Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-08-11
TERRIBLE STEAMBOAT CALAMITY.
Total destruction Of the Henry Clay, on The
Hudson Rirer.

in short time was Il sheet Of flame, and burnt
to the waters edge. She had between three
and four hundred passengers on board OF
these, it is variously estimated, that from twenty
to fifty principally females and children, perish
ed in the flames, or were drowned in their eff
forts to escape the fire. Most of the baggage
was lost
Such is brief account Of disaster that has
thrown the city into CONSERVATION, and carried
sadness and desolation to hundreds of families.
The following are the particulars of this
dreadful DISASTER
The Henry Clay, Captain J. f. Tallman, "the
new and swift steamer" as she is called in the
advertisements, left Albany at o'clock yester-
day morning, for New York She was, compar-
atively, new boat, and considered a very fine
steamer of her class. She was launched on the
18th of August in 1851 She was five hundred
and four tons burthen, two hundred and six feet
long, twenty-seven feet and four inches wide,
and eight feet and Il quarter deep. Her hull
was built by Mr.. Thomas Collyer at the foot
of Twentieth street, and her engines by Messrs.
Cunningham, Belknap q Co., in West street
She started from Albany in company with the
Armenia, making the usual stoppages for pas
sengers, swelling the number till it reached to-
between three and four hundred. She raced
with the A., as all the passengers we have seen
inform US, till she had run ahead Of that steam
er some four or five miles. Her hull had be-
come very much heated from the sun as well as
from her own furnace, till she was rs dry rs a
chip and as infamabe as gunpowder.
In this condition, and when near Yonkers,,
while these three or four hundred human beings
were little dreaming of danger, black smoke
was seen to issue from the centre of the boat,
near the pipes. Soon after one of the a1aohes
| IL .tnTf I,ac
to keep cool-that there was no danger In
mediately it was noticed that the head of the
boat was turned towards the Shore from which
breeze was blowing. Then the flames began
to steal up and through the vessel Then the
cry Of fire spread CONSERVATION among the pas
sengers on board that Inflated steamer Almost
Immediately after this she struck on shore, be-
low Yonkers, about a quarter of mile this side
of Fonthill, Mr.. Forests residence, and the
scene that then ensued battles description.
The steamer struck head on ; and as the fire
broke out in the centre, and the breeze blew off
shore, those on the stern Of the boat had either
to leap into the water or perish in the f1ames.-
One of the passengers who had reached the
shore, said, that as he turned, he saw the flames
envelope fine lad, standing on the verge of the
upper deck, seemingly uncertain whether to per-
ish by fire or water. The flames and thick
smoke seemed to wrap around him like wind
ing sheet, till he disappeared, and is now no
more Another gentleman Informed us, that he
saw n mother take her infant in her teeth by its
clothes, to have the babe come on top when she
arose to the surface, and approached the edge
of the boat to leap into the water. BY sud
den Jerk of the boat the child fell from the grasp
of the mother, and also disappeared. These
were several other heart rending incidents con-
nected with this sad affair. We shall never
know all the sad scenes Of this terrible disaster
Most of those who were saved came to the city
in the Armenia and by the Hudson River Rail
road The down train stopped to render assist
ance, and special train was sent ont TO bring
the survivors to town Several reached the IT.
wing House in n sad plight, some without shoes,
others without hats, and some without coats,
shoes or stockings &c, &c. Three other sur
vivors-Mr. Vanclieke, of Baltimore, and two
ladies-arrived at the Astor House in Il terrible
state of mental and bodily anguish.
The steamboat Armenia, which left Albany,
as we have already stated, in company with the
Henry Clay, was, at the time the fire occurred,
about four miles distance astern When she
came up her officers Immediately made every ef-
fort to rescue those on board of the Henry
Clay.
| IutGI--JfOW our opcC"b ftpO' cC'' w "'S
indebted to Mr. r. Bostwick conductor Of the
express train for his kindness in stopping the
train at the scene of the accident. We found
the Henry Clay run on the bank, within six feet
of the railroad track, and still burning. From
the report of those who were passengers aboard
the i'll fated vessel we are enabled to CLEAN the
following particulars-
The Henry Clay left Albany yesterday morn
ing about o'clock, in company with the Arme-
MA At Kingston collision nearly occurred
The boats were so near together that the Hen
ny Clay was obliged to put out tenders in order
to protect the upper works of the boat. The
ladies' on board the Henry Clay were so alarm.
ed that several of them tainted.
All the bodies that were not identified, were
sent to the flag station at Workers.
We learn that the fire was caused by The en-
cessive heat Of the boilers, causing the canvass
covering them TO ignite, and before the flames
could be subdued, spread over the boat The
scene at Yonkers was most heart-rending, pa
rents searching for their children, women for
their husbands, and husbands for their wives
Everybody, as soon as brought ashore, was i'm
mediately surrounded by the crowds, all SEEM
ing anxious, if possible, to identify them. The
coroner gave permission to have the bodies of
| Mrs Hilman of Troy. and Mrs. Bancroft, of