The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-06-11
FATAL ACCIDENT ON OUR BAY.
BURNING OF the STEAMBOAT CITY OF NEWARK.
Three Persons Supposed to be Drowned.
Rescue Of the Passengers by the Steamboats,
Thomas Bunt, Commodore and tho
Steamtug Achilles,

The City OF Newark, when leaving her dock had
about sixty passengers with largs quantity freight
on board She was commanded by Captain p. Ryan.
The msjprity of the passengers were ladies' Every
thing went we'll usual until about quarter
to pire O'Clock, at which time the Newark was opposite
Staten Island. At this moment lady, who was talk
ing with Captain Ryan, remarked, chow would it be If
the beat CHANGED to ake 6rsa" "Oh" replied Captain
Ryan "there would be NO danger, ~ we have all ap-
pisnees both for extngushipg fire and for escape
board" No sooner the words uttered than man
rushed up from the cabin and cried out the boat ia on
h end Immediately the flames burst forth abaft
tbs boier, and spread rapidly above deck scsne OF
great cenfusen prevailed and many to the side with
tho intention of jumping into the water. There ap-
pears to have been attempt far could learn
from the pasf engeTs the part of the officers pre-
serve order or to take for the safety Of those
board the boat.
The smoke was frat observed issuing from the fire.
roon and soon AFTER the flames burst FORTH spreading
rapidly the deck of the vessel and driving the
Passengers to the stern. Here they endeavored to
protect themselves from the rapidly approaching
fire, but several bad their clothes burned and were
slightly scorched by the heat Their fears how
ever, were somewhat slayed they the steAmtug
Achilles and the steamboat Thomas Hunt nearing them
soor after the Achilles up TO the bow CT the City of
Newark and took of about twenty Of her passengers
Willis they were engaged in saving these OF the
beats Of the Achilles to the rescue of those who
weie holding OF BY hs stern rains of the burning steamer
This best mad got alongside than twenty
persons jumped into it. and those her about pull
Ig eff, wien It was upset by lady jumping in the
side Lines and life preervers vera thrown into the
water from the Thomas Hunt. and three her boas In
one o. which her captain, Immediately epgsged
in picking those In the water Three persons nos.
ever it is feared we're drowned two ladies' And ope
man-e OF whom were unknown tie other passengers
The Captain OF the City of Newark states that aime
mt ha nrdQ dali 10
seDgrs aft sud the HANDS lowered three boats the
purpose of taking Them off, Bnt this agree with
the Of the who say that
euch orCers given that they did the
captain after the fire discovered Those who were
saved were rescued by the Thomas Hunt and the Achilles
spd but for the timely sssistanc rendered by
veses there would have been, is feared terrible loss
OF lie
The City Newark ia about ten years old and was The
property OF Messrs Stephens Condit Co. She piled be-
tvesn sos city and Newark and is valued at about
The wreck Of tine steamboat lying on the Jersey
fats, where it was toWeo by the Commodore.
ACCOUNT BY OUR SHIP NEWS REPORTER.
The steamboat City OF Newark, Capt. Ryan, while on
her passsge from Newark to this city, having board
about one hundred passengers and large amount of
freight, when off Robbins Reef Lighthouse about nine
O'Clock yesterday morning, took fire. The stesmtugs
Achilles and Commodore and steamboat Thos Hunt being
iu the vicinity, Immediately went to her assistance and
succeeded in taking off all her passengers, without injury
to spy person. Ths Commodore then took the City of
Newark in tow AND grounded her the Jersey Flats
where she now lies.
The captain of the seamtug Achilles makes the follow
irg ststement:-
Yesterday morning. about O'CLOCK, while having in tow
the ship American Cor gress from London. seam
boat off Roboins' Reef fire. Immediately east oil
em the ship and went TO the assistance Of the steam
beat which proved to he the City of Newark from New
ark for This city, with passengers snd freight We sue
cseeed IN 'sfipg eff about thirty passengers in the
woman jumped after It and capsfzed It, All that could
be rsen were picked up again but it Is the captains
opinion that two three females drowned. Capt
Ryan, Of the City OF Newark, was somewhat burned in
his endesvors to FAVE his passengers
The renait der OF the passengers taken of by the
Thomas Hunt and Commodore.
The passengers taken board the Achilles ware landed
at pier NO East river and those en- the Commodore at
pier No. ], North river.
The Thomas Hunt left Perth Amboy ct seven O'Clock
yesterday morning; and she was nearing Robbins
Reef Light observed steamboat on fire. and as it APP
pesred to under full Roadway. The boat proved to
be the City OF Newark, which between New York
and Newark, and which had left the last named piscs
over an hour before. As soon perceived her condi
tion, Immediately put boat to her utmost power,
and % the City Of Newark had by this time fallen off
in her speed, up with her about half
mile beyond Robbins Reef We found the Achilles en-.
gagged in tskrg of Of the passengers bow
and having lowered three boats into one of which
got We pulled as close under the stern OF the Newark
Is we could with safety The passengers, Of whom about
NIFTY lac to This pa andng along The etge
OF The beat and were boopg BY the rails impiorpe
TO take them H The fire. which think originated In the
rereon, was rapidly encroachinR upon the STERN and
the heat becoming almost intolerabs. We endea-
voied to pac the and brought up fast
could The greatest p ecautlon owsver was necss
tary lest in becoming fast to the City tt Newark the
fire should ccmmunica.s 10 boat. 1t was also
danger GUS 70 approach, with our life boats under the
stera Ct the burning steamer, the passengers igh
have capszed them in their haste to escape from the
peiilous position They had, 10 fact swaapsd bost
unfortunate accident three four persons wned
This boat bad from twenty to thirty persons in
II. ee ala ali w could 70 s ssys sh.m
Ropes were then thrown from the deck Of the Tho
mas Hunt which was nov rsssving the passengers
were scsttered al over and BY this means succeeded
In keeping the greater part OF them aaost till could
pick tnem up In spite of our exertions however, three
persons, believe, were drowned, two OF whom were
laoiee and one appeared to be q iaborng hAvs
nceavored to ascertain their psmss bat they were
unknown to any Of the other One Of thess
ladies wore pink dress supposed 10 b. balege, and
straw bonnet, with pink lovers side. She
rather above tie medium heieh and about thirty years
Of age The other lady gsen dress, and had it Is
thought, straw, bonnet. | think Il is pIossbe
meet Linn after saw him in the water. 'Attsr
rescuing the passengers from the water and the
jrg it possioIs that there might be who had
been unable to escape on account of the smoke and
the bow and the stern enveloping nearly the whole
Geek but fortunately fnoing none returned to my
vessel Among the passengers rescued was an aged gen.
disappeared under the surface the third time, when
succeeded catching him BY the hair and pulling MIN
into our heat. he had been hanging onto the stern
rsirgs of the burning vessel, but having two ladies'
cllrgirg to him, his strength failed he Let 90 his
holo, and the whole three fell into the water
They we're all rescued, although Mr.. Powers is still
in very exhausted condition and requires the greatest
care SINE of the passengers were slightly bruised bn
their Injuries traing and had it not been for the
ossstrous bate Of some q e believe, would have
Teen los We reached the pier foot of Robinson street
about twenty minutes to where portion of the
cusd gers were landed few remaining board
the Thomas Hunt Some Of these had their clothes psr
ally burned. The City of Newark Is o complete
wreck on the Cats of Jersey.
STATEMENT OF LADY PASSENGER, OF BROOKLYN.
was . passenger on board the City OF Newark, re
tuning home from visit. The boat ran oil the
way irem Newark a. what considered a very rapid
speed there we're should think about fifty pssssn.
gers board, ernaps whom many ladies' but
noticed but few Children about nine O'clock as was
sittrg the upper deck with my little boy, notace
strong smell OF smoke, which at frat | thought pro-
ceeltG 8 I'm The smoke pine ard blown da xn ON