Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1852-08-07

The place where the steamer struck
i. On the river bank, two aud a hall
miles hcIuw Nunkrrs. Noboats we're
10 he had there OF any description
The Armenia bare rapidly down. and
sen, out her boats, us also did num-
her OF sailing vessels which were neat;
but ut least quarter nf un hour O.
Iapsrd after the Clay struck. ere any
assistance came. In the meantime
the panic stricken umIoriunatcs had
nearly all been forced over the stem
into the wafer, where many OF them
sustained themselves Ivy swimming. or
by the aid Of few floating boards
until rescued from their peril"ns con.
di,iun. Others cling 10 The guards OF
the vessel. with the energy "l dGsPcr-
alton. The ruddrr aud steering gear
furnished temporary safety 10 others.
4 number succeeded in getting hold
of the braces on the under side of the
guards. Several ladies threw the
stern end Of line overheard, let
themselves down into The water, and
sustained themselves by it until aud
reached them, fortunately before the
line. which was on fire, became too
weak to support them But many
others jumped lrauticalIy into the wa
ter, aud sank 10 ri,c no more. a gen
ilcman who was forward, ard who got
ON shore soon after the vessel struck,
saws that M, one of a number OF Ia
dies-somc with children in lhcir arms
whom he saw jump from the lar
board side, were saved. He express
rs the conviction that some fifty or sin
~ lives, nj Icnsr, were lost. We wish
VIC could add that but little reliance
could he placed on his statements;
but of all those with whom We con.
vcrscd, he seemed the calmest and
best informed. We heard Of but one
person who is supposed to have been
burned 10 death one child, we are
told. was seen to fall beneath the
flames in the after saloon.
Before the engineer (Mr. Jacob
Zimmerman) was compelled to leave
his post, he arranged tho valve prop,
erly, and left tho machinery in full
motion. The engine worked well un-
til the vessel struck, when the machi-
nary stopped with a sudden crash,
probably from the giving way of the
iimbers supporting it. When the
engineer and fireman reached the for
ward deck, they fell overpowered by
the heat and sutlica'ion to which they
had been subjected.
When the smoke first broke out, q
gentleman rushed forward TO the pilot
Office and said, 'Your boat son fire run
! her ashore.'
The pilot insolently replied: 'Alind
your own business and kept his vessel
on her course for distance Of from a
half TO three quarters Of mile after lhr
alarm Of fire was first given. When
the bow oil the vessel turned toward
the shore, she was about two miles be,
low Yonkers, and some seventeen oil
eighteen miles from this city.
By The time her head was turned 10.
wards the eastern shore, where she was
beached she was wrapped in flames, and
she presented 10 the spectators on shore
the appearance Of solid body of fire
rushing madIy upon the banks. She
was run on almost perpendicular 10 the
bank, and her stern consequently lay
in deep water. The passengers on her
bow soon got TO shore in safety. The
guards and railing round the stern at
first vas thronged with ladies, who had
got outside and were hanging on, wait
ing for succour. Those who were not
caught by the bystanders, were driven
by The flames into the water and drow-
ned.
The vessel was first seen by Robert
Sherman, coachman; Clement King
gardiner and his son, all in the employ
Of Russell Smith, Esq, whose residence
was on The bank directly against which
the boal struck. They Immediately de.
voted themselves 10 the unfortunate
passengers, and through their energy
and bravery large number of lives
were saved. Together they helped to
shore between forty and fifty.
A noble Newfoundland dog, named
"Neptune," belonging in the neighbor,
hood, rushed into the water and seized
a young child that was drowning, by The
dress, near the shoulder; and bore i
safely 10 the shore. He returned and
approached woman, 10 assist in the
same way. but she was SO frightened
that the dog had to be called off, and he
was thus deprived Of the opportunity Of
extending that relief to the suferers,tc
which his instincts and hls noble nature
prompted him. A Mr.. Way, ofOhio
when the vessel first struk, swan ashore
and constructed a sort Of ra(t with
few boards, on which several were sa'
we'd. The rudders, wheels and braces
under the guards furnished temporary
safety for some. Several ladies threw
the end of a stern line overheard, lie;
,hpnSnIypS down into the water and