The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-09-29
ights, agriculture, Literature, and Miscellany.


| drawn under at least twenty feet; when we
| rose to the surface we were nearly stifled.
The rapidity with which was drawn tore
the spar from my hands and the hfe-preser-
yer from my body and when reached the
surface, my clothing was almost stripped
| off me. however met friend who had
two life fe-preseryers, and he gave me one,
and we seized on pieces of the wreck, which
| helped to sustainus. ---,s
On reaching the surface there were at least
400 passengers struggling about; most of
them having lost their life -preserver others
| were seizing on pieces of the wreck which
came up with US. The captain had cut
away the upper works Of the vessel, so that
when the hull sunk they would float off: but
they were dragged down and came up in
fragments, and doubtless many were killed,
stunned and drowned by being struck by
pieces of the wreck, whilst to others they
were the ultimate means of safety.
Occasionally flashes of lightning showed
to each other sea of struggling forms.-
All strove to encourage their friends with
hopes which were scarce felt by themselves.
At first we were all together in a mass. but
soon the waves separated us, and at each
successive fash of lightning we discovered
that we were being scattered over u wide.
area, and soon we found ourselves appar-
emily alone on the boundless ocean. .-.
He concludes by saying that: ''By abont
ten o'clock was picked up by the Ellen.
and had the satisfaction of iuding several
others on board ..-.a s.-...t is. H.
The Central America was provided with
six life -beats-Two were Francis metallic
boats, and the remaining four were fi:ted
up with air tanks at the ends and sides,
and each of the six was capable of holding
from SO to rs persons. She was also
equipped with 600 or 700 life-preservers;
but had no bulkhead partitions.
The officers and men of the Central
America were in number one hundred and
one, and there was on board Of her nearly
seven hundred passengers. .a-a
The chief Engineer has published card
exonerating himself from blame for leaving
the steamer. . ..s. - ....
Effect Of the Disaster IN New York-In-
a.a. Surance an England, &c. ..s-
New YORK, Sept. l5.-The steamship
disaster, with the loss of So 900, 900 in gold,
had less effect upon the stock market than
was expected. and the prompt action of the,
insurance companies has resulted in less
disturbance of the value at the stock board
than would have been the case under other
circumstances. .r-y r-.F sss ..4 s-..--.r-#
1t is now ascertained that there was no
insurance on the vessel, which was valued
at 100000. About one million of the
specie was insured in England, and the
balance here. Reclamations upon the for
eign companies will form the basis upon
which to draw bills of exchange, and thus
stand as equivalent to shipments of specie
to the same amount. Our own companies
are fully able to meet their losses, and will
pay them at once. -.......... .. ....
Lieut.. Herndon, the commander of the
Central America, leaves wife and daugh-
ter, now in this city. The deceased was a
native of Virginia. He was under Com
modore Perry in the Mexican war, and was
engaged in behalf of the government. in
the exploration of the Amazon some time
ago. for which Congress voted him hand
some gratuity. His loss is universally de-
plored. .