The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1856-05-02

me .5Hlertcdf9 SfeG1aSR1p OSPREY, IA htag-
sfon Hay5or, .iiarch 26th- Destruction also
By Fire, Of tie ,fmnican Steamer Henry
Wells, on the figue Rivey.
Fooas tie Kingston <.Jaa.) Journal, 9Th.
We have learned OF the loss of the American
steamer Henry Well, together with the total
loss by FIRE, IN this har5or, of the Steamer
Osprey.
Between three and four o'clock fire broke
out on board the Osprey which lay moored at
the head of MessrS. PorieouS, Carson & Co.'S
wharf, for the purpose of taking in freight
The FIRE which had broken out, apparently
amidshiP, soon spread from stem to stern.
AS there were no hopes Of saving the Osprey,
great anxiety was manifested 10 remove her
from the vessels in her vicinity, as well as from
the neighboring wharves. Some dlssatisfac-
lion was evinced by the inhabitants, at the
Harbor Master not being present TO give orders
10 scuttle the burning vessel, and thus render
her impotent for mischief to other property.
We have learned, however, that the Harbor
Master was not TO blame for though be was
not on the spot his lawful deputy was, and
would have Scuttled the vessel, but for the
presentation OF the Captain, that such pro-
cpedlng would affect his insurance srrjousy.-
Brsidrs, as the sparks from The burning vessel
were carried rrarWard, no immediate danger,
beyond the Osprey, apprehended, Capt.
Robinson, the Harbor Masters Deputy, very
properly, Under such circumstances, adopted
the better expedient of towing the vessel out
into the stream. For the accomplishment OF
this purpose, the Captains of the r. NJ. c.
steamers Dprwent and Prince, respectively
sent their boats, well manned. On theSe boats
arriving alongside, it appears that the crews
ascertained that several valuable instruments,
and other effects belonging to the Inflated YES
set, were 4e!t IN the cabin, which Was ~
blaze of fire. But British sailors are not TO
be daunted, and are seldom content to do their
work whether OF mercy or destruction, half
uav. Srizing their buckets, they !raIed on
board, and gallanlly dashpd into the cabin,
splaShIHg water on the blazing mass. We arr
happy 10 say that they succeeded IN their pefl-
/ ous task, and rescued from destruction many
, valQabie articles. They made fast the paint
efS oi their boats to the stern, and commenced
towing the Osprey in a Southeastern direction
into the stream. BY this tlmr, the steamer was
in a blaze, fore and aft, and her destruction
was inevitable. So intense the heat that
the bottom part OF her funnel was growing red.
Tee Captain and his officers malntaned their
/ post gailantlv to the laSt-the Captain giving
/ his orders as cody as if he acting on the
most ordinary occasion. At length, from the
! vessel having shifted her position, the tlames
were blown bv the land wind into the faces Of
/ the group that remained on board, when the
/ Captain gave orders to take to the boats. Ac-
coTdngly, they lett the vessel in the order pre-
scribed BY nautical chivalry, the Captain being
( the las, man 10 leave, having been immediately
preceded by the First officer.
The vessel, being impelIrd by the boats a
/ head, slowly moved up the harbor passing the
several streets that run into the sra IN success
sion. \ liii-- after daylight the masiS Of the
Osprey went over the side. She had How ar
+ rived opposite tie Royal Mail ComPany's
/ wharf, and about midway to the PalsadoFS,
where she remained burning till Eve minutes
after ten O'Clock, when she sunk, leaving only
thp top Of her funnel above water.
1t is a gratifying fact to be able 10 mention,
that the loss 70 shippers fIoGi this port. conSe-
q,ent on the destruction OF the "CsFrrv," Is
/ BY no means 50 great as was first apPrrhend-
ed hlrssrs Finke & Co. have suffered to the
extent OF 90 bags Of plnento. Nj. Sangul-
netti, We lrarn, has lost some coffee. but we
have not ascertaned the quantity. But, per-
hapS, the most unfortunate person, who shipped
goods from this port IS Mir. Henry Morris, the
hair dresser, in Harbour street. This Young
man has been in the habit OF going over to New
York. with small ventures OF fsdit, returning
with articles of periumery and other goods, by
means OF which be Conriyed TO gam an hon
Est livelihood Lately he has experienced re-
peated losses, in both branches OF his business ;
and aow he has added to his previous msior-
tunes the loss OF fruit, &c. prepared Tor the
New York market, Of the value OF E60-a
sum of more consequence to a poor, honest, hard
working man than ten times the amount 10 a
man OF large capital. We have also learned
that shippers OF goods at Santa Martha and
Carthagrna will lose large sums, unless their
| shipments were nSDIrd-the vessel having
been richly frtighted with valuable dyewoodS
and caoutchouc. One person alone tad The
value of GS00 Of the last named article on
board Solomon de Cordova, Esq, of this CITY,
who had taken passages for himself and family
for New York, in the Osprey, had fortunate es-
cape He sent bis luggage TO The wharf on
Monday evening. but, luckily, il was lett on
the wharf, with the intention OF taking It on
board on the following day We learn also,
that several shippers had similar narrow es-
caPes, from the same cause.
The crew of the Osprey, and the passengers
from other ports are now ashore. The poor
fellows are much 10 BE- commISerated-many
of them barely escaping with the clothes in
which they stand. Al an investigation held al
the Court Housr, Yesterday, sufficient trans
pred to show that the fire originated through
the attempt Of fireman, name Thos. Wall, to
steal whiskey from cask which was kept in
the forward saloon, by which mrans the spirit
became gnited by thu fame ola lamp, which
Wall appears 10 have taken with him TO see