Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1857-09-29
Fr5m ihd Baltimore Amerieant
Losx oflhe steamship Central Amefiea-
Five Hundfed Lives oSt--Stalcmenk
Oh capt. Thob. W. Badger.

81 rapi. Thot. W. Badger.
Capt. Thos Nv. Badger, who Is among
the saved, anderriyed here IN the Louisi-
ana, is able, fram his experience as asea
captain As well as from the close cobhec-
ton in which his exertions on board the
wreck brougM him with Capt. Hern-
don and oficeis, to gives more accurate
and reliable account ofthe disaster than
perhaps any 81 the saved. Wehaye Ia
ken down from his dietation the annexed
full and interelting narrative
We left Habaha On Tuesday, 8th Sep
TENDER, in company with steamship EN-
pire City. Made good weather dntil the
10th. On thsI evening of the 10th, there
was every appasakance ola gale or hurri-
cane, ship still roing on course and carry
ING full head oF steam. The Storm I'M
creased during the night and until Fri
day morning Il 10 o'clock, the ship still
making fine pfpgress and keeping on her
course. At Ill b'clock On Friday after
noon the engine stopped, and on enduir-
ING ofthe engineer, he said it was caused
|bY the coal passers not passing The coal
into the ffefrodr with sufficient rapidity
to keep the steam up. The walters and
stewards weresthen called upon and fsent
down TO assist NIL passing coal. When
the engine stopped the ship fell aff III che
trough ofthcs ea, and was at The mercy
ofthe waves Thepumps worked BY the
engine, and which were the main deepen
dence for keeping the vessel free d Water,
were also rendeted useless.
The engine newer made butone or two
revolutions aftef tllis. 1 called The atten-
ton Of the engineer To the fact Chat tie
water was gaining the rolling Of the ship
forcing It in through tile lee shaft hole,
and proposed and organized a gang fol
billing The deck pumps proving on
tfial to Ebe out Of order, battling was the
only resource.
Bythis time thd4water had risen high
enough to extinguishklte lee fires, hid the
men employed ii the coal hole ana en-
gine. room were driven out by the steam
and water. Tf9hre vas no longer any
hope Of again gStting the machinery in
operation, The principal leak was found
to be around the lee HIATT. and at the
lower lee dead lights. The ship was
still staunrh and sound, and not leaking
at the bottom atIall, and would have been
III no danger il hser machinery and pumps
had been KEEP. gg@Sinlg'
At three o'clock on Friday afternoon /
assisted in organizing and putting 70
work bailing gangs, to bail out. ifppssi-
bic, the eneinetroom and steerage. The
passengers joined willingly and cheerfully
in this effort. Nm attemptwas made I'd
raise steam on lhe donkey engine 10 pump
the ship out, using the herths and other
woodwork Of tile Ship for fuel, but the
engine would not work, from what cause
was not knowa. At five o'clock, after
consulting with Capt. Herndon, / assis-
ted in cutting away the foremost, which
somewhat relieved the ship. The ship
had laid perfectly easy whilst the machi-
merry was III motion, but she was III the
trough Of sea, making heavy lurches 70
.leeward.
At O'Clock oil Friday, We rugged a
drag Ca spar with All anchor lashed 10 HI.
and paid It put to wimdward, in tile hope
of bringing her head to the wind, but
this had. little. BIZ no effect. From 4
O'clock until 8 inltLe eveaingwe kept Tie
water a bay, erhry man working with
spirit aud vigor.
From l2 tod O'Clock On Saturday NOR
ming, the water gained fast OH us, al the
men were fatigued and worn out byHinees-
SAINT labor and exposure To the Storm
AT 4o'clock, the gale somewhat abatsd,
but a heavy sea continued. Tho water then
being nearly upt9 Tile secondIcabin door.
At daylight on Saturday morning,
however, all hands took hold again with
renewed yigor to free the shipI The wa
ter wasthns again kept at Day for an hour
or two more, during whiehsighals Odds
tess were set, and a Yigilaflt lookout
kept for sails. The ladies were even
anxious to assist us ih bailing, and cheer
ed US up in our labors BIZ their clamness
n these Trying tines AT O'Clock an
other attempt was made 10 raise steam III
the donkey boiler, So as u work the steam
pumps. 1.-THE attempt again failed, ana
all hope of relief from that quarter was
abandoned.
AT 10 O'Clock bn Saturday morning
the men agained yielded to the severity
0 ftheir labor, and the water again com
mcnced to gain on us, but the bailing
was still continued. AT half past /
O'Clock a Sail hoyeIin sight, to the wind
ward, which proved to 81 the Marine, Of
Boston. At 3 o.clbck she rounded 10 at
Ieeward Of the slip. when boats were
lowered, bailing still going on. In lpw-
ering the boats two We're stove blythe
heavy sea that still prevailed, which left
but three, and one BE them Id i bad DON
dition. AT s O'Clock We succeeded id
putting on board the Marine all the women
and children, twentg7six IN number du-
ring which the male passengers mostly
continued at their work. The boats
could not carry more than five. or six,
owing to the high sea, and they made
several trips to and from the Marine
When the boat thattook the last two of
ladies came alongside, the chief engineer
jumped into the boat, and was followed
by several other gentlemen. Two
other boats came alongside afterwards,
when there was a nish to Jump in them
by the male passengers, involving great
danger. BY this tine the brig had diff
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