Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-10-23
LOSS OF THE STEAMER MuTTfaI !.
!. A L
SAFETY.


Safety, recently purchased in New York -
ply between New Orleans and Galveston w.
entirely lost in the late gale. She sailed from
New York on the Sd inst, and arrived ~
Charleston on the sth We find the FOLLOWING
letter from the Captain, giving an account n
her loss, III the Charleston papers of last Sat.
urday -
FORT GEORGE ISLAND,
OCTOBER 18th, 1876.
Copy of letter receioed IN this city from H..
Captain.
My Dear Sir 81 have to communicate tbo
total loss of the steamboat Mutual Sefetv on
the afternoon OF the 18th inst, near st John.
Bar. We left Charleston, as you are aware,
on the afternoon of the 9th inst, with mod.
crate breeze from the N E., which before
night increased to gale, and the boat labored
so severely IN the heavy sea, which was
quickly raised, that she sprung leak. Our
pumps connected with the engine kept her,
however, free, and at daylight ordered the
upper cabin to be cut off and thrown overheard
This greatly relieved her, but the wind and
sea still kept increasing with the advance of
the day, and a council of the passengers and
officers was held, and it was their unanimous
opinion that the boat would certainly foun
der if she continued at sea and that our only
hopes of saving their lives of those on board
was in running for the land and if no favor
able change took place in the weather to beach
her.
We made the land at in the morning, and
a few minutes after the engineer informed me
that his principle pump had failed and that the
water was fast gaining. The spot where the
breakers was lightest was selected, and We
fortunately came about one hundred yards in.
side of them before the boat took the ground.
The boats were then safely launched, with the
exception of the larboard quarter boat (Which
was unfortunately stove by heavy sea- and
all the people were safely landed except eigh.
teen, who were compelled to remain all night
By midnight the saloon bulwarks, all the
light work about deck were swept off by the
breakers, which, as the tide raised surroun-
ded us, and we were forced to take refuge in
the engine room on the upper deck as the only
place of safety. At daylight, strong crews
pulled off two of the boats to our assistance
and took off II more persons, but they were
unable to return-and as a longer continuance
on the wreck threatened inevitable destruction
to US; we threw over the gang way plank, and
mysel1, one OF the passengers and the o1ncers
trusted to its frail support to enable to reach
the beach-not life was lost or person in
jured.
Few, however, saved more than what they
stood in, as the ladies' saloon contained near
ly all the baggage, and when it was swept
overheard the baggage of course accompanied
it. The place of our disaster was only mile
distant from the residence OF Major Kingsley B.
Gibbs. Our company was about 60 in num-
Der, and he received us with true Southern
hospitality. Had we been in the house of a
relative we could not have been treated
with a kinder regard for our comfort, and |
speak the feelings of all, when l say, that we
want words to express our gratitude to him and
his noble hearted lady. The boat and engine
will, fear, be total loss but, | shall re-
main here to save all that can be saved.
Yours truly, I'D.
JAMES PENNOYER