Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-07-01
Burning of the Montreal.

Il ne montreal papers bring fall accounts of the
late terrible calamity on the st. Lawrence river.
IL appears that the steamer ran upon a rock which
prevented her reaching the shore to which she
was headed, and that thus the great destruction
OF life was rendered inevitable
=, she had on board, when she left Quebec for
Montreal. on Friday afternoon last, 30 cabin pas
sengers and some $50 or 500 emigrants and that
she had proceeded about twelve miles when the
hre broke out from the midShip. Every effort
was made to suppress the flames. but in vain
The mate then got out the jolly boat into which
he placed four ladies, cabin passengers, their
maid and the cabin girl. 1t was his intention to
get the women first out, and he had given orders
to that effect; hut when the male Immigrants saw
that they made d rush down the side and into
the boat. which was Instantly swamped The
mate strnve to cut the hawser so as to save those
In the boat, but the rush was great il was i'm
possible. The Napoleon was seen at a consider
able distance, and kept aloof from the burning
boat: She sent out. however, large batteau be.
longing to some raftsInen she had on board Be-
fore 1t reached the Montreal, the boat was in
names all over, and they Were only able 10 pick
mp those in the water, or hanging to the wreck
Fourteen of the crew were drowned The cam
TAM purser and all the officers were saved The
captain was the last man To leave the wreck Mr.
w lison; Jr, son OF the owner, escaped with diff
nculty, by swimming ashore
Mr.. Andrew Hays. who saved was in the
water for above an hour he had stripped himself
to his drawers, and had to borrow clothing from
the officers of the Napoleon He rendered assist
ance to several unfortunates in the water and we
understand saved several lives The boat was
burnt to the waters edge, and upwards of 2tO
persons must have persisted on board or have
been drowned
The number saved is from one hundred and
seventy-five to two hundred passengers but the
baggage and effects are lost and some of the poor
creatures brought up by the steamer Napoleon
were almost in a state of nudity
Inc passengers were principally emigrants-
Scotch and NOrwegian-the former are the Larger
proportion: and most of the saved have to lament
the loss of their nearest and dearest relations
many OF them are women and children. Among
the latter is beautiful infant of about wear old
which was picked out of the water, but whom
nobody claims
Several of those saved are slightly wounded
but none of them dangerously. The steamer on
the fire breaking out, immediately headed
toward the shore, but the water is shallow end
she ran on d rock within about one hundred wards
OF tue shore. We are sorry TO record that the
| people showed great inhumanity in not attemDt-
ing to rescue the sufferers, but DISPLAYED preat
activity in stealing their effects. The passengers
were treated with the utmost kindness and sup
| board the Napoleon.
On the arrival of the Napoleon here hundreds
OF our citizens were Congregated on the WHAT !;
and shortly after she was moored the actin.J
Mayor and several members of the Corporation
were on board, also several Of the officers of the
Inherent national societies, who all appeared 80
llcltorS 10 render assistance, and take care of the
| sufferers. His Worship ordered those who had
sustained injury to be at once taken to the hospitals
the national societies will take care of the others
Mr.. Hayes, commission agent of Montreal
furnishes the Montreal Herald with the following
| particulars:
When the steamer reached about twelve miles
| from Quebec, above Mr. Atkinson's place at Ca
| rouge Bay Mr.. Hayes came outside the saloon al
the after part of the steamer, when he observed
smoke rising from the midShips of the boat over
the saloon. In a very short time number of per
sons were rushing with jugs of water TO eXtin-
guish the fire. There was one boat on board the
steamer, on the hurricane deck. and d hand be-
long in 10 the steamer tried to get her into the
water. Mr.. Hayes did the same thing. and be-
tween them they got the boat over the side, and
let 20 the tackles. He then got into her. and in
minute or two numbers of persons crowded in
and the boat sunk Mr.. Hayes then held on to
the boats tackle, and maintained himself in that
position for Il long time, till the heat from the
burning steamer became too great. I'm the mean
time crowds of persons were constantly Jumping
into the water, and climbing down the guar DIS to
get as near the water as possible.
AT this time the boats head was turned towards
the north shore, and she ran until she approached
the shore to about one hundred and fifty Yards
fom II, where she appears to have sunk In deep
water, or to have struck a rock as some Del sons
believe. At any rate the water was so deep that
there was no possibility of reaching the shore
otherwise than by swimming in boats The
names, after the smoke was at first perceived,
ana not take more than ten minutes TO envelope
the whole vessel, and in two hours she was ut
terly destroyed, so that hardly a vestige of the
vessel could be seen. The Napoleon had started
at the same time with the Montreal, and was al
the time of the accident at distance of about
half mile from the Montreal and above that
vessel. Probably from fear of taking fire, the
ciptain of the Napoleon did not judge il prudent
to approach the burning vessel. large boat or
batteau, was in tow of this vessel and, after some
contention, as ii is reported, with the proprietor
she went off to attempt to save the passengers
from the burning vessels. She also had two
other boats of her own, which were dispatched
to the scene of the disaster
There were also some boats which came from
the shore, but none Of them could approach very
close to the steamer, so that every one who was
saved was obliged to make some attempt to swim
Tor their lives. Mr. Hayes himself after remain
lnS as he believes, nearly half an hour hanging
on the vessels side, found il too hot to remain
there any longer, and struck out boldly for boat
which was approaching. He swan to this boat
Int rs the men on board saw much larger mum. |
Del 81 persons In jeopardy of their lives hanging
round the wreck, they neglected Mr.. Hayes call |
70 be taken in, and 1t was not till he succeeded