoin oil
the additional particulars we could collect, under
their proper heads:-
SCENES AND INCIDENTS.
In addition 10 the peremptory aud fatal order
given to the passengers, TO go Oft, after the fire was
dscovered-bcing the cause Of the great loss of hfo
there il another cause which have learned from
one Of the passengers. He informs VA that be went
down to dinner TO the first table, and fonnd it SO
full that he could get seat. There were at least
eighty persons at dinner They werc all enjoying
themselves, and evidently unconscious of any dan
ger He immediately returned 10 the deck and, at
that moment, he found the ship FIRE, and
the place oil flied with smoke; and he is certain
that large proportion Of those NJ dinner must have
perished as he cannot conceive how they got up,
beng intercepted by the fire and smoke.
AT Hudson. the Arioenia, by taking the west
channel and not landing, succeeded IN getting
ahead Of the Clay. About half an hour al er pass
ing Catssil, the Clay overlook the Ammonia and
Tor the following three quarters of an hour thc two
boats were running side by side and il became
Necessary TO use fonGeTs constantly to prevent da-
msge from collision.
by this time the passengers, especially tho ladies'
had become very much 0larned- Indeed, they had
been in state of constant apprehension from the
moment they lct5 lbany, thcre being so many mo-
nsstations of desperation on the pars of the con-
ductors OF the STEINER The passages be ween the
rear arc font OF che steamer so heated rs 70
out stopping; where they did stop, the noise Of the
and agents the boats added to the general
olarm to such degree that frequent appeals were
made by the ladies, and afterwards by the gentle
men, to the captain person appearing to have
charge Of the vessel, to dcsist Several ladies
tainted, and ono was heard to remark that if there
wss single gentleman board the vessel, he would
60 and compel the captain to stop racing.
When near Kingston, the Armenia had to stop and
blow off s,eanl--she was presumed to have become
~ 81 tn ryit mfr
~. This gave the Clay again the start. AT this
time, gentleman whose wife was excessively
frightened, seized the captain by the arm, aud in
sisted upon his stacking the speed Of the boat
by his coDfden. manner succeeded in calming the
appreheDsOns Of many who We're before in state of
great alarm.
About three O'Clock the passengers on tho upper
deck remarked a smoke proceeding apparently from
the engine room, in the middle Of the boaA and
simultaneously the cry of fire heard. There
come from one Of the oiccrs o. the vessel, at the
same time, declaration that there was no kind Of
danger. Soon, however. the smoke was SO dense
that the passengers knew at there was danger
One Of our inform0nts and his two companions i'm
mediately spraDg for the forward part Of the boat
under the correct impression that the counter
rent OF air would drive the smoke feom the fore
to the after pant of the vessel while she under
way.
The ladies dared not attempt TO follow through
the flames fearing their dresses would take fire, and
they all crowded as far rs they could towards the
stern When the smoke first broke out, gentle
man rushed forward to tho pilot Office ana said
"Your boat is on fre-run her ashore
The pilot instantly replied Mind your own bust
ness" and kept his vessel her course for dis
lance of from n half 10 three quarters of mile
after the alarm of fire was first given. When the
bow Of the vessel turned toward the shore, she
about two miles below Yonkers, and some seven
teen or eighteen miles from this city.
BY the time her head was turned towards the
eastern shore, where she was beached, she was
wrapped in flames, and she presented to the spec
tators on the shore the appearance of solid body
Of FIRE rushing madly upon the banks. She was run
on, almost perpendicular to the bank, and her stern
consequently lay in deep water. The passengers on
her bow soon got on shore in safety. The guards
and railing around the stern at first thronged
with ladies, who had got outside, md hanging
on, waiting for succor. Those who were not caught
by the bystanders driven by the flames into the
water, and drowned.
Mr.. Allen, Of this city, whose body was found
yesterday. and whose obituary published in yes
terday's HERALD, was not accompanied by his
wife, as stated in some Of the accounts in the
newspapers; Mr.. Jewett,, Of Poughkeepsie, was
sitting on the hurricane deck, talking with some
gentlemen, Immediately before the accident. When
the vessel was beached, Mr. Jewett saw him stand
ing on the gunrd, and handed him the end Of a
rope, inviting him TO take hold Of it and be helped
ashore. He was at the bow Of the boat. With
that, Mr.. Jewett pushed off, and presently, looking
around to see if Mr.. Allen was coming, saw nothing
| of him.
| A gardener Of Mr.. Russell Smith saved number
| Of ladies'. Among them was Mrs Jewett, wife OF
Mr.. Jewctt, and another lady, with both Of whom
| lie swam to tho shore in safety. The vessel
was first seen by Robert Sherman, coachman; Gle
ment King. gardener, and bis sonall in the employ
Of Russell Smith, Esq whose residence was on the
bank against which the boat struck. They imme-
dately devoted themselves to the unfortunate pas
seDgcrs, and through their energy and bravery a
large number Of lives were saved. Together, they
helped to the shore between forty and fifty.
Mrs Russell Smith and her servants made their
kind Offices and attentions very effective during all
this trying sceLe. Her kouEe was IN asylum. She
tended and nursed those that were burned, sup
piled and covered the desdtute and did everything
in her power TO aasunge the distress which about
her.
An incident worthy Of note occurred at the time
Of the panic. A gallant young man named Ed
wards, who was on the taffrail, aft. observing a
young lady in great danger from tho fire, exclaim
ed, viii you go with me into the water, and run
the risk Of being drowned oswill you be burned to
deathF' The female accepted tho noble offer, and
both were saved
Mr.. Way, Of Welsvlle, Ohio, was among the
passengers. When the Henry Clay first struck, he
swan ashore procured raft of several loose boards
and returned to save his wife. The drowning crea-
lures about him, in their struggles for safety broke
up his raft, and compelled him to abandon IL. Mr.
Way then got under the steamers qua I'd again. and
sustained his wife and two other ladies until the
small boats came mp.
Mr.. +. Thompson, of $50 Henry street, New York,
was on board with his wife, child and servant
When he discovered the danger he got settce and
threw 1t over, and let hinssf down TO get upon it,
At that moment some one seized his leg, ana he was
obliged to cling to the boat to save his life. At
length he got clear, but by reason of the 6re was
obliged to dror into the water He came up, looked
for his efe. but did not soc her. He thcn passed
under the guard and seized hold of brace. Here
The first person that he saw was mis- wife holding to
brace very near him. He swan to her, and hel pod
her along to The wheel. While holding to the buck
ets, the wheel rcNolvcd, and both were thrown into
the water. He again got hold of his wife, md got
ahead Of the wheel, but there was nothing to cling
TO, and tho fire was dropping upon their heads The
water was still too deep TO wade; but jnet ct this
moment some one thrust some boards 10 wards them,
and they were saved. The servant and child we're
both lost,
8. W d. Cook. Of Cincinnati, was on board With
bis wife and daughter and grandson III saved tue