Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-06-25

With others, had obtained fiatboat at
The wood yard of -, and were slowly
it toward the wreck, which they
succeeded in. reaching after about an
hours hard work. The fiat was made
fast to the stern, when nearly all who
were left alive were taken in. All the |
fire in the forward part of the wreck |
had been extinguished, and we were con-
graduating ourselves as to our chances
of safety once more, directing our efforts
to the wounded and dying, when the
flames burst out amidships, preceded
only q moment by a dense cloud of
smoke. Indeed, so sudden and unex
pected was the fire that those aft who
had not reached the fiat succeeded bare
ly in escaping with their lives. Next
came new danger, and many who had
thought themselves safe grasped their
life-preservers and cast longing, anxious
look at the muddy waters beneath ; there
were pale faces and nerves unstrung, as
the huge wreck, with its leaping flames,
nearly kept pace with the unwieldly fat
boat, for there were no oars but those
belonging 10 the skiff, and pieces of
boards, which by some accident passen-
gers had in their hands. 1t was bad
seamanship to 90 below the wreck, but
confusion covers a multitude of blunders.
Al last the fiat was urged away from the
wreck, and once more the saved breath
ed free.
Some were still on the wreck, crouch
ing aad trying to hide from the angry
heat, staying until at last they seized
some plank or drift, and committed them
selves to the waters. The fire was SC
sudden and unexpected that those on the
bow of the boat had no means of escap-
ing except by swimming.
The hatboat with the wounded, all
that could be reached, and those that
were unhurt, was at last tied up al
Ship Island which, by the way, is nc
island now, as the water covers almost
the entire surface. Here we lay unit
nearly / o'clock in the afternoon.
The wreck hoated majestically down
the stream, until we lost sight of hel
around the point Below, going, as we as
certained, some mile or two down anC
lodging on a sand-bar.
This is but a general outline of tht
disaster of that eventful Sabbath. Thos,
who have never seen destruction Xix,
= this, cannot form the faintest idea of ii
, One was buried unhurt beneath the rub
bish, screaming and imploring for mere.
and for help-mercy which only Go,
could grant, and help which no earthl,
force could render. Here was one shak
ing the scalded flesh from his hand an
. z.1-rrrS, lt.arinr the whit, HINES dry am
naked another striving in vain to dra
huge splinter from his side; anothe
with his limbs caught beneath the heat
/. ed boilers, screaming in mortal agony
f some with their heads blown off; som
r with their bowels protruding; other
o sleeping quietly in death, without mar
0 on their persons; one, a lady, blow.
: naked from her berth, scalded and man
d gled in a most shocking manner.
n No pen can portray scenes like thes
' no language convey the CHASTITY hOl
4 rors that hover around a scene like tina
d As to the cause of the explosion non
1t can tell. Some say it was burning coz
is in unsuitable furnaces. The CRATES ha
e just been cleaned, and new and powerft
K fires were just at their most intense hea
n Some say she was working but littl
e steam, and that the accumulation of pow
II er overcome the old and somewhat veal
ened boilers. Some attribute il to To-
Y water. Some if not all, of these thing
,e might have been the cause; but wha
o in all probability will forever remain
mystery. More of the deck passenger
were killed from the fact that it was
cool morning, and many were standin
"a and lying near the boiler TO keep warn
a The cause of the sudden fire amidshir
= was the tI1rnenfine stnued heInr, ,,