The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-11-02
FRIDAY MORNING, Nov. 2.
RIVER AND STEAMBOAT NEWS.

The WEATHER yesterday was warm and
cloudy, with very favorable indications OF
rain.
The Huntsville AdUOcate. Of the 3lst nit,
says the Tennessee River is quite low-so much
so that the mail boats cannot make regular
trips
To ARRIvE.-The new and beautiful light
draught steamer Blanche LsOis, Capt. Shaw,
was advertised to leave Louisville for this port
on Tuesday evening, the 30th ult. She is
said to be about the lightest draught boat ever
built, and may be able to get over Harpeth
Shoals even at the present low stage of the
river.
The StyLock left last night for Paducah, be-
ing the only departure since Tuesday night
There has been no arrival since Tuesday, in
consequence of the river having run down so
low. We have reported seventeen inches,
scant, on Harpeth Shoals, but it is doubted
whether sixteen inches can be found. The
river looks more like creek than river cor
responding with the name Of Cumberland, and
the tendency is still downward, in a double
sense Il will require the very lightest draught
boats TO get over the shoals without freight.
If the river continues to recede, even at the
present rate. navigation viii have to suspend
entirely in three or four days.
BoATs AGRouND.-The Louisville Courier,
of the 30th, says:
The Hjgh-Flyer, that arrived from st. Lon
is Yesterday morning, reports the Lower ONO
extremely difficult to navigate, with but SIX
feet water at Cottonwood bar, and the j. T.
Tfosed and antelope hard aground there. This
bar is near Smthlaud in the lower part OF the
river. and our heavy boats will have hard
time TO get out. The Rainboac, from Hender-
son. reports the Yorktown aground at Peckin-
naugh's.
LARGE LOADS OF CoTToN.-The New Or
lans Delta, of the oath, says:
The John SimOnds arrived last evening from
Memoirs with 4,646 bales cotton; the Prin-
cess. from VcksburC, with 1850 bales; and
the MaQnoEa with 1882 bales of cotton. The
arrivals of this staple, within twenty-fonr
hours, will amount to over $4,000 bales,
brought by eight boats.
AWFUL EXPLOSION Chicago Times fur
nishes the following account of the explosion
of the steam tug Seneca, at that place, on the
10th ult:
The small steam tug Seneca was in the act
of passing through Randolph street bridge,
when one of her boilers exploded with a fear
full noise, tearing the upper works of the boat
completely to atoms, which were thrown high
in the air by the cloud of steam that rose from
the wreck. The boiler, which was of the usu-
al kind of steamboat boilers, about sixteen
feet in length and three feet in circumference,
was lifted bodily from its place in the vessels
hold, and passing through both the main and
upper deck was thrown over the larboard
wheel house, and into the river 1t may be
imagined what destruction followed liz its
course Hardly plank or board was left
unbroken. The smoke stack came tumbling
upon deck, which in turn was crushed down
upon the deck below. Almost the entire boat
was left a shapeless mass Of rubbish.
Captain Joseph Donaldson, the Seneca's
commander, was standing, VIXEN the explosion
took place, upon the upper deck, giving orders
in regard to the vessels which he had in tow.
He was thrown into the river and sunk never
10 rise alive.
William Vaughan, engineer and part owner
of the boat, was terribly wounded in the face
and limbs by flying fragments of the wreck.
His cheek bone was crushed inward, and a
frighttul wound, two or three inches in length, /
made In his face. There were other wounds
on his chest, and a serious confusion on each
ANGLE. made probably by fragments OF iron pro-
jeeted by the explosion. His body presented
truly frightful spectacle when brought across
the river. ID. McVikar dressed his wounds,
which it was thought might not prove fatal TO
his life lie is, however horribly hurt
The wheelsman aud fireman saved them
selves by jumping from the boat into the river,
hardly an instant before the calamity took
place The explosion was preceded 10y sort
of Kissing noise, like that which Immediately
precedes the blowing of steam whistle
The sound was understood 10y the men as a
warning that some part of the steam Inschine-
nv was about to explode, and their timely leap
for life into the water probably saved them I
from far worse calamity than al imp pleasant
cold bath.
A lady. the wife Of the fireman, with her \
infant child, was on board when the accident 4
happened. She escaped uninjured. Her babe
was in a berth, in a small cabin on the upper I
deck The cabin was lifted bodily several feet
into the air and fell back again with crash,
but almost miraculously, the child, save
slight scald on ore arm, was unframed.
TnEArRE.-The boxes and parquette of the
theatre presented another brilliant spectacle on
Wednesday night. The first play was The
InconstaEi,p n fine old comedy, ringing ike true .
metal throughout Nc. MURDooH in the lead.
ing character of Young AraLel delighted his
audience with one Of tie most brilliant pieces
of acting we have ever seen. Mr.. GREENE as
Afra6ol the senior was himself throughout.
Young MORTIMER, as we predicted, has already
become prime favorite, aud deservedly 50.
He is one the peasautest fellows on tie stage
we ever saw, always at home and agreeable
The re-engag-ment of MURDocH is as brill
liant as his first week. which was one Of the
most successful weeks since the theatre has
been opened.
THE Pork Er-CoRRgouoN.-l Il our
paper of the 18th ultimo, prices of pork were
quoted at IS gross, and IL was stated that con-
siderable purchases had been made at that fig
ure. We should have said s. nett. We make
this correction at this late day, for the reason