Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1868 — General Intelligence. [ARTICLE]

General Intelligence.

I EAR! I I. IHSANTEK AT SEA. Tlir Packet Hhlp I*mc At'cbb babelr aft Mandy Hook—The Terrible fllory of Iler A'nyage to thl* PorT-’blMty-Fnnr Hay* at Moa-Tbe Captain Kilic<l and the Crew Demoeaitieii, *f From the H. Y Tim**. «tli.

A disastrous shipwreck occurred ofl Sandy Hook on Tuesday night, by which tb" purkat-ahip I***i!.-YYiihU running L° - tween Liverpool and this city, was ..nearly lost, with all her valuable cargo of m«rchandiso and precionli freight of human beings. 7 i The story of the digaatar, as gleaned from a passenger at Castle < larden last night, was, briefly staled, as follows: Tire The Isw Wcbb. Capt. .1. C. Stowell, left Liverpool on the morning ol the 13th September, with A vAhiaMe assorted cargo and 324 passengers, most ol.whnm were Irish, and a few German. The early part of the voyage was agreeable, fine weather and fair breezes being enjoyed, and there was pvery prospect of a speedy! succutsful trip. Alter a few days howdver, a fierce storm arose, with the most vibleift head winds, and vary heavy seas, and this uniortunntei statu of things continued t/iroughopt the passage. , , _ Toward the end of the first week the Captain, while on deck superintending management of the vessel, was struck upon tho head by one of tho heavy blocks which foil from the rigging, and was instantly killed. This proved an unfortunate event for the passengers, ns the death of the mnsbfr of the ship d'-moralized the crew, and left the control of the vessel, at a most perilous juncture, wholly without responsible direction. The first male, of course, snCceeded the deceased Captain in command, but ho did not seem to have the same amount, of influence with the crew as his predeqvssor. and matters were all at loose ends. The crew djd mn«h as they pleased, but to their credit it is said that each man did all that he conld for the safety of the vessel and the welfare of those on Ixiard. » ' " I —_—.... I The storm continued with slmost unabated filry throughout the voyage, and many were the hairbreadth escapes from a fearful doom. When the Banks of Newfoundland had been almost reached, the ship was found to be in a sinking condition, and fears were entertained that she conld not reach port in safety. The first mate demurred to run into but the crew demurred, and led by the second mate, peremptorily refused to obey orders, the leader of the fitutinous liody -presenting a pistol to the head of his superior and threatening to blow his brains out unless he clniuged orders. Directions wens necordiugly modified, and the . vessel was Si. ere,l for this port. The ship was filling rapidly, and it was necessary to employ the entire*]!* Hunger company in turns to work the pumps, and this was done day and night. To add to the misfortunes of the situation, tho supply of provisions and Water gave out, and starvation stared the company in the face. Fortunately, an bound vessel was passed, which furnished a small stock of provisions and water, and thus replenished, h<>|>e Itogan to dawn upon sight’ d ou Tuesday night, but a terrible storm ] ire vailed, and again did hope vanish, as utter destruction seemed inevitable. The saili: had all been blown from the masta, tho anchors lost, and the ship became entirely unmanagable, in which condition she was stranded between the Outer middle channel and the beach, off Sandy Hook. Portions of the cargo were thrown overboard in order to lighten tho vessel, and the pnmps were still vigorously worked. By- these almost superhuman exertions the ship wan so far saved, and yesterday morning the inmates were rescued from their perilous situation by the steamer Philip, belonging to the New York Submarine Co. While on the way to Sandy Hook, at about 7 o’clock in the mbrniug, Captain Chas. Hazzard, oi the Philip, descried the disabled vessel, from which the most urgent appeals for help were being signaled by the passengers and crew. When reached the vessel was louud to have eight fyet of water in her hold, and was thumping very heavily on the sea was tremendous,"tanking a complete breach over her. Gapt. Hazzard Bueeeedefl, at great risk, in getting n hawser to the ship, and with the ussistnnce of the steam tug Yankee, Capt. Heunesy.towed her into shoal water, inside Sandy Hook. If it had not been fofl Capt. Hazzard’s timely assistance, the ship must have gone to pieces on the beach and a great many lives would have been lost; and to him too much credit cannot be

given -for-hitr •geueroiis’Tianng: The passengers were all transferred on board the Yankee, and brought up to the city at about (> o'clock last evening, and landed at Castle Garden. Cupt. Waters, agent of the Submarine Company, has three powerful steam pumps on Iward the ship, and is in nopes that, after discharging more of the cjirgo, lie can pump out the water and bring her to the city. Superintendent Kennedy, of the -Metropolitan Police, sent- Officer--Daniels’ down, who rendered very efficient aid in transferring the passengers, who were completely demoralized They hud worked at the pumps for thirty days and nights, and were greatly exhausted, having had but littlp sleep, and only one and a half biscuits each since lost Sunday. Five of the passengers actually died of hunger, and were buried in the ocean. The Captain’s body was imperfectly embalmed, placed ' iu a rough piuebox, aud removed from the vessel last evening to No. 107 South street, whence it will be token to the dead-house to await the action of the authorities. The passengers when landed presented a wretched appearance, and when they sat down to the bounteous- feast-prepared for them by,the Castle Garden officials, they ate voraciously, and afterward retired to comfortable beds for tha first time iu many nights. All that could be done was done to make the condition of the unfortunate creatures comfortable, and many were the expressions of gratitude that were poured i I’ortli by the rescued. j Tjho Isaac Webb is one of the well- I known A I packet ships of the Black Ball Line, owned by C. H. Marshall <t Co. She is of 1,497 tons register, and was thoroughly overhauled by her builder, W. H. Webb, in 1804, when certain defects inker construction were removed. Isfcsobial, Earth «< of which immense deposits exist in Maryland; Virginia and elsewhere;) is now many purposes, in the arts, in addition to its furbishing an interesting field of investigation to the microscopist and naturalist. Sculptors’ models, made of the usual cldy, mixed with this earth, do not crack or spring either in drying or baking. Added to sealing-wax, it prevents the too rapid dropping when molted, and does not affect the color. The substances usually employed for tho purpose, gypsum and barytes, are open to many objections that de not apply to .this earth. It is used to great advantage jn polishing metals, aud is an excellent article for cleaning glans, either windows or mirrors. For this latter purpose it is mixed with water and smeared over the surface, and afterwards rubbed off with a piece of chamois leather. It is said to be superior to all other substances as a moulding sand, taking the finest and most delicate impressions. United with nitroglycerine, it forms the new blasting powder, dynamite, soinueh safer in use than the’liquid explosive. !.• 1 A gekeleman of Maduon relates the following incident: “Going home he observed in his yard a cat, with heal, tail and hair erect, every.nerve trembling with excitement, looking intently at a hen which was sitting in the grass, its head also erect, looking at the cat. The latter approached cautiously, and slowly, toward the hen. Wheu alteut three feet from the chicken, and, about, to spring upon it, the gentleman pished to the rescue and drove away the ekt. The hen fell over on her side in= sensible, was picked np, carried into the house; and died in fifteen minutes •*' Cats- I lepsy killed her.