The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1856-03-28
TERRIBLE DISASTER.

Disasters BY land and water, by car and
steamboat, have become 50 common OF late
y-ar> that wr are, ordinarally, but little start
led when we hear that, by somebody's careless
n.>s, or BY una vojdable causes, dozens or scores
dar Eliow beings have been crippled flr life,
OF hurried into eternity. But the burning Of
lae N-w Jersey, on Saturday night, on the rlv-
rr Dsiaware. between Smiths Island and Arch
sr-r, wharf, is an occurrence unusual in that
quarter, and on. we'll calculated 10 wiring the
hart with anguish and awaken public inquiry
IS Ito toe cause OF the fire. The hurfying of
some 6ljy or sixty individuals into eternity in
tb- space OF twenty mnuips, on the river Del
aware witha f-w feet Of the city wharves.
with thousands Of eyes witnessing the occur
rpBcr, and thousands of hands almost within
r-aching distance, is startling fact upon which
We shall, at present, offer no comment. We
trust, however, that proper inquiries will he
made. and that, if there has been guilt or gross
negligence in any quarter, it will be properly
punished. We extract the following account
1.-THE occurrence from the BuIletin
"0n Saturday evening, at bali past eight o.
clock, the steam ferry boat New Jersey, belong
ag 10 The Philadelphia and Camden Stramboat
Company, left Walnut street wharf on her reg
aaI ttp 10 Camden. There were on board a
sQ, one huDdred persons, as near as can be as
1rilaaed, and of these large number were
women and children. An effort was made to
fRa The boat through the Windmill Island Ca
a' BIT the pilot finding it blocked with ice
'1Iard the head OF the boat up stream for the
purpose Of going around the head of the bar
lie tide at this time was running up and the
A'aa was blowing from the SOUTHWEST.
when between market and Chesnut streets,
1F was discovered bursting from below the
OK a'ound the smoke stack. The discovery
g U' uameS of course created a most intense
"d'ia Buckets were procured, but no water
0a.l be obtained in Consequence Of the foat-
Ls lcf The flames, carried aft by the motion
VI "e boat, drove the passengers all forward,
".e'e they clustered on she bow ia the hope of
ring finally rescued. Caption Carson imme-
e4eiy ordered the boat to be headed ior Arch
''T' wharf, and she was accordingly turned in
,"aI direction. Before she had neared the pier
1r'" Arch street thr flames bad driven the en-
,'e7' from his post, the pilot house had fallen
''hd the whole of the boat except the eX-
-,'e Iorward part, was cnveoped in flames
t' ,.'' We're raging with terrific fury. The boat
a1a no" OF course become unmanageabie, as
','tF the pilot nor the engineer could remain
= .',v' posts. The wheels continued TO revove
a.., brought the steamer on 10 within few feet
~, " we pier when she sheered off wiih her head
'p stream. Some two or three Of those on
;N1' lhe plot among the number, succeeded
Fap'ng ashore, but the rest Of the hapIess
s1s'SoSers were left TO their dreadful fate. As
Il, ''' as the direction of the boat was changed,
@s WIND drove the flames directly among the
f'ssTngers who We're clustered forward
s.I. me blazing boat hoatrd up the river until
'~' "'5Fa against The ice about opposite Callow-