New-York tribune., 1869-04-02
NAVIGATION ON THE HUDSON.
THE RIVER CLEAR TO HUDS0N-vERY LITTLE
ICE LEFT-CASUALTIES AND HINDERANCE TO
TRkYEL-APPEARANCE OF THE RIVER.

THE RIVER CLEAR TO HUDsoN-vERY LITTLE
ICE LEFT--CAsUALTIEs AND HINDERANCE TO
TRAvEL-APPEARANCE OF THE RIVER. --.
PoUGHKEEPsIE, April 1.-THE opening of
navigation this Spring has been unusually safe and
gradual In fact 1t would be scarcely possible for the
and solid fields of ice that form every Winter be-
tween Troy and the salt water to break and pass of with
less damage to life aud property and less hnderance to
travel The river has been open and boats have been
running for two weeks past between NewYork and hls
city, which half way Troy Above here the ice has
been slowly crumbing away, and week ago ut TiVol
miles from here, it scarcely safe even for pedes
trians. At Albany, however, UP 10 Saturday
last, the ice was foot and q half thick
and heavily loaded freight teams were crossing,
On Sunday the river began to rise and as soon as the Ice
reached level Of the docks it broke up and hoated
down. About four miles below the city IL formed dam
and this backed the water up toward Troy and on the
reenbush Flats below East Albany and the water rose
nearly TO the level of the track but the oedam was only
slight one and gave way about O'Clock on Wednesday
afternoon and the river fell four feet in less than four
hours The floating masses OF Ice again found dam
above Oexsscke station and the river rapidly be
tween Schodack and stuyyesant covering the railroad
last night three feet deep with water ana III some
& down hm@e T@e cSEe %se f e
and the engine plunged int9 ~ tne & lveT, 6, nne
was injured. The Cincinnati express, from New-fork at
1880 up to stuyyesant but dare not 80 through Inc
and backed down to Hudson again The Buffalo express
stopped there also its arrival and the sub
united TO the outrageous extortons OF the hackdrves
and hoteLkeepsrs OF that city until this morning when
special tram, packed in every seat ana aisle win hpa
arriving lO o'clock The water on the track between
Albany aud this city has sunk to-day asTapdy as rose
and to-day the whole track is clear The Ice still last
across the chanDel for eight or ten miles above
Coxsacke station, but u IL almost certain % IA Una, a.
the river will be entirely open before the en1 OF
the week and probably within twentyfour hours The
steamboat Mcdonnell is expected 10 leave .O
night with four barges in tow for Albany anu ~ s n4t
likely she will no detained unless tho weather shoud
suddenly become very cold ine mere Sqsss ba been
Spring years when the ice has gone out 80 easily
The destruction Of the locomotive and freight cars Was
lumber at Albany were overturned, few fences on the
Flats were swept away ana rS new .o@S tr5gSS
damage done 20 shipping but NpW9
So far as Is krown there has not been single accident TO
life or LIMB on the river since the ice began 10 o SU Ih %
have not been started from their foundations -
through this afternoon me and gave the few passen
gers which 1t carried an excellent opportunity 70 oo
thousands of acres were still under water aud tuns ot
ice, in cakes OF every tze and shape;
April sun Yesterday the track along these Hats was
lined with a regiment q sportsmen shooting muskrah
theT holes by the fTeslo were Killed in few hours
single boat load OF fouI men capturing o. Above Cox
sackie stretched In continuous sheet but
was and upheayed IN the widest manner by tho
tagged blocks which had been sneked under me eia pE
the everything ice in the most extraordinary style.
Tho portion Of the track that was submerged II
hours before entirely dry. and uninlurod ave
a rod or two that needs grnyellng The freight
engine that collded with the ice yesterdhy, and
plunged into the river wa-i stll In the river vita Der
snoke-stack halfAine down the river whittier II had
nohted on a cake Of ice About miles above Hud'
son tho broken fragments piled up IN little cove. In
hugo masses dozen tun7 more had topped over
on the track during afternoon The conductor turned
out gang OF rs or 100 men with axes and .hoyel aud
cleared the road with the greatest expedition There
wis very little floating ice 60 be soen IN tie river bal IN
many places large fields lay along the shore, and below
Germantown there fringe ~ Titanic blocks Of every
conceivable shape heaped mp along the bank. Below
Rninebeck the river alInoet entirely cienf, ana
propellers and sailing plying IN every dirtc
ton, on its tranquil surface
FIRST BOAT UP TIE HUDSON. ..
CATsKILL, April 1.-The steamer Utica, be.
longing 10 Cornell Horton Co. 0f this place, landed
here at 10 O'Clock m. the nrst boat from Newiork
After coalug up she went on 20 CONsaekie.
The steamer Nuhpa, OF Powers Line, Capt W. ~ Oaf~
rail- commanding, arrived AZ this city about u o'clock
last evening from Hudson, being the rs boat down the
river since the close OF navigation last faL The NnhpA
left Hudson about o'clock Wednesday evening hay
ing been % hours the passage Sho encountered sod
fields OF drift all the from Hrsi~on =" 49,, -;
fhis portlon tho reut: occnpJihs he To-
the clear Above Hudson the Ice 10 SUN nrs
star IN cro