The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-08-21
The Lstese ana Nest Terrible Steamboat
Disaster.

O1oooto1.
When, hut few short weeks since, intelligence
Of the horrible destruction Of HE on the Hud-
son river, by the burning Of the Henry Clay, fell
like . sudden blight upon the community, and
brought to the homes and hearts Of many, desola~
tiOn and mourning, and Throughout the whole COM
munity spread feeling Of sorrow and sympathy for
the victims Of that dreadful event. and evoked ex-
creations, deep and damning, on those whose reck-
lessness the cause Of it, little thought that
We would again be called on to record IN acci-
dent, any Of our lakes rivers, at all approach
ing it in it's consequence to human life. But, ere
the moon had completed single revolution, another
steamboat catastrophe, still awful and deyas-
tating TO sink into comparative insguifcance
that of the Henry Clay. The mind actually startlss
back in CONSERVATION and refuses 10 admit realize
the truth of the Geographic despatch which reached
this city yesterday, announcing the sinking of the
steamboat Atlantic by q collision, on Lake Erie,
and the destruction Of two hundred lives. We
thought we had but little while ago banqueted
to surfeiting en- horrors, but now we find
that that was but the prelude to the feast,
and that sacrifice to Moloch, trebling in the
number of its human victims that offered up on the
2sth Of July on the Hudson river, was destined to
Who can read without feeling cold shudder per-
wade his frame, and almost paralyZe his facul-
ties, the following brief but terrible sentences from
Inc telegraphic report 3
The steamcr Atlantic in collision with the pro
pellcr ogdensburg. at two O'Clock this morning.
At about half past two o'clock, amidst the wild shrieks
Of the passengers. the steamer settled and sunk
From the best information gain, are led to
believe that some two hundred lives are lost.
In these few lines what unimaginabc scenes of
horror are contained! scenes which we shrink from
contemplating, much less depicting. We win en-
deavor to draw veil ever them, and, for time at
least, restrain the mind from tracing them while
we attempt, from the few facts we have got to dis
cuss the cause Of the dire calamity, and the
taken to provide for the safety Of the passengers
after the collision took place
1t would seem, then, that this catastro-
phe was rather the result of an unavoidable
accident, than Of carelessness or recklessness
on the part of the boats officers A dense
fog prevailed, so that the lights could
not be seen Mt any distance, and no ordi-
nary exercise Of precaution could have prevent
ed the collision. But it does seem strange and
acccuntable-and, it true, must brand the captain
and officers either with the grossest ignorance the
most brutal reckessness-that after the fatal coils
ion had taken place, immediate measures were not
taken to transfer the passengers of the Atlantic on
board the propeller Ogdcnsburg. If this had been
done, as common regard forther safety should have
imperatiyely dictated, we would not now have to
make record of the sacrifice Of this triple hscatomb
But does appear that this donein fact lift
had BEEN we question if any lives at all would have
been sacrificed. And the Atlantic, are informed,
pursued her course for two miles further, until.
ptr
er settled and SUNK We are utterly at loss to
reconcile the neglect of this, which would appear
be the first and easiest resource under the circum-
stances, and one to which rational men would in
stantly recur, with anything like intelligent dis
charge of their duties, by those entrusted with the
lives of the passengers. Was it that the steamers
did not carry boats, or was it that there were no
officers in the Atlantic with mechanical skill sufi-
cient to know the extent Of the injuries she had re-
ceiyed, and the inevitable fate which every moment
was precpitating herr This is point which
requires full and lucid explanation.
When we say above, that no ordinary amount of pre-
caution could have prevented the accident do not
at all to intimate that precautionary measures
might not have been adopted by men impressed
with deep sense of the charge confded to them.
We only mean to say that there does not appear to
have been any unusual carelessness exhibited in the
management Of the boat. But we cannot morally
exculpate the captains of either vessel and impute
the melancholy catastrophe to inevitable destiny,
until learn that, when the fog was too dense to
permit lights to be seen at any distance, they
adopted the other alternative of tolling the bells
Though this may not be the ordinary practice, yet
we cannot recognize the propriety of not resorsng
to it under such circumstances; and we think o Sc
rious responsibility attaches itself to the who
does not avail himself Of every possible meaas to
protect the lives Of many hundred beings entrust-
ed to his care.
We viii probably have full investigation of the
whole matter, and if so, we would respectfully urge
upon the jury, charged with the inquiry, minute
and searching attention to the points have advert
ed 10. If incompetence Stays its hundreds and pes.
thence its thousands, the modern steam demon is
instrumental in Staying its tens of thousands. Lee
gislation has hitherto failed produce remedy or
rather preventative, to its periodical wholesale
demolitions of life and though there is no doubt
that accidents will sometimes occur, which no hui
man knowledge could have averted or guarded
against yet there is still less doubt that ninetenths
of those deplorable disasters which have actually be-
characteristic of habits, are the results of
negligence, ignorance and recklessness. Surely we
have had melancholy Lessons enough to teach the
necessity Of having superior order of men in charge
of steamboats, and locomotives and Of observing
more attention and precaution in everything that
may possibly affect human life.
TIE AUGUST ELECTIONS The State elections in
Iowa, Missouri North Carolina, and Arkansas, have
AZ gone in favor of the democrats by large ma
ority Before these elections took place, both par
ties agreed that the results would indicate the
public opinion Of the country, and also affect ii in
a still greater degree in the same direction These
States have gone decidedly democratic, thus show.
ing that the feeling Of the country is in favor Of
the democracy, and against the wbig party. In
fact every State election held this year, North and
South, has gone in favor Of the democrats.