The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-29


was in flames. feeble attempt made TO extingusl
II, but without effect There nothing at hand tc
meet such emergency The rescued passengers saved
nothing but the clothes their backs and even the
greater part of these were torn off and otherwise lost
Six hundred souls were supposed to be board ncu
ding many women and children.
MR. GLAUBENsKLEE's STATEMENT f
AT about quarter past two p. m, September 18TH be-
ing in my stateroom heard the cry of fire" Has
tening deck, the flames breaking out through the
middle deck The captain trying to get the people
out OF the second boat the port sde to have 1t low
cred hsened to the foredeok to keep the people from
the boat After few minutes turned around to go TO
the quarter deck but could not get through the fire.
remained the forecaste the ship all this time going
onward against the wind. &
With the assistance OF asalor cut down the bsails
to throw them into the water aid in checking the
progress Of the fire but the people deck did not
destand Intention and merely threw them into the
water. tried to discover something with which to save
the passengers but nothing to be found. The spars
hi been thrown overheard and the buckets being
the pipe. all fire. In about half hour the
foremast fell and shortly after the mainmast and at
about the same time the engine appeared to stop The
ship, which thus far had been heading west, gradually
turned to the north and finally to the northeast Soon
after the boiler seemed to collapse and ten minutes after
the magazine exploded BY the burning of the ship the
flames and smoke drove to the orecaste The suffering
then became intense. s.ea aag tHare ar. .H
Our only hope now being In two vessels in the dis
anceono of which, afterwards proved to be the Mau-
rice, approached slowly the other, further of, steer
ing west took notice 9 although she l0as si3natd TO DO
10 By the captain Of the Maurice h. a.' 5,.. ~
Having taken my stand on the chains the starboard
side, gradually advanced forward to make for
others AT about five o'clock the Maurice sent off q
boat, and, it came near, jumped into the
water and reached it, Seven others taken in and
the boat returned to the barque Two boats belonging
to the baque continued to ply to and from the steamer
picking up all they could until the darkness male it i'm
possible to find more of the sufferers Soon after sunset
He, ntl,a fn
barque, having saved themselves in lifeboat Later
some Swedish sailors came in part of boat, and Mr..
Brew and a German in part of another boat.
u from the New York Journal Of c,mmorcol
The Austria fine steamer of ,662 tons register
built at Grcenock last year. and owned by the Ham
burg American Packet Company. Her hull of iron
and divided into eight water tight compartments The
Austria her third voyage to this port. Her first
appearance here the 18th of May last and her
next on the 18th of July. ~
The Handel Natrsy describes the Austria t'an iron
propeller, built after the Clyde model, in 1857, by j.
Caird Co., of Greenock rating l. $500 tons register
Tor, deductng displacement by machinery, &c. 1852
tons propelled by drcctactng engines of 400 horse
power. Her length all, BAT feet keel, 3Os feet
breadth of BEAM 40 feet and depth of hold 3S feet with
bunkers for 600 tons of coal Barque rugged, with suf
cen spread of to enable her to reach port in
of an accident to her machinery. Her bowsprt
and bboom prorude some rs feet beyond her bow. The
engine and boilers lay 20 feet below deck and
surrounded by sheet ron to conne FIRE commencing
in the furnace to its place of origin Ten water
tight compartments protect her in great against
danger from leak. " y.
The cargo of the Austria included something over
16 900 feet measurements little above 400 tors The
low rates of freight at Havre and Southampton owing
to the competition between the Vanderbilt and Persia
prevented many shipments thence that there few
silk goods the fabrics board being chiefly wooens and
worsteds The whole list of earnings by freight and pas
senges taken at the port footed up less than
f400 There furs on board, aud few linens
the total value cargo may be estimated at $780,,
0O0 OF this amount probably oneourth is not insured
at ALL and the remainder it Is fair to infer Is about
equally divided between and foreign companies
although the total insured this side cannot be known
for tme much Of it is under open policies. The
steamer cost about f26 per tom and insured the
other side.
1t is noticeable fact that Notwithstanding the SUI
pcriority claimed for iron steamers the ground of
their security from fires, steamship of this description
the first of the transatlantic line to perish from cona
grafton. ns # s9esa Es9at ra. .a.s afs ~"
The coincidence is also remarked that the destruction
of the Austria occurred on the 18th SeptemberAbut
single day from the anniversary Of the ated Central
America, which was lost September IL, 1857. |o9
Thus have added to the fearful catalogue of steam
ship disasters appalling and destructive of
human life than any that has preceded it, This fact a
pears from the following statement a -.s