Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-02-09
Further Particulars.

! T1sHlO the UTech-JTdPPtHg JW Do""'
Remorcl of Freight Complete De'sclit'on
of the Boat-Eighty thousand Dollars on
Board, all sared, DC, DC.
Al meridian the steamer Gem, Capt. Lit
tleton. left for the wreck, to render such as
sistance as the emergency required.
We sent a reporter up, who iurnlsheu US
with the following account:
On board were Drs Price and Downs, and
the Coroner. DR.. Bell, the former having been
speciallv retained at the earnest solicitation oi
Gen Redington.
The California Steam Navigation Com
pany also dispatched to the scene of the dis
aster some fifty men, for the purpose OF
removing the freight and fixtures OF the
boat. and to institute search for the mis-
sing.
The Gem had not run up more than three
miles before splinters, spars, boxes, barrelS'
&c. were encountered floating down the
river. giving unmistakable confirmation OF the
paipful event that had already enshrouded
our city in sadness. On arriving at the
"Nne Mile Point" about two miles below
the Russian Embarcadero, the crushed frame
work of the Belle was observed, alongside
this bank of the river, and the little wood
boat G eneral Redington lying just at the bow
Of the wreck.
On landing the sembance only of the
vessel was to be seen. One conglomerated
mass of shattered fragments testified too
| truly of the awful havoc that had been COM
mitted.
| The deck, from stem to stern, was broken
in. the cabins demolished, and in fact, nought
save the wheel escaped the remorseless rava-
ges of that terrible element--steam A pit
able sight indeed did the wreck present.
From one to the other end Of the boat in in
extrcabe confusion, were mngedcots chairs,
tables. provisions and fragments Of the ma
chinery; and horrible to relate, clots of brains
were everywhere to be seen-aad beSpattered
on the doors of the state-rooms, and on al
most every plank and timber, were observable
the blood of the unfortunate victims of this
calamity.
During the time that the Gem remained,
the employees of the Company were asSidu-
ously engaged in dragging the stream and
removing the freight from the Belle to the
Gem. The lower half of the body of fire
men, VIM Green, was hauled up and carried
on board of the Gem.
A noble and beautiful Newfoundland dog
owned by Capt, Houston, excited much sym
pathy from his mourning for his lost mas
ter. lie absolutely refused to be comlor
ted, and could not be induced TO leave the
wreck
We understand that the Belle was regar
ded us one of the best boats plying on the
waters of the upper Sacramento. She Wa.
of seventy-6ye tons burthen, and us we are
reliably informed, was never permitted tC
carry above eighty pounds of steam.
On the night previous to this catastrophe
the Captain of the Belle remarked to {
friend OF ours that he feared no mshap K
his boat, for he was always on the look
out
There is no doubt, in our opinion, that tht
accident originated from defectire boiler
There was according to the evidence of JOIN
Hearn, fireman, and Others on board, abuG
dance of proof that there were four full cock
of water in the boiler but cue quarter of al
hour previous to the moment of the eXplo
sion. The boat was going at ordinary speed
and no time carried over eighty pounds o
steam. She was considered the fastest of al
the stern wheel steamers belonging to tht
company.
DR.. Ruduck, who lives just opposite tn,
scene of the explosion succeeded in saving
the lives Of five persons who were found by
him floating in the river
At the time of the accident, the Chief En-
gineer, w ElrDck, was on duty, and engaged
IN olling the machinery ON the port side o
the boat. A merchant of Tehama, who's,
name we do not know, is missing.
The Clerk Of the Belle, has not yet beer
heard from
Charles Brown, messenger of Wells. Far
go & Cos Ear ,ess, S doibtedly .ost Mr.
McCabe. of Wines a Co.'S Express, is saved
All of the treasure of Wells Fargo a. Co.
Pacific Co, and Vines & Co., amounting I,
over $l00,000 is secured.
The chief cook of the boat, VIM. Smith
is unhurt; the second cook badly scalded.
The assistant fireman, who is known b
the name of John" is uninjured. None Q
the walters were Injured.
The Belle had forty-fve tons of freigh
aboard, consisting of groceries aud general mel
chandize, most of which was saved, althoug
some of it in damaged condition.
One OF the passengers informs us that h
was blown from the rear of the ladies' cabi
into the water closet and yet escaped unr
jured.
From the most reliable information obtair
able, we cannot learn that there were owe
forty souls on board OF this number how
ever, we fear that great proportion are n
, longer in the land of the living, and there
little probability that their names will all b
recorded save in the registry of Heaven.