The Shasta courier., 1856-02-09

From The MarysriHe Herald.
Awful acknowledgements ofthe Stcnmel
BeIIc--Thirsy Dcad, Wounded nnd Mis-
sing. -.
SAcRaMEsfo, Feb. 5th r. N.
We give much space IN to-day's issue, to the
suhioined account Of fatal hearirehdng calam
i,y. When, oh when, will greater caution be
used to prevent such wholesale loss Of life
But when our feelings are harruwed up by the
sad occurrence which we record, it is no time
to noralise, or suggest remedies. Our jndg
ment should be calm. for certainly it is subject
which calls loudly for legislative action
We mingle our sympaihies with those who
mourn, we feel that childrenhav beer orphaned
that parents have been rendered childless by
the earelessness ofthuse to whose hands the lives
aud safety of the passengers were entrusted.
It has not yet been year since the explosion
Of the Pearl, by which tue lives of many Of oul
brishtes, citizens were lost.
In the list we notice and recognize the name
of but one, and that is Major John Bidwell. ol
Chico, Butte county. A better man, or more
valued citizen does not live within our Stale
We sincerely hope he may speedily recover.
The following account is taken from the Ma
rysyille Herald.
A terrible calamity only eqnalled by the aw.
ful disaster which destroyed the Pearl. year
ago, occurred on the Sacramento river this mcr
ming. The steamboat Belle. Captain Charles II
Houston. left This ely at O'Clock for Red Bluffs
Al precisely quarter to o'clock, and when op.
posite The Russian Fort, ! / miles above town.
the boiler burst. and instanianeonsly the river
was sirewed with manglel bodies and frag-
menis OF the wreck.
Mr.. James A. Powell, a farmer at Grand Is
land Ronch. below Colusi, who was one Of the
passengers. furnished us with the subjoined par.
iicnlars:
He states that at the moment OF the explosion
he was leaving the ladies' cabin. and When the
accident occurred was completely stunned for a
moment, but Immediately recovered. On look
ing about him lie FIRST a child badly hnrt,
and also number OF persons floating down The
river. The steamer Gen. Reddngton on her "Trip
downward, reached the scene of the accident al
8 o'clock, and Immediately took off the survi-
vors from The wreck The entire boat, with
the exception OF some forty feet OF The after por
ton, sunk instantly. and the wreck, as our in
dormant states, Is mure complete than was that
Of the il-faied Pearl. AT the moment of the ar,
rival of the Gen. Reddington, the body Of Capt
Houston was drawn from the water consider.
ably mutilatcd. Wm. Sbalcross one of the Pi-
lots. was found with his thigh broken and head
cut. He is dangerously hurt. Napoleon Hyte,
another Pilot, is missing, also Alonzo Taylor,
Clerk, and E. Sheets, Mate.
Among the wounded are Jno. Smith, deck
han.l, leg scalded Major John Bidwell, skull
fractured. He Is now at DR.. llarkncr's office.
street where his wounds are being dressed
Charles fokey, 2nd cook. badly scalded and
leg broken. which will have to be amputated
Patient at Price & Proe'ors Hospital Wallace
Miller, lad about IA years, OF age face con-
fused, knee cut and scalded slightly at Mr..
Skngss room, Ell Dorado block. james Parker
bar-keeper, nose and forehead outlying at the
Alhambra.
Our informant states that there were at least
60 souls on board Al breakfast there were two
tables set, each Of which was filled. One halt
OF all who left this city to-day on the Belle are
either dead wounded or missing. The General
Reddingfon took off from the wreck but thirty
two or three persons, including the injured
MIR. Thomas McAlpn, of this city, was n passen-
ger He has beeu heard from, and is slightly
injured. lie remained at the wreck TO render
such assistance he could. On the news be-
coming known in town, crowds rushed down to
the levee, and the boat which brought the sad
tidings was soon black with anxious Inqnirers
after friends, information respecting this ter.
rible calamity. The excitement in town is fully
as great as at the time of the explosion of the
Pearl. and the remembrance Of that appalling
afilicsion seems to be brought wildly before the
minds Of this community.