The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-04-26 00:00:00

THE WRECK OF THE " ATLANTIC."
The American Correspondent of The Times, writing from
Philadelphia on the 4th lest , amongst other interesting par-
ticulars of the diesster, gives the following:—

William Hogan, of Waterford, a passenger in the
steerage, gives the following account of the calamity—
probably the best turuished by any of the passengers.
He says
" I was a passenger on board the Atlantic, and was on
deck at three o'clock. I beard the sailor on duty call out,
' All's well ! Three o'clock.' After hearing the sailor saying
' Ails well I went to the forward steerage and got into bed.
About five or ten minutes afterwards I heard watchmen cry
out ' Breakers ahead e and almost instantly I heard a tre-
mendous crash, and the air rushed in and blew out the
lights. It was my impression that the boiler had burst.
called up some of the boys that were aleeping neat me. I
told them to rush on deck, and that the boiler had exploded.
Some of them refused to go, aid Mad that it nattered little
—thinking the steamer was out at sea—and raid that it
was just as well to meet death below as on deck; but 1
and Pat Leahy, my chum, determined to save our lives, if
possible, and, as all was couluslon below, I really c amot
tell how we got on deck. The orders were given, as is
a common thing in steamships with sailors, that the
hatches should be closed, and no one be permitted to ascend
to the deck. Thinking that our lives were in immi rivet
danger, we forced the hatches rip, and ascended to the
; deck. A. soon as we went on deck we rushed to the side of
' the vessel, and saw the rock,,as I supposed, about 300 yards
distance. I thought at first it was an iceberg we had struck,
! but immediately afterwards we noticed that the ship com-
menced to heave and plunge, at d after three or four plunges
she fettled, and the water seemed to be rushing in, I sur-
mised that our safety depended in our being on the side of
the vessel nearest to the land. I rushed to that side and
caught hold of the Huang, when the ship corruhencmi to turn
over gradually on her shie. I got in the side of the ship and
caught hold of a rope. I then heard a dismal wail which was
fearful to listen to. It proceeded from the steerage passenger.,
who were below, and were then smothering. It did not last
more than two minutes, when all was still as death. The
captain then shouted out that the last chance the
survivorshad was to get on the riggleg. Several of them did so.
I afterwards heard the first officer shout out tin the only
chance to those who could swim was t• jump overboard and
endeavour to reach the rock Otte old man held on most des-
herately, but he seemed to hove hot his preseloe of mind. I
helped him to net nearer the host when some of the passf n-
gers were being rescued ; be sail that he would give 1,0
dollars reward to any man who would save him, but nobody
mewed anxious to earn the money. I gave him all the assist-
ance I could under the circumstances, anti afterwards saw
him get into a boat and safely laud on shire. During the time
several of the passengers were being conveyed to the rock,
which, as near as I Call judge, wan about 3U feet from the
vessel; there were three ropes from the ship to the rock, and
I one rope from the rock to the island, which was about 150
feet distant. 'lnc passengers by means of these ropes saved
! themselves and got on the rock, where they remained about
! an hour, very few of them venturing to wade ashore, with the
assistance of the single line, to the island. At six o'clock a
small boat or stiff came to our assistance, but the sea was
I so heavy that they could not rescue any of those who were
! on either the rock or the ship. A quarter of au hour after-
wards a man on shore wrote on • black hoard "Cheer up, the
! boats are coming to your assistance !" which elicited hearty
cheers from the unfortunate beings, who thought that at
every minute they would find a watery grave. About half an
hour afterwards we saw some men carrying a boat over the
rockson the island, and &few minutesthereal ter they launched
It and went to the reek, and rescued in this way three boat-
loads of passengers, or about 36 persons. During the time
they were rescuiug those men irons the rock the captain and
the passengers Oh l the ship called loudly to those in the boat
to come to the ship and take them off first, As they were in
most imminent ilanger. The captain Clitelt mt to the men
in the boist to como to the reseed and he would give them
600 dole for every boatload they would rescue. The boat
commenced taming men from die ship ant rescued two
boatloads, XIII lii half he LOU' altersuirde se-thee bdut
came to their assistance and took off ch.,ee persons who
were clinging to tito rigging. A third boat came off with