The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-07-23
From the Norfolk Herald, july 2I.l
TERRIRIE NISASTER


TERRIBLE DISASTER.
BURNING OF THE STEAMSHIP PENNSYLvANIA-THREE
CHILDREN DROWNED.
The steamer Curtis Peck, Captain Moore, which
arrived at an early hour on Thursday morning
from Richmond, brought down Captain Teal off
GERS and crew and four passengers, saved from the
wreck OF the steamer Pennsylvania, which vessel
we regret to learn, was burned to the waters edge
tne Right before, while lying at anchor off James
town. The Curtis Peck was on her usual NIGHT
"Trip down the river, and, learn from Captain
moore, discovering the light of the burning
steamer, when about fve miles off, Immediately
crowded ON steam and hurried to her relief When
Within short of her, both the boats of the Curtis
Feck, In charge of Mr.. George Clifford and Mr.
Cain, first and second officers, were despatched to
rescue the crew and passengers who were floating
around on RATS and panks, in which thew were SO
ar successful as to save all except three small chill
eren OF Mrs Deitz, passenger, who were washed
from raft and drowned before the Curtis Peck
came up.
The children, four in number, had been placed on
the raft, with Mr.. Smack, the pilot of the Pennsyl-
vania, and passenger, but the raft was capsized
Alongside the vessel, and they slid off into the
water. The three eldest, 4, and 10 wears of age
were drowned-the other, an infant was seized as
II II was going down, by Mr.. Smack who then kept
noa OF 1t until picked up by the boat of the Curtis
a,, eeS, aoeut mile from the ship. The mother is
almost distracted with grief and her piteous lam
entatlons were heartrending in the extreme The
persons saved were taken on board the Curtis Peck
anu recelved every attention and sympathy which
Capt. Teal and the officers of the Pennsvlvon;.
returned to the wreck yesterday morning accom-
panied by Capt. Crowell, the agent of the line in
tnis city. The only particulars we could obtain
rom them are contained in the following statement
OF Mr.. Thomas Calan, the chief engineer made
under oath before Government Inspector, G. B.
Dayids, ESQ.,:
Left Norfolk on Thursday, 10Th, at noon About
nine clock, T. NJ, came to anchor opposite James
town. IN heavy storm of wind, rain and lightning.
was on duty at the time. About IL p M, Pat
Riley, coal passer, discovered fire between decks
anu forward OF the boiler, and Immediately report
ed the TACT to me. ordered the hose on the fire.
pumps and the pumps to be put to work. but only
succeeded in getting the forward pump at work.
In one minute after the fire was discovered the
flames burst through and over the boiler, driving
me from the engine room, 1 was the only person
then lett in 1t. Went forward and got all hands
on forward pumps, which were then working on
the hre. The flames made such rapid progress
however, that we soon discovered it was useless to
work the pumps, or attempt in anv wav to check
the hre. An attempt was then made to get out the
boats, but the flames had burst through the engine
room skyllghts cutting off all communication be-
tween forward and aft, and surrounding the cabin
ana boats, which were lashed to dayits and swung
lnwards over the top of the cabin and CONSEQUENT.
ly could not be got at.
All hands now voluntarily commenced construct
ing RATS and other floats from gangway planks
wood .gratings, and spare spars. The first raft
launcned was the gangway plank, and on this Mr.
Smack, pilot, and one passenger placed themselves
taxing with them four small children of lady pas
senger, VINO was travelling without her husband
expecting to meet him in Richmond They then
lett the ship and drifted away in the darkness
Next, Mr. Bell, second officer, left the shin on a
plank; don't know if he had any one with him.
The next that left the ship were two deck hands on
raft; they invited passenger to 60 with them
but he, being fearful, declined. Next Capt Teal
went on raft, taking with him two lady passen-
gers and the chambermaid-one of the ladies the
mother OF the four children who were placed on
the first raft.
Mr. Harris, the second engineer, with the fire.
men and such other hands as were left on board,
together with myself, commenced to build a raft
from old spars and lumber and got it finished and
0verDoard, and TWO or three men en- it, when we |
discovered the lights of the steamer Curtis Peck |
approaching, on her way from Richmond to Nor
1olk Directed the ships bell to be toed, which |
was done until the Curtis Peck came within one |
hundred and fifty feet and stopped. Capt. Moore |
oil the T. r., Immediately launched his two boats |
and sent them to our relief First officer Clifford |
OF the e. p. came in one boat to the ship and took
on the two lady passengers, chambermaid, Capt. |
Teal, myself and two of the crew. | returned to |
the ship with Mr.. Clifford and fireman, and |
took took OF Mr.. Harris, second engineer, and the
balance of the crew, and landed them safe on board
the Peck. During this time the other boat from |
the u T., in charge of Mr.. Cain, second officer |
was engaged in picking up the passengers and |
crew who had dritted away on RATS, planks, &C.,
ing vessel.
At the spot where the fire was first observed no
spark from the boiler could have caused it to occur
All the coal slowed below anthracite, and not
In contact with the boiler, consequently could not
have taken fire. believe the fire must have orig
mated from some combustible freight, slowed near |
where it occurred At the time the ship came to |
anchor, hauled in front and banked all the fire in
the boller-hlled ash pans with water-opened the |
caps-pumped boiler up with steam pump and |
thuswise worked steam down to 10 pounds-lifted |
saety-valve and left the steam slowly escape; all
lights in engine and boiler rooms were put out ex-
hl hOht fpnrti tiarr fhn ~
glne room; examined erything-then went to lie |
down, leaving one fireman and coal-heaver on
watch
The Pennsylvania was one of the finest steamers
connected with the Union Steamship Company's |
Line between Philadelphia, Norfolk and Richmond. |
She arrived here on Thursday morning from Pha- |
dephia-landed twelve passengers, (among them |
captain Newton, OF the Army, and lady, and Capt. |
which has been laid up at Philadelphia, and left |
during the afternoon for Richmond When in the |
vicinity OF jamestown, the violent wind and rain
storm then prevailing compelled her to anchor, as
1t was deemed dangerous to proceed in the impene
trabe darkness. 1t was at that point the fire oc-
Cured. The steamer and cargo are no doubt
total loss, as all between decks was burnt when the
Curtis Peck left her.
MRS. DEITz OVERHEARD.
Mrs. Deitz, the mother of the three children lost
it appears, was also overheard and nearly drowned
with her infant. The Day Book, of Saturday, says
Wnlle captain Teal, the two ladies, and the cham
bermad were upon the raft, which, it appears, had
not been cut loose from the burning ship, Mrs.
Detz fell from the raft into the surging waves the
tide was running strong, and in a moment she
would have been washed away beyond the lurd
glare, and would have sunk forever beneath the
remorseless wave that minute before had en- |
guiphed three Of her children. When she slipped
from the raft her darling infant, of twenty months
clnng to her bosom, and as she passed under the |
raft she seized with that tenacious grasp such as
only maternal love can prompt. Fortunately for
her, Captain Teal saw her form beneath the sur
face and pulled her almost unconscious to the raft
Mr. Smack, the mate, who was the gang plank,
came floating by, and the Captain took the infant
from the exhausted mother and placed it in the
arms of the mate, while he directed his attention to
the mother. The gang plank now foated beyond
the lurid circle, and lost in the midnight
darkness. AS it passed, the paintive wall of
the child reused the mother and she, from
that time until she got on board the Curtis
Peck, mourned the loss of all her children.
The mingled grief and joy Of that frantic mother
when she reached the deck of the opportune steam
er, can be better imagined than described.
POLITICAL.
n INN