Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-07-31
Terrible Disaster in New York.

NEW YORK, July 30.--As the Staten Island
'terryboat Wcsttield was starting from her dock
ut the foot of Whitehall street, next the Battery
at Leo this afternoon, with heavy load
composed mainly Of the usual class ot Sunday
,.ycurSiuni>ts 10 the number Of about 300, her
boiler burst. with. Il tremendous explosion,
shvcring the entire upper works OF the boat
into a thousand pieces, and LAYING open the
whole forward part Of the hull from the very
keel
The SPECTACLE on the Ill futcd vessel sub
<elucnt to the explosion is beyond description
\ great yawnIne abyss stretched from abatt
the engine room close IL the stern, and the
deck seemed to have opened like j sepulchre
to swallow its load of human freight in the
dark hold beneath The dead and dying were
lying about in every direction among the debris
Of broken timbers spinters and heavy machine
~. From midships to the cut water tho boat
presents vast hold filled with fragments of
<pars, beams and bulwarks and fragments Of iron.
How many bodies still lie beneath the ruins in
that fearful hold il is impossible As yet to tell.
They are bringing them out every hour.
The boiler was inspected by John X. Mathews
United States Boiler Inspector, on the 18th Of
June, aud pronounced safe Henry Robinson,
engineer of the Wcsticd, stated that he tried
the cocks ia the boiera few moments before
the explosions, and found water ut the upper
cock He states further that at that time he
looked at the steam gauge and noticed that
there were twenty pounds steam on her
boiler; also, that steam was blowing OH ut the
safety valve, showing the boiler was carrying
the full extent allowed By the certificate. lie
further states that the boiler was repaired last
winter. The cause Of the explosion was
probably the breaking Of the joints Of the plate
with which the boiler had been patched on
the rear end.
1t isimposSibie as yet to give the names or
number OF the dead The Times estimate
forty killed. ami Scvcnty-iiye or a hundred
wounded. men women and children.
FAuQrIER County. - From The Warrcnton
Index. A Camp Meeting will be held on
Fauquicr circuit, Baltimore Conference, Wash
ington District on the Eth August. about one
and quarter miles from Bcalton station, on
the O. & 4. railroad. Trains passing day and
night. Suitable camping ground has been
selected, well watered and shaded, near War
renton, Culpepcr Court house, and the Eau
quicr White Sulphur Springs in :;
healthlul country, and very accessible to the
cities and towns in Virginia and Maryland,
along the great northern and southern railroad
line.
Nlcssrs. Forbes, VIM H. and Rice W. Payne,
Commissioners sold on Monday last the George
Nelson farm four miles from Warrcnton, and
containing 2G9 acres, to Miss Emily Stuart for
SIT per acre. The lO7 acre farm near Mark
ham, sold by Messrs. holland, Green and Scott
under decree in the case Of Green admir-. VI.
Jackson was purchased by George Jackson for
SIG per acre \ house aud lot in New Balti-
more, sold under decree in the case of Griesby
vs.. Roach admir- was bought by b. Luusford
for $405
Dr. \. 5. Payne. who is known abroad for
his contributions 10 mineralogy and geology
and at home as a successful practitioner of
medicine, has determined to turn his thoughts
into new chanuel. He entertains desire to
represent his county in the Legislature. Like
a true man he will submit his claims to con-
yenton o.! the conservative party, which will
probably be held soon after the adjournment
Of the Conservative State Convention
We regret to learn that cholera is killing
great number Of hogs in Fauquier, some far
ners losing very heavily \ gentleman who
recently rode from Auburn to The Plains in
formed us that every few hundred yards on
the route his ofactories were offended by the
decaying carcass ola hog. Several farmers who
are losing hogs by what they at first thought
to be cholera, upon closer examination find the
mouth, tongue and throat OF their hogs to be
extremely sore, and their teeth black.
The CHANGES OF A YEAR-One year has
brouuht ne round ouain RI the time when rho