Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-08-25

lighting the DOW, uUu pricing Cuusus0 wv
the exposed parts, she was quite sale from
danger.
As soon as the fires in the Atlantic were
out, and The boat commenced sinking, the
be.i was rung for the Propeller to come to
her assistance. By this alone, (for the
nigh. was very dark the Propeller was
enabled to find her. When the Ogdeas-
6urgh came up, her three boats were lows
cred, and prompt assistance was rendered
to the unhappy sufferers. Those who were
on the wreck of the Atlantic, were OF
course eager to jump on board. but as they
were comparatively safe there, Captain
Richardson very judiciously turned his at
,ention to rescuing such person as were in
the water on planks and other floating sub
stances, and whose lives were in imminent
jeopardy. As soon as this had been ac-
complished, the survivors upon the wreck,
who had by this time had au opportunity
of becoming calm and collected, came on
board, without the loss Of single life.
It is very difficult, taking into account
the recenlness of this horrible disaster, and
the consequent excitement Of those who
witnessed it, to obtain anything like an ad-
equate account Of the scene when 1t became
apparent that the boa, would go down. We
are told, that the poor emigrants upon the
lower deck were so utterly bewildered,
that they jumped overheard in great num-
bers, forgelful Of any provision for float
ing. Others caught hold Of the first object
that presented itself, and flung themselves
into the water. One man, in his distrac.
ton, threw over barrel filled with sand,
fused for BALLAST which, of course, sunk
Immediately.
As for incidents Of individual peril and
suffering, we have not yet obtained many.
They will be picked up from time 10 time.
| One man was in the water for three hours
upon an oar. Another, whose state room
had been somewhat fractured by the COLI.
sion, when he found that the boat was sink.
ing, tore off fragments Of the room and
| constructed :hem into rude raft, which he
had scarcely done, when the waters came
| rushing in, and carried him to the top OF
the room. He succeeded, however, in ex.
tricating himself. Three cabin boys were
drowned; all the rest OF the crew are
safe. We learn that not single child
probably among the cabin passengers was
lost.
Immediately after the collision, q sosnd>
ing was made from the atlantic, and thjr>
,y fa.homs Cor one hundred and eighty
fee.) of water was found. We have been
told, that at the spot where the boat went
down, the depth is sixty feet, but this is
probably somewhat over>estimated, az the
bow rests upon the bottom. The bow, be.
ing most heavily loaded. sank first, leav.
ing about forty feet in length Of the upper
deck above water. There was room
enough upon this TO have accommodated all
the passengers.
/. is obviously impossible TO arrive at any
proximate estimate Of the number destroyed
by this awful calamity passenger list
having been lost. We fear, however, ,ha,
the first selegraphic report, SO far from
over>estimating, is very short of the mark,
and that the total number Of ihose who
have found a vatery grave. will amount
TO no, far from three hundred.
The loss sustained by the Atlantic can.
not now be conjectured. An sndeavor will
be made to get her up.
The 0gdensburgh was iouded, we learn,
with two hundred and fifty tons, and drew
eight and half feet Of water. She was
mol seriously injured, and is 1--WE learn to
start for ogdensburgh, cher regular des,i-
nation1 Tomorrow morning.
Capt. Petite, Of the Atlantic, was cons
siderably hurt, in getting on board the Pro-
peller, and was lying in delirious state q,
Erie, yesterday.
We should have said that no person on
the Ogdensburgh was injured by the col.
lision.
We understand that warrant has been
issued for the arrest Of the Captain Of q
schooner, on the charge Of pilfering bng-
gage from the wreck OF the Atlantic.
As for the question Of blame in this
matter, it is difficult now to solve it. Ac>
cording to oil accounts we have heard, the
night wns very dark and hazy. II is said
that the lights Of neither boas were seen,
until within ten minutes of each olher.-
The reports about the steering of both boats
are naturally vague and indeterminate, and,
With our presen, information, we canno,
fix the blame upon the officers of the at.
lantic, or Of the Ogdensburgh. That
blame rests somewhere, however, we can.
not doubt, and we trust that the jury who
hold an inquest over the bodies recovered,
will look into the case closely, and do their
duty firmly. This the entire community
demand Of them. 1t is necessary for our
common safety that this catastrophe be 10.
sestigaied to the very bottom, and that the
convictions os the inquest be fully acted up
10 without fear.
Aside from this, this case demonstrates
the necessity Of a special, rigid law
which shall hold steamboat officers TO
close accountability for carelessness, for
getfulness, or oversight Of any kind. The
provisions in i, should be stringent, and laid
down beyond evasion.
The disaster of the Henry Clay has
brought this matter before Congress, and
We believe that this awful calamity Of the
Atlantic will tend to make its provisions
stlll more binding, and will hasten its pas
sage into law.