The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-07-01
From the Montreal Argus June 20,
,r,,, : .,,rcv ~ r, -r ST LAWRENCE THE
BURNING OF THE sTEAAfEh Sio-' NEAL
HEART RENDING SCENES.

HEART RENDING SCENES
o. e.,,raa ,o.,n a,r, o,,r s;t,,.ns were aiar,oad
ia, ~ s, ita ~ H. dstr,,ction ~ tba Mon
.al itb = I;n,, rht ~ so,oraI I,d,e,s ~ n.sen
- W. 49, ,al ~ s,.,e,vt,l t;ii,f,, ~
4 ~ s ,,d y az s.0 da Sasea s,r
- =, a go. - - lJ oii.tt go, ,;,n. A.,
wv t ell, os % en y
~" asa s s;o III ton Sa hiot
1885, 'o'' iiN'uNii'' "'i0i "D la lo :;
of painful remembrance amongst us.
thrown city and our society by the sad event
We forbear comments for the present on what must seem
as matter for rigid and close investigation.
We are indebted 10 the pusef Of the Napoleon for the
following authentic statement
Yesterday afternoon, about Al oclock the steamer
Montreal Rudolf master took fire about half a mile
above Cape Rouge The fire burst above the boiler deck
the captain Immediately got out the hose and set all hands
TO work who did ali they could TO extjneush It, After
working few minutes, il was found navahig to stop
the flames which gained SO fast and sjred 80 rapidly
that they could not get them under nor save the boat
The mate then got ont the iolly boat into which he
placel fonr ladies' cabin their maid and the
cabin Rir II was his intention to get the women first
out and he had given orders to that effect but when
the male immigrants saw that they made a rush down
the eide and into t boat which was instantly swanIped
The mate troye 10 cut the hawser so as TO save those in
the boat but the rush was 80 great was impossible
The Napoleon was seen at considerable distance, and
kept aloof from the burning boat She sent out how
ever large bateau belonging to- SOME rasmen she had
ON board BEFORE Il reached the Montreal the boat was
in flames all over and they were only able to pick up
those in the water or hanging TO the wreck
Fourteen of the crew were drowned Tile captain pur-
ser and all the officers we're saved
The captain was the last man to leave the wreck Mr.
Wilson IT. son Of the owner escaped with difficulty by
swimming ashore
Mr. Andrew HAYES WHO was saved Was III the water
for above an hour he had stripped himself 70 his draw
W. ,a n'u ~ noi wy VIZ
~ H. water ma do ,,ndtd y si lies
The boat burnt the waters edge and upwards of
200 persons must have persisted on board or have been
drowned
The number saved is from one hundred and seventy
Ave to two hundred passengers but their baggage and
effects are lost and some Of the poor creatures brought
up by the steamer Napoleon were almost in state of
nudity.
The messengers were principaly emigrants Scotch and
Norwegian. the former are the LARGER nropotion and
most az the saved have 70 lament the {os Of their nearest
and dearest relations many of them are women and
children Amongst The latter il n beautiful infant ~
abont wear old who was ncked ont Of tbe water ut
whom nol,ol,, claims
Several of those saved are SLIGHTLY wounded Int nome
of them danoerorslv The ste,,nar On tIe ra lrao;n
ont was Immediately headed towards the sbore Init tb
water ebaou and sbe rar On roll within oiot I'M
Yards Of the shore We are 10 record that the
nn showed .ot ;nh,na;ty a; not otomntn,r ~ roo,,o
the sntfrsr INT disnlaved ret at;vity in seals th;
effects The passenaers were treated with the utmost
kindness and snned with food and every comfort nos
siblc on hoard tbe Nanoleon
On the arrival of The Nanole,n here hundreds of our
citizens were conoreoated On the wharf and shorI
after she was roorea iba act;no ,,o,or and o,oI - 49,
mi 10
officers az the Different rational societies Who All an
peared soioitos to render assistance and take care ~
the sufferers Is yvoabn og,prad those who had sns
tanned inrv 10 Ia at opce taken "a tho bos,,,toI Tie
national soc;eties viii talte i,arr If tb, others,
Te
STATEMENT OF ANDREW HAYES.
Mr., Andrew Hayes, commission agent of this city,
who passenger makes the following statement
The 6re occnrrad a. < !, !, yesterlay ugo Mortro.l
had Ieft fpelec AZ 4 =, The dre hyoka M II nv
main saloon in midships Immediately over the boiler
roor, s,oka ygas f,st soon q. ;so,a fron, 49, f I'M
staterooms II ,s yry dense ~ Jensa that y ,,as IN
saoon In ten minutes M aanes b,rSt az ana sIInd
tbo saIo,r ana hnr.t ort ~ ho+h s;das 80 ~ ~
stern of the vessel yve this occurred lowered ysef
down nv the side of tbe vessel and while was doing 81
Jaw one man tryno to get n boat off tbe MINER deck
He called me 10 his assistance h loosed the rones of
the boat and held one end and the other roetcr vc
let her down slid down the ropes In less than fyc
minutes the boat was under water with the crowd that
rushed into IT, The flames soon became SO intense that
lmped ont of the boat into the water and SWAN towards
another boat saw coming to our rescue but it shot past
me- and made for the boat at the side of the Montreal
swan hack and rot uner the boat that came 10 orr as
sistance
There were A number of females IA the water and
seven ar oobt of t,en, cng 81 me- rlesa ,yers toon
ont one by one and was d;sentanoled The hoat too
;ts Load r. tho NanoIcon and ;n,ed;ately ,fter COW
nrber of small baas f, tba Nano,on roach Tho Mon
treaI understood that tbe boat which rt tbe
Montreal d;d ,,ot beong to tba Nanoeon Int III nas
IN hoard and Z ,vos nl, ofr ,olent aIterca
tio, and tbo ;ns;st;n ~, ;t bo;n cent tbat
4 ,y,e can't sav tbe cana;n of tbe NanoJon ,,rs;
tba owner ~ fhe hoat Tn NV on;n;on IN vho, ,i
NOS - hdl 4, ,a,aad th;nl flIv nrrt &c ~ h