Dragged To Quick Death

[(üonnert froni tlio Philadolpbia paporH.] Thé lauuehing was t) take place at 9 o'clock. Tho beautiful weather hftd ■ li'iiun an immense concourse of spectators to the ship-yard. Ou tho vessel were Gapt. Sandbérger, who is to command her, Capt. Curtis, who is to commnul her mate, tho Niágara, which was launchcd a few weeks ago ; an agent of the owners; Miss Fountain, who was to christen the vessel, and two citizens of Chester. Below were forty workmen, t vh om' was oonflded the iabor necessary to effect the launch. At a little distanco away, on an eminence from which lic might commaud the whole scène, lood Mr. John Fountain, the superintendent of the yard. The sldp is held upon the stocks by meuns of two stout oak planks soourely fastened upon a eradle, or series of eradles, conforming to the shape of the huil. The eradles are held together by a long chaiu passing under the keel. At the prow there are two planks, intended to retard the launch after all other obstructions are removed. Two other bonrds, that show by their partdng when the ship begins to move, are called the tell-tale; one of these is fast to the stocks and the other to the ship. The very warm weather melted the grease on the huil and eradles soonor than was expected. Mr. Fountain suddenly observed that the tell-tale boards were parting, and this meant that the ahip was puAhng. The superintendent knew that the momentiiin gnined by the slightest movement would mako it impossible to stop the launch ; so orders were at once given in a lmul voice to stand from under bef ore he gave the order to ent loose the last stays. At the same time the men at the saws were ordered to ent the planks holding the eradles, as, if this was not dojie promptly, the movement of the ship would wreneh tlie bolts from their sockets, and there would be danger of the vessel, frame and all, toppling over. The two planks were sawed, and the vessel glided into the water witli the velocity of lightning. Miss Fountaiu raiised the bottle oí Saratoga water prepared for the christening, and was about to break it over the bow, when a scream aróse, and, terrified beyond measure, she dropped it overboard. The ways were now clear, and, as the sereams that terrified Miss Fountain reached the enrs of the spectators, their eyes were greeted by a siekening sight. The great chain hokling the eradles was dragging along in the wake of the ship, carrying in its folds men, iron bars and woodt-n blocks. One man was cut in halt1 ; another was mashed beyond recognitioii ; others were limbless ; some were carried into the water with tho vessel. A scène of great confusión followed. The bell of the yard was rung, and in the course of a few minutes the news spread all over the city and brought a ci-owd of women andehildren to the gatcs, clamoring for admission. The workmen devoted tliemselves to the extrication of the killed and wounded from tlie debris of the stocks. Seven dead bodies were soon recovered and identifled with more or less eertaiuty. John Nelson was completeiy uoubled up. The back part of his head was torn orï, and one ear was gone. The head was cut oft and was hanging to the body by a slight ligament. The arms were cut off and were hanging on the clothing, and the lower part of the body was crushed. He was identified only by the brass tag which is given to each of the workmen when thoy enter the yard in the morning, and the number 011 which corresponds with a number opposite the nsmes on the books of the iirm. Nelson waa a single man. The injuries of tlie men were principally below the breast, and the bodies and legs were badly torn, in some instantes the limbs having been torn out from the sockets. Several of the deoeased havo left large families. All the killed and wounded were workmen employed in the yard, having formed part of a gang of abou üf tv men who knocked the blocks from under the leel of the vessel preparator; to the ontting asunder of the fastenings at the bow, by which act the vessel wa liberated, and sent sliding down he greasy way and into the river.