Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-08-04
DREADFUL CALAMITY ON THE
HUDSON RIVER.

DREADFUL CALAMITY ON THE
HUDSON RIVER.
Burning of the steamer Henry Clay,
We publihsed under the telegraphic head
of the Sun, yesterday, brief account of
the burning of the beautiful steamer Hem
ny Clay, on the Hudson River, on We'd
ncsdOy The accounts which have since
reached us show that the accident was &C
companied by moro melancholy loss of
life, than was at first supposed. By last
nights Express mail we have the follow
ing details of the terrible calamity, which
we copy from the New York Daily Times
of yesterday morning
The steamer Henry Clay and Armenia
left Albany at I o'clock on Wednesday
morning for New York, the latter little
ahead, each crowded with passengers, the
former having between four and nvo nun
dred on board. 1t is stated that the boats
commenced racing from the start-the
boats belonging, of course, to rival lines.
An the landings were missed, in the eag-
erness of the race, until Hudson was rea-
ched. Here the Ammonia made the land
ing first, and the Henry Clay was obliged
to wait until her rivals departure, before
she could get to the dock, The Armenia
OF course, got the start again, taking
the west channel of the river. Her COM
petitor followed on the east. side of the
river-the channels being separated for
some distance by q grassy fiat. When
the boats reached the lower end of this
fiat, they were about abreast of each 9TH
er, each striving to make the next land
ing livingston, we should suppose it to
be from the doscription) ahead of the
other. The Armenia, it well 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 wheel house of the Armenia sustain
ing, meantime, considerable damage.
The. passengers, with the exception of
a reckless few, had exhibited much alarm
during the entire passage thus far, apprc-
hended some fatal result to the hazardous
race. When the boats came in collision,
their alarm increased so much that seve-
raj ladies tainted, and many others gave
expression to their fears in loud outcries
and tears. 1t is proper to state here, that
Capt. Tallman was confined to his room
by sickness, and did not assume the COM
lnand at all. Also, that Thos. CollYer,
one of the owners Of the boat, was on
board. We are told that after the COLI
sion, four gentlemen went to the persons
who were in the command, stating the
CONSERVATION of the ladies, ana remon-
strating against the fearful risk to which
the passengers were being subjected, and
begging that the race should cease.
At this time the heat i'll the vicinity OF
the engine and boiler rooms was so great
that it had become almost impossible to
pass from one end of the vessel to the
other This fact was mentioned as an
evidence of the hazardous efforts which
were being made to secure fruitless vic
tory, at the expense of the comfort if moi
the lives of all on board. The rcmon'
strances were unavailing, The reply was
that the boat was getting along very well
and that there was no danger to be APP
pretended, The race accordingly con-
tinued-the Henry Clay succeeding
finally, in crowding her competitor SC
near the shore that she was compelled tc
drop astern, in order to keep from run
ming aground. The Clay made the Ian.
ding, took on board the few passengers
in waiting, and secured the few dollars
charged for their fare. At what price
the paltry sum was obtained, the melan.
A. nodu Nv w.. s,n Snom, .,a c,,,;,,., .,
those On Toarda r'+o n SmG nG 55oU,
Indios NAN" ~ tbon, ,r;tLcJn T'''0 ~ sb
had hv lie TINA bo"omo 60 ovcitod
that few ,ynro nrenoroJ to oot vii, nro'
sencc Of MIND n The JTooJ omor mn j.,
which they wore soon 70 he nIu9rcd -
The Henry Clay mantained-h her advan-
tage, and came through the Highlands a
Emerging from the narrow PASSAGE, the
latter rapidly fell astem ofthe Clay. which
passed Sing Sing some four miles ahead