The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-04-21
CONGRESSIONAL.
HOUSE.

Lands, reported bill for the relief E L Swa-
zey, in relation to Choctaw Lands read twice,
referred to The Committee Of the Whole on the
state Of the Union, and ordered to be printed
THE SALINE LANDS GRANTED TO WISCONSIN.
Also, a bill to extend the time for selecting
the saline lands heretofore granted to the State
twice
On motion of Mr.. Hem, this bill was read
the third time and passed.
THE WABASH AND MISSOURI RAILROAD.
Also. a bill granting lands and the right OF
way aid IN the construction ofa railroad from
the Wab sh to the Missouri river: referred to
the Committee of the Whole on the state oil
the Union, and ordered to be printed.
The Loss of the Snluda-ProbabIe Extent
Of the Calamity-Additional Partic ulars.
We again recur, with melancholy interest, to
the distressing details connected with, perhaps
one of the most distressing catastrnphes that
has ever occurred ON the western waters
| On Saturday, up to tlI: hour OF noon, as we
stated in our evening edition, no further tidings
were received from the scene of disaster. BY
the arrival of the steamers Clara and Elvira
from the Missouri, we CLEANED several impor
| tant items of information respecting the casual
ty. which we hasten to lay before our read
ers.
| 1t appears that for nearly four days previous
! to the occurrence IF the accident, the Salud.
had been in the neighborhood Of Lexington
and had been unsuccessful in her attempts te
stem the strong current which sets in at the
point Immediately above that CITY,
During this period, several Of her passengers
left and proceeded over land, ar took other boats
| Half past on Friday morning last, her off
GERS determined to make another etf,rt TO pro
coed on their trip, and having made the nee ssa
nv preparations left the landing, and in in the
short space of five minutes, her boilers explo
ded with such tremendous effect, that the cab
in and other works situated forward of tn.
wheel house were completely demolished, ant
not piece Of timber was left above the guards
The commander, Capt Belt who was on tn,
hurricane roof, was blown in the air a distanc,
of about one hundred feet, and was thrown a
gainst the side Of Hill at Lexington Hi
mangled body was recovered short time after
wards. The second clerk, MIR. Blackburn, wa
standing on the boiler deck, and was also blow
into the town.
But the alarming loss Of life does not sto,
here. In a few moments the mulliatd bodie
OF large number of the passengers were fonn,
in the streets Of Lexington. The work of d..
sruction progressed rapidly, that the cit z n
did not imagine there was single survivor
Every where could be seen the mingled bodies
pieces OF flesh, blood brains, and separated
limos. The scene was truly appalling Messrs
Charles iabarge and Louis Gareth, tn e pilots
were blown into the river, and their bodies hat
not been recovered when the Clara left. This
was likewise The case with the Engineers
Messrs Cheney and Evans.
The number Of lives lost will not, perhaps
ba Tho
posed principally of enigrants to Salt Lake
and California, and rs the books of the boat are
gone, it is impossible. to find register of thei
names. About forty bodies were collected ant
inferred by TIE citizens of Lexington, but as
number were undoubtedly blown into the river
we may reasonably calculate that this is mucl
below the actual number lost.
One Of the surviving passengers lost his wife
and seven children and lady was dipr.v ID 4.
her husband and three children. Such was the
force of the explosion that portion of the boil
ers nassrd through warehouse and nearly de-
mnlshed it, and killed a man who was standin-
near 1T.
The freight, large portion Of which belong
ed to the passengers, will only be recove ed in i
damaged sta.e, as the boat sunk soon after the
explosion.
| The people of Lexington behaved in the
handsomest manner They We'd with each
o'her in offering consolation TO the dying and in
affnrdng assistance to the wounded They
| furn shed comfortable hospital accommodations
and appropriated 81 900 for the relief Of the
suff' ring. The dead were decently buried, ant
those who are still lingering among them are
receiving everv attention.
Capt. Brookman and Nr. Conrad remain al
the wreck, with view TO rescue some of the
| freight.
The remains of Capt Belt and Mr.. Black
burn were brought to the city on the Clara
| The ght previous to the occurrence, the
steamer Isabel, bound up, landed considerable
d stance below the Saluda and in this way was
not injured by the explosion.
The Clerk, Capt, Br,"kman, fortunately for
himself, was in the back part of the cabin a,
the time, and escaped unhurt. There were also
seven ladies who received no injury. Mr.. Peter
Conrad, one OF the owners Of the boat, was
scalded, but his physician states that his wounds
are moi dangerous, and that in few days he
will be able 10 leave for home St. Louis Un-
ion.