Washington telegraph., 1853-05-11
xvvocI1 and Burning Of the Steam
sFaip Independence.
6ne EuIdred and Fifty Lives Lostlll

From the n. 0. ''True Delta Of April
9th we learn that the steamship Indepen-
5once was wrecked by striking reef while
oU her way to San Francisco. The follow
.r is an extract from the statement made
iroCant Sampson for the San Francisco
,sners. We have not room to publish the
lfrhole of his communication, nor the names
If tbe lost A. A. Carrington and wife, of
tb;s State, are among the lost. After much
s,,4arinc and detention of about fifteen
dsvs in their disagrecable situation on the
beach near the wreck, the survivors were all
taken on board the whale ship Meteor and
conveyed to San Francisco.
There were about $50 passengers on board
at the time of the terrible calamity, one hum
dred and twenty five or one hundred and
fifty of whom perished:
Statement of Capt. Simpson.
1essrs. Editogs. | am under the pain
frI necessity of reporting the loss of the
steamer Independence, lately under my COM
mand, on her passage from San Juan del
Sud to this port, and about one hundred and
twenty-five lives consisting of the passengers
and fifteen of the crew She was lost on the
Island Of Margarita, off the coast of Lower
California. After leaving Acapulco we ex-
perienced strong breeezes from NV to n.
Passed Cape St. Lucas on the morning Of
the 18th of February. At II o'clock NJ. OF
the 18th, we were in latitude % 04 n,
longitude 10 AZ "; stcered NV by WIZ
W. per compass intending to go to the west
ward of the Margarita islands
On the morning of the 10th, at O'Clock,
A. H., made the mainland to the eastward Of
the island, having been set in shore by the
current Altered the course to SW. At
. A. NJ. made the island of Margarita, the
south point bearing w. by S. per compass;
then altered the course to W. S. W. [ in
tended to give the point berth of three
miles, but owing to haze over the land |
was deceived in the distance. At fifteen
minutes past 5, Just as day was breaking,
she struck on a sunken reef extending off
from the south point Of the island about a
mile from the shore The sea was very
smooth at the time, not breaking on the reef
at all. Backed the engine. and she came
off; examined the hold and found that she
was filing rapidly; knew that should have
to beach her to keep her from sinking; got
a sail over the bow (under her) to try to stop
the leak, and set gang of men at work at
each hatchway bailing, and run along the
west side of the island, close in, to find a
good place to put her ashore. Told the en-
gineer to let me know five minutes before
the water would be up high enough to put
ont the fires. When we had run about five
miles, the engineer came up and reported
the water nearly up to the fires. and that
they would be extinguishad Ia few minutes
Put the helm hardaport, and run her ashore
into a small cove on the southwest side of
the island, head on. Lowered a boat and
seut TIC mate and two men in her to run q
line 20 the beach, which was about hundred
Yards distant, but the boat preached to and
was swamped in the surf Lowered another
boat and sent three men in her with another
line, which they succeeded in getting ashore.
! now ascertaincd that the ship was on fire.
Told the engineer to take his men and put
out the FIRE If possible. Ordered the other
two boats to be lowered, and to come forward,
and the women and children to come 10 the
forward gangwav; loaded both boats with
Z.
The ship had now swung round. broad
side on. The mate and two men came OF.
with the boat that took the line ashore, and
she was Immediately loaded with women and
children, and went ashore with them The
fire originated from the furnaces It was
necessary, after the steamer struck on the
reef. to use wood and boards for fuel in Or
il -, Il. l.
the breach, when the water was so high as
to stop the draft from the lower fues, which
forced open tie furnace doors, and the
flames rushed out and caught the woodwork
IN the fire room, and also around the smoke
stack, thence spreading very rapidly. Ev-
cry effort was made to get the fire under but
of no avail. The flames were now coming
up from the hatchways fire room, engine
room, ventilators and arouni the smoke
stack; everything was CONSERVATION and dis
may; the people seemed completely bewild-
cred, and were jumping overheard by dozens.
The scene was perfectly horrible and in
descrlbable--men, women and children
screeching. crying and drowning. I order
ed the spars, matches, tables ana everything
that would float to be thrown overheard,
which was done, and they were Immediately
covered with people. About an hour after
the ship struck the beach she was in per-
feet sheet Of flame, and there was no one on
board Of her except one of the coal passers,
named Beaumont, and myself
The smoke stack had fallen, and the
prominade deck forward had tumbled in
the flames were coming out Of the side lights,
and it was impossible to stay on board any
longer. A boat came of from the shore
with two Of the deck hands in her. Beau
mont, who was near the fore rigging, jump
cd into her, and jumped overheard, swan
to her, and commenced picking up those
who were afoat. After picking up three
hoat Loads FTbon,oc EIar-op bo