Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-11-04
The Sinking of the New World

furnish the annexed account of the disas-
ter to the steamer New World, on the
Hudson river, on Wednesday evening:
A terrible accident happened 8s
night at Z o'clock to the steamer New
World, of the Peoples Line. while ol
her way from this city to Albany She
was opposite Tubby Hook, about nine
miles from her dock in New York, when
the engineer was startled by the ringing
of the alarm bell. He was in the fire
room at the time, and instantly springing
towards the machinery, saw that Il Was
out of order.
The engine was Immediately stopped,
and the engineer issued orders to the FIRE
men to put out the fires, but before this
could be accomplished, the walking beam
and piston rod broke, and carrying the
other machinery with it, the whole went
crushing through the bottom of the steam
er. The noise was very great, and many
of the passengers thought that the boat
had run upon rock, and was badly
broken in. Tho excitement was intense,
and rush by the passengers was made
from the cabins to the deck, but their
fears were quieted when they were told
that nothing was the matter, and that
Everything was all right. The next mo-
ment however, the cry of She's sinkingr
i She's sinking rang like funeral knelI
in the ears of the now frightened aud ex-
cited passengers. The alarm proved too
true. The machinery had passed COM
pletely through the bottom OF the steam
er, thus leaving a large hole, through
which an immense body of water rushed
with terrible force. The excitement was
now really awful, rush was made by
every one below to the deck. Under the
impulse OF the moment, it is said that
three ladies and two gentlemen jumped
overheard and were drowned.
All was now confusion and diSmay on
deck. The steamer was sinking fast
: 800 passengers were on board, and an
t inevitable death appeared to be staring
z them in the face, as no vessels were near.
The night was very dark, and the snow
: fell thick and fast. A small boat was
lowered from the steamer, when the pass
t engers rushed in, and some jumped from
: the deck into the boat, and, as a natural
consequence, she was swamped. How
n many were in the boat at the time or how
a many were drowned, our reporter could
S not learn. Others seized upon the life
1t preservers which were in their cabins
and above deck and, fastened them around
r their bodies, waited for the sinking OF the
+ steamer.
The pilot had turned her bow towards
e the West shore, with the intention of rup-
% ming her aground, but she only went
short distance, as her machinery being
d lost, she could not of course be propelled
d. forward. At this time, about fifteen
m minutes after the accident occurred, the
shouts of the passengers on the hurricane
"a deck had attracted the attention of tho
y crew of the sloop Jack Downing, Capt.
lie Erasus W. Crane, bound for Albany
in from Elizabethtown, with a load OF coal
By the exertions of the captain and or V
D. she was got alongside of the sinking steam
III er, and throwing ropes from vessel to
ne vessel, she was brought to within few
feet of the steamer, when several of the
10 passengers sprang from the deck O. the
III latter to that of the former.
!, Hope now sprung up in the hearts o
all at the sight of the little sloop, but they
little thought that, with her heavy loaG
of coal, she could not with safety take
one-quarter of the passengers; nor did
this idea enter into their heads, until they
saw the ropes cast off, and some tina
could not be Embossed, cut. At this ter
rible moment, the steamer sinking lowe
IT. and lower, two tow boats, the Syracus,
/ and Ohio, came alongside and took off til,
~ rest of the passengers. 90 board the
~ sloop there were sixty-fve. 4 subscrip
lr' ton for Capt. Crane and his crew wa
e' made, and upwards ofseven:y-fve dollar
I'D were raised and presented to him. wit
TO the thanks of the rescued. Small boat
VI took the passengers from the deck of tia
las sloop to the dock at Yonkers. The pass
Is engers taken off by the steamboats, wer
is also landed at that place.
III" Mr.. L. Joy of Vermont, passenge
asserts that the colored stewards of tn
s0' boat made money by the sale of the Iii
~" preservers, and they would not part vii
'"s them unless for money. A lady came
one Of the men and cried out, for God
heJ sake give me one Of those life preseryers