The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1853-05-05
Thursday Evening, A pril. 2s, 1853

ilERMS-1l,tO per uHnulll III uuNuHCcs
s@..-o.-A.-..............
Thursday Evening, April. 2s, 1853
N TERRIBLE CALAMITY long suspense
in regard to the steamer Independence
which our California accounts some time
since informed us was missing, with some
five hundred persons on board, has at length
terminatedin in the news of terrible calam-
lily which has befallen her, involving the en-
tire destruction by fire of the vessel, and the
sacrifice of some $50 to 200 human lives
A telegraphic despatch published last eve
ming gave portion of the particulars. She
was lost on the 18th Of February, having
been run ashore on the shoals off Margaret
ia Island, which is upon the coast of Lower
California After striking, the Independ-
ence backed off, but finding feet water in
the hold, Captain Samson ordered the Pilot
to run her on the beach, three hundred yards
from thu main land There the ship took
FIRE from the intense heat Of the furnace, and
the flames spreading rapidly, created the
most frightru CONSERVATION among the pas
sengers A heavy sea was running at the
time, and all the boafswere swamped in try
ing to get ashore. To add to the horrors OF
the scene, the fire reached the powder mag
azine, which exploded with terrific force,
shattering the stern of the steamer into frag-
ments, and blew many passengers into the
air; others jumped into the sea and were
carried off by the strong current sweeping
from the shore.
Many who had previously reached the
shore were Unable to render the sufferers
any assistance, and were obliged to remain
passive spectators, while hundreds Of men,
women and children were perishing by the
fire and sea. The ship finally swung around,
with her broadside to the shore, where her
coal took fire, and she was entirely destroy
ell. The passengers saved found themselves
on barren and uninhabited island, without
food or water, where they remained 56 hours,
in state of intense suffering. Finally, by
firing cannon, they were able to attract the
attention Of whaling vessels laying in Mag
aalene Bay, a few miles OF who came to
their assistance with provisions, and in the
end touk them off a,rt
A most important feature Of the accoiint
Is that which leads to the impression that the
steamer had been culpably crowded with an
undue number Of passengers, even for a
good and sdre scsscl OF her dimensions.-
We do not notice among the list Of passen-
gers any rroth this vicinity, but there were
agood many from Ohio and many from the
Northern section Of the country, who had
been taken down to the Isthmus by the
Northern Light, which left New York ON
the 2O,h Of January with some two hundred
in the cabin and two hundred aud seventy.
three in the steerage; and the Daniel Web.
ster sailed from New Orleans two days sub
segment; withl50 in the steerage, and 23l
In the cabin-tota OF both steamers S57
who we're to connect at San Juan with the
steamer Indepehceice. 1t il not certain
however, that they all Had through ticket:
for the Independence; and il they had i
would, 1t is stated, have been impossible fol
her to Accommodate them all. 1t is proba
Bile that the number Of the steerage pussen
gers In the two steamers was exaggerated.
The last time the Independence is repor
ted to have been seen, previous to to tn,
disaster, was off Cape St. Incas, on thu
18th of FebrdaryAthree days prior to he
terrible destruction. She was at Acapulco
too, it apPedfs three days before that date
We shall most likely hear further account
Of the terrible disaster in day Or two.--
Should any Of our citizens have sailed oil
board the "Northern Light" or "Danie
Webster" it will be Known by their friend
here. We do not now remember of any
Stilkfurther particulars will be found i'm
der the telegraphic head.
Fouts NOT YET DEAD -Every day We pub
iish some Bare-faced swindle until 1t seem
ssif halt the men would never have sens
enough to be trusted out of the reach O
their mothers apron strings. The last in
stance we have seen is the case Off youn
man on board an Ohio river boat, who ha
taken passage at Cincinnati for st. Louis
While reading paper stfahger approach
cd him and asked the loan OF $50 to pay tn
charges on some goods, proposing to repa
the money when they both arrived in 81
Louis, and placing in the hands of the gree
young man gold ,odtch as security for tn
money. After the money was paid owe
and the borrower had left the boat the lend
erwas informed by the clerk that his watc
was worth about ten cents. OF course ii
victimized young man felt bad, but ii Il,
eesru mad Hown, and he was left without an
money to find his way back to his mother
Ciepe. Her.
HoRRoRs OF WAR.-A special committe
appointed by the Board of New York Aide
men to investigate the condition of the.
York volunteers who fought in Mexico hs
made a report. The regiment original
numbered one thousand men, ofwhom onl
two hundred and seventy survive, sixty
which residein New York. About thirty nee
immediate aid. A resolution was passe
appropticting $1,000 for their relief Owe
sixty Of these volunteers have died sine
returning from Mexico, halfof which hav
been buried at the private expense OF Lieu
Senior, who was an officer in the regimen
Many are sick and suffering from the effe,
of the climate of Mexico, and the history