The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1852-08-13

The Terrible Disaster oi ths H. clay.
4 proves that much Target number LOST
their lises By this disaster than ot first re-
ported. Sepsnfg-i,go are known 10 be dead;
IS recognized, 4 missing and 5 unrecognized.
How many more will be found none can tell,
as the crowd and hurry Of racing boats no
accurate account was kept Of the passengers.
The details Of this tragic afIairpre awful.
We find the following graphic description
inthe National Democrat
TESTIMONY OF A WESTERN STEAMBOAT CAP
TAIE.--0ne Of our informants--a man OF
much apparent coolness and candor--who
was passenger on board the Henry Clay,
gave w the following recital. We believe
that he is now stopping at the American no.
tel, and will cheerfully give bis testimony
whene yer called for. Said he:
~ went on board at Albany, with my
wife and twoofher female friends, who were
entrusted to my care. am steamboat
Captain myself, and Que Of the proprie tors
Of line Of boats on the Ohio. lam res
ident Of Cincinnati, and this is The FIRST time
/ ever saw the Hudson river. Now, out
west we use The high-pressure engine, and
am perfectly acquainted with lis construc-
tion and operation, but these condensing ma
chimes 1 know but little about, practically.
4 have seen boats blown upon the Ohio and
Mississippi, and have witnessed much suffer-
ing and distress IN consequence--but, sir,
never, never, never. did !, in all my life,
witness 50 much suffering. and agony, aud
despair and death, as dldon that cursed
Nortn kiFer steamer, IN the short space OF
~ minutes.
~ was murder! absolute murder on the
purt'oi those who had control Of the boat all
the way fFom Albany, until the final tragedy
was consummated.v y.
Ibid they race I i. (
a" KaceY Why the sconndrels raced all
tae way lked II well enough at first; but
eiler lhe eoiiision al Aingston, ihe ladies' be-
came nervous. some tainted, some cried,
ana seeing the aflalr becoming serious, ap-
peaied 70 the acting Captain TO stop the
strlie, ne iook no notice at all OF what !
sara, anu then went to Inc Engineers en-
closure, 70 ascertain ine nelghth OF steam."
Dru ns leii you
=, ne tola me to minn my own business
Ihefe were TWO steam gauges. but no man,
save perhaps, Inc engineer himself, could
aaye ascer'ainea what number oi inches they
amoiSateg, m ala not IKE tne appearances. =
IIie leakine steam from Inc Joinings smel.
hot ana queer, such os we sometimes get
west, WIN very strong hre, under pres
sure ol iour hundred pounds. Seats were
scarce; ,ie boat was iull, my wife and my
sell sat down on stools, opposite the engi-
neers railing, and she first called my atten-
.ion 70 Inc smoke coming up from the deck
below, nearwbere the engineer stood. Just
~, ''as % .sJ =. 'UI ~ In. Inc oo..1i u oak-
,l;sn v'I H.. ~ ~ e ooMn w. Iui Ipma,o ~ wus
,;cIi % s.;.d ~ ;, % ,i .oii;, IL: n;aus oa poaiu
s,ras. d' I-a .S.a ~. .a Snu io.s - up !niew !,
sa,r ,h., ,ba 1 SoIo 49," a.ao ~ M a.ils anu
co''lI oh.ars. @ mv a,ea, p0aywi 90 iar as
Iwas iooS;no .hs M hi.aa 'S0 Ss"od ~ hae' aliu as
81" ans,,,,,a r, snJ .Io 'aAo ;u.neu up .ntoasu
n,a;n daaL .aa;J.h;',, ~II ~ nu'e " Two Tue
49, :. Tho hnat ~ ~ ~ ,ha r. g.. m'o on I.e.
,h. ,;.s, ~ sas ~ soa;, av ',s "as leauea ooWn
mo;n,sS ~, IN y. ' ac,;p, 9on, peiSon WIG was
peasI M h ou' 20 oV'in eop'aih, .aeVisea MIN
swer; and then-as tle fire was roarins he
low and bursting up through every anerture
with binding, Sitting smoke. which ner.
vaded the whole boat began 10 think of,
providing for the safety of nv wife and her
Two lady companions. AS soon as possible.
Igot them all forward. and meanwhile nv