New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-06-03
To he Editor of The ~ y. Tribune.
DtnaurtpT v Il TIN

I To Re Editor of ~ T. Tribune.
BLOOMFIELD, n. j., Thursday, june /, 1853.
SIR: | find that no one has been candid enough 10
furnish YOU with the facts connected with the following
wreck which trust shall be enabled to lay before the
public through the medium of free press was pas
seneer on the Black Hawk at the time OF the alarming
catastrophe detailed below and did it fall 10 my lot
3 to witness hcart-rendng scene. The Black Hawk
yves splendid American opper-bult ship and had once
previously crossed the Atlantic Ii was chartered on the
present occasion by w. and T. T. Tapscot Il Co., OF
Liyerpool ID. VI. Banker Captain, and left the river
Mersey on the 9TH of April with nearly nine hundred
persons on board We had pleasant voyage up to the
nth wien storm which increased III violence
throue the day and toward evening blew tremendous
gale We had much canvas out, which heard some
of the sailors saw ought have been taken in some honrs
before This caused the passengers TO become terribly
alarmed. | heard Mr. Hammond say the Captain was
fool; that the canvas should have been taken ln
sooner and that every soul would to Days Locker
before morning. inferred from tho observation that
wreck was certain At this time the bboom and fore top
mas. was carried away On the Captain being informed
of tie same lie ordered the loose pars and canvas TO be
cleared ayav but no sailors could be induced to make the
attempt. Many OF them were eggaged broaAing open
boxes in search OF liquors and some were already III
beay state of drunkenness. The Chief Mate said the
vessel woud roll her sdcs under before morning About
an hour nfior this tremendous crash was heard The
fore top-nas fell level with the main icck, carr ing "h
il the cover OF the main hatch and smashing 20 atoms three
of our boats driving the ysrl-am three or four feet
through the main deck The coming through the
shattered deck with tremendous force ond down the fore
and main hatch al the Time nnl feeble indeed ulusi
be any attempt describe the scene thni iNo"e"i nc
crying Of cdrer the ol the women the swearing
Of the ssiors the ra,tlng o boxes &C. ~ they washed
from so to side rendered !. scene that bale do'erp-
ton In n few minutes there several ect OF wetor N
the lower deck rushed through the wo.cr that vas CON-
ing down the main hatch, when met tie doctor, who SAID
every soul must perish through the inconsistency o. the
Captain looked around ne: The toiling tre
mendou.ly the wind blowing violently The scene was
one Of awful spcndor Our passengers composed Of
English I-h and Dutch. soon succeeded in persaading
the Engh and Irish cndeayor keep down the water
which they did by balng Tho Dutch could not be
prevailed upon work although their lives stake.
About - clock tho vessel gave another awful urchthc
mxxennast gone. This shock threw children INTO the
Of their parents wives into The Of thci husbands
and al seemed roped in embraces Of Ito ionderes' de-
seripton The truly asonizing. For two dag
every few minutes brought repetition OF the mingled cos
and screams The Captain did ont of the cabin
till about o'clock Tuesday. On Wednesday were
oveIoyod by seeing sailtho Caroline Pooie-bui our
Captain 100 obstinate avail himself OF its assistance
until the passengers told him they determined not to
perish the vessel would render assistance for be had
arcad, sent her away we demanded mo flag OF Distress
which was Immediately hosod whom the vessel returned
land al we're got safely othc sinking wreck t the following
Monday only three fatal accidents oseu''s.
I wa taken board the Dirigo where We sm's'' 50
priv ations-R part of the time ono bisca's PSF "! 49,
half a pint Of water, working all day "''"'s fn nv"
backward and forward like transp'rS-A'P' On n'e
deck eoniiaualy exposed TO al soTt " "e"he'-"-
teen OF twenty bleeding at ono Tune ITO" Tue trea'men'