The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1852-08-11
Burning of the Henry Clay.

The New York Tribune gives the follow
ing sketch Of this terrible event. We have
not room for all the details, but they are Of
the most distressing character;
The Henry Clay left Albany at 7 O'Clock
yesterday morning, having on board, as
near as could be ascerlained, some 800
passengers. The Armenia lelt the same a
few minutes afterward. On the passage
down the river there was, as witnesses teslI-
fy, continuous strife or race between the
two boats. At one time the Clay crowded
the Armenia almost upon thewestern shore,
and forced her drop astern, DC. The pas
sengerE on poard The II. G. finally became
greatly alarmed on account of the racing,
aud some time before the the fire number
Of ladies were crying and running about the
cabin, as if sensible that some catastrophe
was impending. Some of the officers ofthe
boat went among them, assured them that
there was no danger, and tried TO pacity
them,
We are assured that the race had been so
hptly contested that the boats had purpose
ly missed some of their landings. The run
ners of the boats at the various landings ap-
lpeared to havebeen aware ofthe racing, since
they freely offering bets upon their favor
ties
However, no accident or outrage occurred
until a few minutes after the Henry Clay pas
sed Yonkers, when it was discovered that the
woodwork near the boiler fues was on fire.
The alarm spread, but the officers of the
boat, (judiciously, without doubt, told the
passengers that there was no danger
4 The pilot, however saw that they was
to be lost, and headed the boat ior the cas-
tern shore. The river here was nearly two
miles wide, and tie boat in heF regular
course would have been mile and halt
from the east bank.
Before reaching the shore, the flames had
spread so as almost to prevent communica-
ton between the fore and aft parts of the
boat.
At about three, or quarter past three
o'clock, the boat come ashore, lying alright
angle with the river, and the bow driving
up some % feet on dry land, and plunging
with tremendous force into the railroad en-
baukment, which is there soma six or eight
Ie,t high.
The shock over threw the smoke pipe,
displaced every thing movable, and added
not little to the flames. While the bow
was high and dry, the greater portion of the
boat, unfortunately that which held nearly
all the passengers was in deep water.
The passengers Immediately began tc
Jump overheard. Those on the bow rot o
safely, and hegan to help others. A boar(
fence, near by, was instantly striped, ynC
the boards thrown inio the water. BY
great exertion, a large majority of the pass
engers got ashore, some scorched, nearl
all with 'ss of clothe $, trunks. de-,
But the lapidspread Of the fire, which forced
the passengers at the stern overheard, was
the cause of the loss of large number o
lives.
The scene was one OF the most terrible
character. Mothers with their clothes II
flames, trying to save some dear dhild; chill
dren struggling in the waves without
!, hand to help them, husbands and wives
drowning together rather than seperate, aut
the remorseess fire rapidly destroying tn
standing place of the Helpless victims,
There were very few houses in tn neigh
borhood, and very little help could be ha
from the shore. But all who knew Of
FASTENED to lend their aid.
When the 5 o'clock train passed (at abou
II p. m, the boat was nearly all consumed
: passengers had dispersed, (exccpt thos
who took the train, and the worst was 0
yer.
AS we said before the number of bodie
recovered before We left, at 81 last nigh
was GO Or 90. But 9 or 3 of THESE shove
> any evidence Of burning, and but appear
ed to have been burnt to death, this Wa
Mary Cooper. All the others were evident
ly dro ned.
The boat was entirely destroyed before
y o'clock, except fragment of the bow, som
ten or twelve feet high, which burned slow
! ly, like warning beacon to light up til
shapeless wreck Of charred timbers and il
on below.