Bill Bleyer will speak about his book The Sinking of the Steamboat Lexington on Long Island Sound, which details real events. The 1840 accident claimed the lives of 139 of the 143 people on board and remains the worst maritime disaster in the history of Long Island. The story of the sinking is compelling, with the pilot trying to steer for shore at Eatons Neck when the fire was discovered only to have the steering ropes burn through. The engineers couldn’t stop the steam engine because they were driven away by the fire, so the ship continued at cruising speed out of control. Passengers and crew attempted to launch the three lifeboats but all were lost because the vessel was still underway. The survivors escaped by using cotton bales as life rafts; one of them drifted for 40 hours in subfreezing weather before landing in Riverhead and reaching a house three-quarters of a mile away before collapsing. No registration required. For additional information, please call the library or visit our website.