The New York herald., 1864-06-10
WRa|slf DISASTER "a fir HUDSON,
- ->sse.>>>~c..~
~s01l Bsrkihlfs Burned 70 tho
assry Edge n Wednesday Night.
xnaS,.y or Forty Liv1s Sup.
posed to be Lest.
oGatements Of SV.me Of the
Passeng, ,ers.
oCENES AND INCIDENTS
b.. &u.. a

Fearful steamboat d .s,sv on ths Endsop Tbs steam
s' berkshire fann' ng this city and Hudson,
~as burned 70 the waters edge Wednesday night,
= Asops sland eight miles below Rondout,
s nudson river According 10 the Press accounts be-
"so lorty n nny lives were lost. Different
statements haW been made TO the origin Of
sse nre Som say that IL caused by the
oAp'osion Of kerosene Iamp others that spark
'fem snos ing pipe ignitcd some hay which was
On ooard ano another that lamp fell from It's hanging
position bundle or h.v "a .eerns n hc the on,n,on
VI Captain ower who commanded The Berkshire a. the
ome' ihas the Are originated in the lamp room.
SVeraf the passengers arrived in this city yesterday
DoTping,f or whom publish below detailed
sasemen Of the the disaster As they scattered them
So"ee !" ound in different localities IL was Impossible 10
moo 'ns ALL but from those whom reporters were
fortuna enough u hunting up are able to lay before
our rcs dcrs full particulars Those particulars
- 10 scenes Of appalling and truly heart sicken
sss ~ ture.
tn Berkshire belonged to the Hudson Steamboat Com.
Sany and was q perfectly vessel, running her FIRST
se@ She loaded with hay, grain, -four and
ger eral freight She two hundred and seventy five
' long, thirty feet beam, and feet inches
" pth Of hold. Her engine was niy-four inch cylinder,
feet stroke and she carried four boilers She
,uiit at Athens in this state, her engines
suueted by Fletcher, Harrison l. Co
SCENES DURING
None OF the passengers can properly describe the
terrible scenes enacted on board during the FIRE. 1t
scarcely minutes from the the cry Of fire
vas nrst raHcd until the moment when the Berkshire
Was burned 10 the waters edge. Tnere number
d women and children board nearly all of whom
were saved by their immediate friends who used the
most s,reruons exertions In their behalf
when she boat ran ashore she lay with her bow in
about four feet Of water passengers near this
point easily reached land in sasoty.
LOST.
Among those known TO be lost are the follow ing
Mary Phillips, cbambermad Of the boat.
John Jackson colored walter OF the boat.
Mrs. Potter, Of Jersey City
THE PASSENGERS ON SHORE.
when the passengers landed from burning vessel
they built fires in order TO themselves and dry
Their clothes The farmers in the vicinity, their
credit be said did every thing their power TO ale
vists the suaernss Of the distressed passengers
ACCOUNT ny JANIS LIGHTBoDY.
Mr.. James Lightbody, OF E;st Chatham, Columbia
county, who travels on the line a week. in
the freight business among the passengers and
ntehss short description OF accident According to
hD account the accident occurred about ten
oe'oss on Wednesday night Most Of the passengers had
retired 10 rest. Mr. LiRhtbody hmscn had Just
partially undresscd himself. and got into bed, when he
hoard The alarm OF Are, "fre,' and trampng OF feet
Ina confused and hurried manner. He sprang bed
N instant pulled open the s,seroom and
scsked ont TO what the matter. red glare was
all over the sky, and looking amicshps he fire
raging the vessel. 1t the work Of moment
for him TO draw back, dress himself and rush into
che statercom hall with q view ascertainng the
extent Of the danger and burning fearful but won
sieruIy sobdued excitement prevailed among the passeu
Eer who were all making Tor the forward part OF the
boat. which portion least exposed, the fire having
not yet reached there The women, many OF whom
ward, with children in their arms. but half
sioshod themselves, having been suddenly aroused
II. Powers, or the owners, was in the hall
rising every means IN bis power the
ton confusion Mr. Lghtbody Continues his statement
ihuscatsn Powers directed The passengers all get
avoid crowong together and abstain from unnecessary
excitement. He Old them If tbey kept cool they would
the officers Of the boat ! myself 10 the
forward part Of the deck and saw the flames
moment the socid nj discovered the We e'sel was
headed Tor shore and upon the beach tvo
miles above Hyde Park which is situated about eight
mics above Foughsecpse. The fire seemed TO be strong
ssi about sm,dshps, bu, ragged Deary part Of
mig very high at the time, and the air
rather cool and sharp. he moment the Berkshire
Or the sides OF the bow into the water /
renamed on board un,i ~ but three lad got Of the for
what assistance could to other passengers who in
messed should meation one which psr,iculary excied
my interest little boy ten or twelve years Of age,
mother an old lady u sixty.six years OF age they
were asleep in the ladies' cabis when the lire
broke The old lady awose arst. and mme.
distey aroused her grandchd from bis siumbets,
teius him that the vessel FIRE, and they must
fee Tor lives. The rushed out or tue cabin
together no the sateroom hall and proceeded forward
until the flames them back cut of their escape
an that direction They obliged retreat 10 the
cabin where they rushed into the statcrooms
The by picked up ptcEer aud smashed il 70
pieces 10 an effort 70 break open the sash ana win
dow OF the stateroom. lie next took the washbow
snd broke that against the window, oniy succeed.
anbres nexi, broke open the and got out Of tue
window on deck. and then tried pull grandmother
through the opening The old lady very stout aud
heavy and therefore could set through. The boy
nut she get DOT safe 1he aarnes approached him
no.eyer IN ouch manner that meek and feet were
DIN 70 leave her aud himself as shc could not bope
so oe rescued Ihe little fellow lett her side with the
lore lore, N safety lie wsp most bitterly and The
poor p woss sSsy W.. 'se ssrpea generally thought
as not heard o. alter. The boy am informed, was
,e city desire 30 that the conduct a al the
sis was most ooBrssndabe. They did everything
.Ts Ts. we're three Of sc owssrs 90 @
Geou y. Power, Milton Martin and John 4
worthy msnusr. NJ. Bel jamn Briggs, the pilot. Ie.
NAMED bis post Ike hinl ollcer. and though sur
pi,thonse until the vessel 80, on shore As Tor myself
~non got on the forward 6sck al arsl remained
thrown oys Soard aud consd red Il dangerous 10 ss
in the wafer While such tnings were occurring when
stary all wei on the forward pnt q We boat got my
sell the Wing OF the upper eek out ON the guard
snc inmpcd M 70 the water. Wbln looked up after
tnnpng saw th et the flames raging with great
fury utt underneath the place from VI ch had jumped
me ar there WIS verlectly scorching moved away
n.s s.d wen, q work 70 aid those wbt were srgggDT
around me. IekeN up three women nd helped them
she shofs Tho wgNef about four IA deep IN the
' % ano W. sho'e s'hf very muddy, 90 INV u was d.
noah ios nemen to WAX through H. The lepth o. the
water ~ me s'efa must have been abort twenty |
fref tnin6 mere about one hundred |
passepg@s 90 tne forward tart ot the vessel Snd iley
we're pellese, sAvea Ab equal number wer, fprob.
NY on TIE oncN pNtoi the boat steamer Gala the
halovn, and come small LVa,e came 60 cur re.ei aud
s.os some o. the passengers i0m the and wa
Toe confusion and excitement were could no; la m