The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-08-04
Dreadful Calamity on the Hudson
Burning OF the Steamer Henry Clay.

pSlNGCll llICC anu lOui lluilulSN VII
board. 1t is stated that the boats
commenced racing from the start--the
boats belonging Of course, to rival lines.
All the landings we're missed, in the
eagerness Of the race, until Hudson
was reached. Here the Armenia
made the landing first, and the Henry
Clay was obliged to wait until her ri
walls departure, before Size could get
to the dock. The Armenia, of course,
again got the start, taking the west
channel of the river. Her competitor
followed on the east side of the river
the channels being separated for
some distance by grassy hat.-When
the boats reached tine lower end Of
this fiat, they were about abreast of
each other, each striving to make the
next landing livingston, we should
suppose it to be from the description, }
ahead of the other. The Armenia, it
will be seen, was nearest the shore on
which Kingston is situated. The Clay,
however, crowded her so hard that
they came in collision, and ran side by
side for some distance, the whccl-house
Of the Armenia sustaining, meantime,
considerable damage.
Its proper to state here, that Capt.
Tallman was confined to his room by
sickness, and did not assume command
at all. Also, that Thomas Co,lyer,
one of the owners of the Loaf, was on
board. We are told that, after the
collision, four gentlemen went to the
persons who were in Command, stating
the CONSERVATION of the ladies, and re-
monstrating against the fearful iisk to
which the passengers were being sub
jected, and begging that the race
should cease. At this time, the heat
in the vicinity of the engine and boil
err rooms was so great that it had be
come almost impossible to lass from
one end of the vessel to the other.
This fact was mentioned as an evil
dence of the hazardous efforts which
were being made to secure a fruitless
victory, at the expense OF the comfort
il not the lives, of all on board. The
rcmonstranccs were unayailing. The
reply was, that the boat was getting
along very well, and that there was Nc
danger to aprrehcnd. The race &C
cordingly continued the Henry Clay
succeeding. finally, in crowding hen
competitor so near the shore, that she
was compelled to drop astcrn, in order
, to keep from running aground. The
Clay made the landing, took on boalC
the few passengers in waiting, and Sc
cured the few dollars charged for thcil
fare. At what price the paltry sun
was obtained, the melancholy seque
will show.
As may be supposed, the feelings
of those on board-a large majority Of
them ladies', many of whom were with
out protectors-had by this time be-
cone 50 excited, tlat few were IRE
pared to act with presence of mind ii
the dread emergency in which they
were to beplunged. The Henry Clay
maintained her vantage, and came
through the Highlands short distance
ahead of the Armenia. Emerging
from the narrow passage, the latter
fell rapidly astcrn of the CLAY, whicl
passed Sing Sing some four miles
ahead. In the meantime dinner ha(
} been served, and the passengers were
grouped on the main and promenade
decks, somewhat treasured, now tina
the boats were so far separated. Al
about quarter before 3 o'clock, JUS
after passing the village Of Nonkers
the thrilling cry Of " Fire :" rcsound-
ed from the centre Of the vessel. \
glance towards the enginc-room shovel
column of smoke pouring up from
: one Of the matches. Almost simulta-
, ~, the flames leaped from the
hold near the boiler room and in less
than one minute the entire vicinity o.
the machinery was enycloped in flames
cutting off all communication between
forward and aft. We cannot asccr
tain that a single yawl or life boat wa,
on board the steamer IF there wal
one such, VIC are assured that none wa
brought in use. Nor can we Learn
e that there was any effective apparatus
on board with which to extinguish
fire. At all events, every effort t.
save the vessel became so utterly hope
less, within five minutes after tn
flames broke out, that it was abandon
ed, and the steamers head was turned
+ towards the east bank of the river il
C order to run her ashore. Alrcad
t were the wheel-houscs wrapped il
Q flames, the engineers had been drive
. from their posts, and the devastatin
element, famed by stiff South wind
; was sweeping rapidly towards the al
> ter saloon, where the greater numbe
/, Of the passengers were located. TIL
d dense volume of smoke, too, was blow
e directly aft, laden with burning cir
e. ders, and subiecting them to imminer
d danger of sullocation. In the mean
q time, the desI airing shrieks for hel
- seemed to be rcdoubled. 1t was clea
- ly seen that, as the steamer woul
- strike the shore bow on, there bein
le no communication from aft to forward
N even the appranch to the rivers ban
1T gave but little hope to the helple.
W women and children who were asterI
20 The place where the steamer struc