The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-01-29
TIE sINR1Na OF THENICK KING.
A 'rious Disaster to Passenger
St. uer, Without tho Usual Inciden-

SIT uer, "ltnOut tho CSuul 1nClueh-
tai r. ,rrOrs.
We have already briefly announced the
sinking, on Saturday last, of the steamer Nick
King, Captain Nick King commanding, OF the
Savannah and Florida Inland Route. The Sa
vannah Advertiser gives the following partic
ulars:
The steamer left Savannah last Friday morn.
with about siXty.flve passengers and q large
freight, consisting of dry goods, furniture
hour Of sailing deservedly enjoyed The reputa
lion of being a safe and expeditions steamer
FULL PARTICULARS OF THE AFFAIR.
The steamer passed down our river and
thence through the water courses comprising
the inland route without anything unusual oc.
curing, until about half-past twelve O'CLOCK
Saturday morning. At that hour the moon
had not risen and the steamer was running al
nearly full speed, or at the rate usually run
when the steamer Is said to be making gooc
time. At twenty minutes to one O'Clock Cap
tain King had just entered the wheel-house
and sounded the whistle TO slacken the speed
of the boat, for she had reached a point one.
half of mile from the wharf at Darlen. Al
most at that instant the boat gave
A TERRIBLE LURCH,
and threw Mr.. Haley about five feet and
prostrate on the floor of the englne.room.
when the fremen ran towards him, and Mr.
Haley Inquired ''lsn't that raft we've
struck?"
"No," said the fireman; 'no raft there; she's
struck something on The bottom of the river,
and iL's as much as she'll stand"
The engine was, Of course, stopped and the
boat slackened, the fireman and others goiRg
below TO discover the whereabouts and extent
of the damage. Water was found rapidly
making In the hold, and all the
PUMPS WERE PROMPTLY SET TO WORK
by steam, in order to keep the boat clear. A
few passengers who were awakened by Inc
lurch of the boat got up, and among the mum.
Der were some ladies', not badly frighte ned, es
he anticipated they would be, though one said
If there were danger she wished to know II,
80 that
''sHE MIGHT HoLLER."
As soon as the officers OF the boat learned
the extent Of the damage, Judging from the
quantity of water which was rushing ID,
the steamer was fastened to the dock, the
the passengers were all called up, Qor some
had slept through all the coGfusion,) and the
baggage was got ready for Immediate removal.
The steamer by this time was nearing the dock
or landing, with The water rushing IN 30 last
as to make the working Of the pumps by
steam impractlcsble. for the fires were In
imminent danger of being exlingulshed.
and all available steam was requisite to
carry the boat TO the landing. Most OF
the passengers and their baggage lelt
the boat from the after gangway, but, as the
steamer began to settle down at the stern, and
the water TO rise on the deck, the steamer
was turned around and headed for shore that
recedes very gradually, and is composed OF
sand and mud OF such proportions as to offer
an excellent bed for sinking steamer. On
this shore the boat was successfully grounded
with the bow we'll up, and the stern about
thirty yards from the landing she had Just
board remained perfectly dry standing on the
forward deck as the boat finally sank. The
officers and crew of the steamer worked ike
thoroughly disciplined sailors,
EACH MAN DOING HIS DUTY,
coolly and promptly, with the few passengers
looking quietly on, tor there was NO need Of
additional help from them under the clrcum-
stances. All such freight as goods ln cases or
boxes was removed to the upper deck or taken
of by o tug-boat. Even the sheets OF the
beds, the carpets. and the dining saloon NIX.
lures were removed to less exposed poluts OF
the boat. Tne engineer thinks taat guam
water at every high tide, though at low tide II
will, perhaps, be possible to walk on the
shore ali around the boat. The boat is injured
in the keel abaft the wheels, and 1t is thought
by striking portion OF the
WRECKED STEAMER MoULToN.
This wreck was formerly nearer the shore
but of late has been hoated by degrees into
the channel about half mile below Darlen
where the Nick King struck 1t at lime when
tide was very low. The work of raising ano
repairing the sunken boat will be compare.
lively easy task, and may probably coat about
$500, and several individuals, In addition tt
one or two who went last night, will leave
Savannah this morning for the purpose oil re-
pairing the damage, and bring the steamer tt
Savansab. The Nick King Ia owned by 9
company of about twenty persons. and II
valued at or about forty thousand dollars, bu
Ia uninsured.