The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-08-02

safety valve must have been crowded open the
steam escaping from the steam pipe in quite
thick volume; the statement Of Mr.. J. Il. Glib
con, q postmaster in Clinton, Co., in yesterdays
HERALD, that be examined the steam guage aud
found that more steam was used in the Henry Clay
than allowed by her certificate; and finally, the
statement in q contemporary Of an expert, Western
steamboat captain, that on examining the boilers
she did not like appearances. The leaking steam
from the jennings snslt hot ard queer, such as Ne
sometimes get West, with very strong fire under
pressure Of four hundred pounds
All these are unmis.akeable evidences Of racing;
and though the flames did not break out till near
Yonkers the mischief done before, by the over
beating of the boat and is stated by Mr. Day ton,
that in the race to overtake the Armenia before
coming to Kingston, he distinctly smelled the very
smell Of smoke that preceded the fatal calami.
ty opposite Yonkers. For the owners officers to
say there was racing after all this, is perfectly
idle, and they might well say the sun net in
the heavens at noon on one Of these scorching days
Tho fire ITSELF is at all events, evidence Of neglect,
and could not have occurred with ordinary attention
or ordinary care for the safety of the lives Of those
on board The whole transaction, from beginning
to end reveals state Of facts that there total
reckIessness OF human liic and when the fatal acc
dent did occur, there was complete absence Of the
means of safety and escape which humanity and the
law equally point out as absolutely necessary prov
sions for such an emergency The survivors are in
debted for their lives either to their ability to
swim, or to the efforts of those who had no
ton with the Henry Clay, and which were the result
of chance or Providence, and not Of any foresight
fbc If tha Of ha lad
vessel There want Of presence of mind, sound
judgment and energy, on this terrific occasion, but
for the absence of which the fatality would have
been comparatively small, if, indeed, any life at all
would have been lost. These, however, are gifts
which, though requisite in those in charge Of pas
senger steamboat, cannot be acquired, and the oii
GERS are not responsible for what God never gave
them but the owners responsible for the kind of
men to whom they entrust the lives of so many hui
man beings; and they responsible for the racing
too-one of them being actually On board during the
passage.
In most previous cases of similar disaster, however
great may have been the moral certainty Of guilt,
there has been much difficulty in obtaining the legal
evidence necessary for conviction. Here the case
appears to be clear; and if an example be not made
now for the good of the community, we despair OF
ever seeing it done This is case in which the
whole community are deeply interested, as may be
seen from the following table, we have complied
from the columns of the New YORK HERALD, of the
steamboat accidents within the present year, or in
period of little over six moaths:-
STEAMBOAT ACCIDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1852.
Janry 9-Boer of steamer Magnolia exploded, at st.
Simon's Island, eorga. Ii persons killed;
IL injured.
ploded. Grand Gull Miss. Ito lives lost;
10 persons injured
H.-Steamer Martha Washington burnt near
Memphis. Tenn lvcslo
23.--Steamer Pitzer Mler's boiler exploded, at
the mouth of the White river. Several per-
25,-steamer De Witt Clinton struck snag, near
Memphis, Tenn 40 lives lost.
3l.-Steamer General Warren wrecked, at Astoria,
Oregon AZ lives lost.
Feb. 14.-steamer Caddo sunk, near New Orleans .
29-steam tow boat Mary Kirgslands boiler burst
below New Orleans. 8 lives lost persons
injured.
rIsr 2C-steamer Pocahontas collapsed her Hues,
Memphis, Tenn. lives lost Is persons Sc
yerey scalded
26.-Stouner Independence wrecked, In Matngorda
Bay. Texas. lives lost.
April 3--Sieamer Redstoue's boilers exploded Car
roton, In. II liz, lost; % persons injured.
3-Steamer Glencoe blew mp at s.. Louis. Num-
her OF lives lost unknown.
9-Steamer saluias boiler exploded. at Licking
ton Mo leo lives lost.
11--steamer Pocahontas burnt, near Choctaw
Bend IL lives lost
25.-SteameI Prairie State collapsed her fucs
the Illinois. killing and wounding 20 persons
May lo-steamer fittsbnrgs cylinder heads broken,
killing and injuring persons
June li-Seaaer Forest City collapsed fue, at Cleve
land lives lost
July 5--Stesmor St James boiler exploded near New
Orleans. About 4olves lost
l2-Propoer City OF oswego run into by another
steamer, near Cleveland, and sunk. 20 lives
cs-Steamer Heniy Clay burnt. near Yonkcrs,
The Hudson About so lives lost, and about
20 more OF less injured.
IYrh II