The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-08-11

being subjected, and begging that the race
should cease.
At this time the heat in the vicinity of
the engine and boiler rooms was so great
that 1t had become almost impossible to
pass from one end of the vessel to the 9th
cr- The fact was mentioned as an evid-
cncc OF the hazardous efforts that were
making to secure a fruitlcss victory, at the
expense of the comfort if not the lives of
all on board. The rcmonstrances were
unavalIlng. The reply was that the boat
wns getting along very well, and that
there was no danger to be apprehcndcd.
The race accordingly continues; the Henry
Clay succeeding, finally, in crowding her
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 board the few pas
scngcrs in waiting, and secured the few
dollars charged for their fare. At what
price the paItry sum was obtained, the
mclanchoI Iy sequel will show.
As may be supposed, the feelings of
those on board-a large majority of them
ladies, many of whom were without pro-
tcct"rs-had by this time hecome so eXcit-
cd, that few were prepared to act with pre-
Scncc of mind in the dread emergency in
which they were soon to he plunged
The Henry Clay maintained her vantage.
and came through the Highlands short
distance ahead OF the Armenia. Emcrr-
ing from that narrow passage, the latter
tell rapidly aStcrm OF the Clay, which pass
cd Sing Sing some four miles ahead. In
the meantime dinner had been served, and
tn" passengers were grouped on the main
and promenade decks, somewhat rcas>ur-
ed, now that the boats were so far separat-
ed.
At about quarter before 3 o'clock. lust
after passing the village Of Yonkcrs, the
| thrilling cry of "Firr" rcsoundcd from the
centre of the vessel. a glance towards
the cnginc-room showed column of
smoke pouring up from one Of the matches.
Almost simultaneously, the flames lra,rd
from the hold near the boiler rooms. and
III less than one minute the entire vicinity
"t the machinery was cnvclopcd in flames,
cutting off all communication between
forward and aft. A western Steamboat
|
! conviction that tar, rOsin or some other
highly intiammabIc matter must have been
in Use i'll the boiler room for fuel, as wood
even heated as was every part Of the
vessel near the machinery bv the unusual
fires Of the day-could not, bv any posi-
bilty, have ignitcd and raised dense wal
OF flame in the few seconds which elapsct
after the first alarm, and before communi
cation fore and aft, was cut Oft. This tcst
mony is confirmed 10y other gentlemen
with whom we cOnvcrScd.
Panic and confusion now assumed til,
rclnS. The realization of the gloomy fore
bodings OF the morning seemed to be n
hand. Men, women and children wcr,
thrown into an alarming state of comiu
sion. Ladies were calling upon their huS
bands for succOr; mothers claspcd Their
children to their bosoms with the energy
of despair as they rctrcatcd from tn,
rapidly spreading destruction. Husbands
who were on the forward deck, strove il
vain to reach their partners, left but mo
mcnt before in the aftcr-Saloon. Groans
cries, shrieks, imprecations and PRAYER.
were mingled in mournful chorus. From
! the instant that the fire was discovered
despair seemed to settle upon the hearts
OF Il large portion Of the passengers, and
shut out from view altogether the hope
calculated to induce sclf:posscssion and eff
iectual efforts for safety.
A cry for the "boats" WAS raised; bu
no boats could be found. We cannot as
certain that n single yawl or boat wa
on board the steamer. If there was on,
such, We are assured that none was brouph
IN use. Nor can we learn that there wa
any effective apparatus on board witt
which, To cXtimguISh fire. At all events
every effort to save the vessel became 81
uttcr hopeless, within five minutes aftcl
the flames broke ont that il was ahan
doncd, and the steamers head was turneC
towards the east bank of the river in or
der to run ashore. The necessity for this
movement at the earliest moment was full
ly apparent. Already were the wheel
houses wrapped in flames, the engineer,
had been driven from their posts, and the
devastating element famed 10y stiff south
wind, was sweeping rapidly towards the
after saloon, where the greater number o.
the passengers were located. The dense
volume Of smoke, too, was blown directly
aft, laden with burning cindcrs, and sub
jrcting them to imminent danger of suf
location.
In the meantime, the despairing shrek.
for help appeared to be redoubed. 1t wa.
instinctiveIy seen that, rs the steamer
would strike the shore bow on, there he
ing no communication from aft to forward
even the approach to the rivers bank gav.
but little hope to the helpless women and
children who were astern. And there
they stood, the Young and the old, bat
Ting, inch by inch, with the flame, suffer
ing thousand deaths in the terrible strug
gle for life, until the vessel struck, leaving
those who were aft, some $50 or 800 fcet
| from the shore AT this tino :, ;s oe,;