The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-17

morse perished In the flames the Of the wAnoos
Mr. Shade, saved his wife ana child were loAt tn
fireman was aaned Jester he wss injured, snd " nov
over st Camden.
John SPRING., Of Camden, the pilot depossdS-Ws N
Walnut street to 80 through ,hs cxual but tho Scs
having jamnsa there went to TIE other plot hos and
steered while she backed out the alarm Of are given
when opposite Arch street and made for that wharf
when within two hundred rods of TIA wharf the steering
aPpsrans became useless, suppose from the wood
burning away frsm the chain and rods all hands on
board four In number saved tho boiler was pro
tectsd from the woodwork In the usual manner the re
came up amlsahips the flames come up a,cugside
the smoke stasAs; the boat Jared by striking tho
ice; there was young man named Charles Nixon, .
printer by trads, on board and was IN the pilot house
with he was saved tho ash above the boiler was
renewed since the boat rebuilt ths ash pan has
stream of water running through it, 1t is tho duty
the fireman to keep this supply Of wster running.
Bsrney Carter, of Csmden, the engineer, deposed-A
Ter leaving Walnut street tho pilot thought 1t best 90
around the CANAL the alarm Of Ere was given whom near
opposite Arch street, tried to draw WATER but the ics
prevented me- the boat was headed for Arch street
wharf, ard the bslw1esAng to go fast the Ere would
not let get into{hs engine room but with my foot
Kicked the cutoff, that the engine would go at full
stroke; che straight for the wharf, whom the pilot
was driven from the plot house, first discovered the
fire coming through where the steam chimney comes
through the deck; the FIRE, think, from below ap
parenty from something burning beneath the dc ,ks
stand at the engine and the FIRE and the
furnace door; the furnace is at tance Of two feet
from any wood work; the boat understand to be the
property of the Camden and Philadsphia Steamboat
Ferry Company; there extra steam or fire on
previous to the hIe; there frewood kindlng
cath the deck the upper deck about feet
above the main deck; the steam chimney comes about
three four feet above the main deck; there casing
around this at distance from the woodwork the ash
pan extends eighteen inches beyond the furnace door
when the fire broke out put the fireman az the en-
gne and went below tho deck above the boiler then
fire; the canal about ten minutes before
the boat backed out; Ferguson below at that
time; he had not the 6re when went below the
boiler and the woodwork around it had been spected
by the regular Inspector who gave certificate that all
sound and SAFE think the boat built in 1884
1856; have been ON her about one year.
John c. Bunitt, Esq, ono of tho directors Of the
Ferry Company deposed that the boat belonged the
Camden and Philadelphia Steamboat Company; | am
director and represent about oneourh Of the stock
tie only connection that the boat had with the Camden
and Amboy Railroad Company the carrying
crates belonging to the nes some of the direct
of the Ferry Company also directors Of the Camden
ard Amboy Company, but Ithere is connection be-
tween the two companies. The company, he stated,
anxious ascertain where the responsibility the
accident rested would aid the investigation far
laid in their power.
The inquest adjourned to meet at the caH OF
the Coroner.
ANOTHER STATEMENT BY MR.. AGNEW.
lam in the employ of Messrs. Burns Piers proprie.
tors Of the Phiadeiphia Local Express and reside in
Camden. Returning hOms from business Saturday
evening, took the steamboat New Jersey ct 8K
o'clock from Walnut street wharf, and eye wit
of the most serious disaster that has happened
the Delaware When the boa. started she attempted
TO reach Camden by way Of the ohauns which divides
Windmill island, but Auding the eastern end mu.h
blocked with ce she backed ont and headed the
stream with view 10 oircuunavgate the island. When
opposite Market street. observed flames bursting out
around the smoke stack and raised the CRY Of rs An
unusually large number of passengers were board
many of them women and children The ere originAted
in the freroom during the absence the fireman. and
spread with ieaIful rapdity 1t wrapped The entire
after part of boat flames and the
forward The strong ebb tide setcg up the river
vinced 1t Impossible to the boat aground upon
the northern part Of the island and glad to sesthe
pilot head for the Phadelpha shore. The captain at
this time In the pilot house giving orders was
upon the bow of the boat in the midst of wilc heart
rending of crowd Of at least hundred
persona including twenty twsI la,ies clus
tered together the smallest possible space to avoid
the intense heat OF the fames-some clngfng to the
guards, others frandcaly endeavoring to wrench
loose the stanchions which were yet free from
ths devouIirg element, while stood horror
stricken gazing upon the fast approaching flames behind
or me Icy current before them. There nothing
board bench two that could be made avAilabs
Acat A NJ Anro
increased it caught the dresses Of the vomeu whose
shIieks for assistance appalling. Not until their
clothing burnt from their persons did passengers
willing to seek chance Of safety In the bosom o,
the other element. One by one, sometimes vo six
at time, they made the fearful leap from tho burning
deck. The boat had been forced to distance Of
more than ten feet from the wharf whom the
pilot house 'sl-the government Of the helm
was lost, and the vessel shsered off again
into the river. Some the upper deck however. had
TO leap ashore others fell Short ani crushed
By the paddewheels Every hope OF running int, the
wharves dashed and turned to Mr.. MusehAmp,
late . conductor the Camden and Amboy Railroad,
and asked him II he could swim. He replied that he
could not. l advised him to take bench which
him, and jump overheard with The engine
still going and took to jump clear of the wheels.
believe my friend followed me- but fear hs did not tahe
the like precaution. swan about hundred yards
when provdsntslly rsscbed ths boz Of clipper ship
snd By the premptnsss Of those board.
wM +. AGNEW.
OUR CORRESPONDENTS ACCOUNT OF THE
DISASTER.
PHILADELPHIA, March 15-AP.M.
The terrible calamity the Delaware last evening.
opposite this city by the burning OF the ferry boat New
jersey has thrown gloom tho city which win take
many years to efsce.
The boat Ieft Walnut street ferry at g. O'Clock
last evening, for Camden, with certainly not
less than one hundred passengers, and whom In
the canal cut through Smiths Island, mid way
river mpeded In her progress through By Ice In
backing out took re in the hold mdships, and in
stead Of grounding the beat immediately attempted to
return but In than ten minutes the vessel
veloped in flames.
The rosrs sbreks and cries Of those kapsss passen
gers csn esser be understood than expressed and de-
pite every effort TO ut least thirty lives have