The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-04-28
The LATEST NEWS
LOSS OF THE INDEPENnFycr -
PARTICULARS OF THE BURN,a na:
AND WRECK. "NiNG


passengers, while on her way 10 San F..
CO. We copy the following par,icul,,. Is
detailed narrative furnished to the s,n r.
CISCO Wing by DR.. J. B. Coroett, surgeo. -
Inc Independence. and one of the surv;yo,,
The island upon whic the i'll ts,sd s,..--
was wrecked is situated on the coss, If a.'
CaiiiornIu, loI miles north OF The poin, tr
as the Tape 81. Lucas. The cos,,
region, bold and rock bound, is in NAM =, ~ 'hs
inaccessible for vessels or boats. and , PAGES
an IRON barrier TO the luckless shin coss.;s en.s
rocky projections. The spot where the s,ea. rs
struck was on point of sand beach sv.an5
lug seward from the coast of the isIsnd t'.
covered at high water. 0ul
ne steamer was going under fine heal
steam on the 10th of February, when =, a. VI
Dreas' tnough before the light was perfsc,j,,
Clear, she suddenly struck and stopped. IT,
land could be seen towards the coast h,, . Jug
indistinctly. AT the moment the vess.I ~ .. 'e,y
an Undesirable scene of confusion oso',I a,
on board. A rush was made nv he na.ar-
gers to the various hatchways, and The nnnn.
DECK was soon entirely crowded with hnra.a
selngs. captain Sampson was on the vhesi.
mouse, ond al once ordered the engineer 70
oscK ner, which was done, the steamer hsck;nS
on with apparent ease.
AS soon as The vessel was backed in,o doc,
water, Captain Sampson gave secret ords,s
mat the pumps should be sounded. when !,
was discovered that there were eight fss, ne
water IN the hold. But it was soon fonnd
That the ship could be kept afoar, and her
mead was pointed up the coast with the inten.
tlon OF bleaching her in some convenient and
safe place. To facilitate this, an immense
amount OF dry wood was heaped into the fur
naces, and heavy head of steam kept up.-
During this time quiet had been somewhat "a.
stored on board, and the greatest anxiety was
manifested in the progress of the vessel. Dav.
light had now dawned, and they found them.
selves running along rock.bound coast. sur.
mounted by stupendous mountains, entirety
destitute OF verdure and apparently uninhab.
ted.
At length large gulley or ravine was dis.
covered, which appeared TO make out INTO
sand beach, and into this nook the bows ofthe
steamer were turned. She was beached hand.
somely and with considerable force. Had this
been the only danger, there is no doubt that
every soul on board would have been saved
but IN the exertions TO get up steam to hurry
the vessels progress, q tremendous heat had
been made in the furnaces; the water, now fast
increasing in the vessels hold, stopped the
fiues and obstrucied the draught into the
chimneys; the furnace doors were Of course
burst open, and a vivid volume OF fame TWEEN.
ty feet in length, shot into the fire room, driy-
ing everybody before it with the intense heat
and instantly setting the wood work into a
blaze. All efforts TO control the flames were
utterly Intellectual, and from this moment the
fire ran rapidly over the vessel.
During this time the ship remained immos
vable, the surf striking her in the stern and
perhaps tending to set her firmer in the sand.
The third boat having been lowered it was
found that she was half fall of water, and of
no use unless bailed out, and Doctor Corbett
sprang into her for that purpose this effected,
six ladies were passed down into The boat,
among whom were Mrs. Conway, Mrs. Haley,
Mrs. Seymour and Mrs. Coots there were
two other ladies' whose names we have not
learned; the boat rode the first breaker but
was filled and swamped by the second and
those already on shore rushed 10 the rescue of
the ladies and dragged them on the beach,
DIR. Corbett was in this boat and gaining the
shore turned towards the ship at The cries of
terror proceeding from her, and beheld the
deck enveloped in flames.
And now ensued one of the most narrowing
scenes ever recorded in the history of ship
wreck; the flames leaped rapidly across the
after pant of the ship, driving the masses be-
fore it, and dozens sprang into the water and
were seen struggling 10 the surf. All the
beats were now gone, and it was impossible 10
re gain the ship from the shore or to render any
succor whatever; dreadful cries and screams
proceeded from the ship, which, mingled with
the roaring of the sea, the cracking OF tie
flames and shouting OF those on shore, who
could only gaze helplessly on the sight, must
nave been an era of terror in the lives of those
who beheld il from the beach. As the flames
advanced forward, the unhappy victims were
creed into the sea, and every surf came
reighted with cOrpses or exhausted half
Irowned men, women and children. Such
Gene las never before been witnessed on the
'aci6c coast. To add to the excitement, the
lanes had now communicated to the powder
magazine, which exploded, tearing the run
md stern TO pieces and spIintering all that
portion of the ship the two guns surrounded
" the flames, also sent their solemn booming
)yer the scene.
Those who were fortunate enough 10 get
within reach of their friends on shore, were
ragged hali-dead out OF the reach OF the surf,
while others were swept around the stern OF
he steamer, or out to sea, there being strong
current making seaward from the ship. At
1ne moment not less than thirty corpses ard
bodies of the dying were III the edge OF the
surf, some of them Invested OF clothing. Out
)t party OF eighteen Jews VINO were On
BOARD, sixteen persisted from the weight Of
coin, it was supposed, which they attempted
% bring with them through the waves. The
outward current above mentioned carried of
numbers of persons who were good swimmers,
,r f0aied, who would otherwise have been
aved several women thus floating were
wept away; the baggage, such as would
loaf, also went out with the ebb. None of it
vas saved by drifting 10 the shore.
We have spoken ebove OF the manly Conduct ot
he sailors. iremsn ana coal passers. Some OF
hese noble fellows, dsregarding their own danger,
ezed little children in their arms. or lashed them
0 Themselves, and attempted to gain the shore
several are known to have thus sacrificed them
elves We have no space or heart to insert the
numerous affecting instances OF courage and self
acriEce OF which we have received accounts
Imopg the most conspicuous 10 that of Mr.. Tarr,
i Sacramento, who lost his life in attempting 20
ave a son Of Mr.. Watson. They came ashore to-
( ther-boih drowned. One oithe fremen, whose
anne We did not learn, brought Oh shore two
hiidren, whose parents were both drowned. Az
ther fireman brought beaultui boy ashore 10
lis mother, who had just been wssaed 10 The
each Her husband and two children were
rowned and sbe supposed this csiid had shared
he same fate The meeting may be imagined.
: Tine pnrser of the ship, Mr. James FTeeoorn, re-
named upon the deck until driven of by the ire,
shen springing overheard, he chung 10 floating
par, and was washed ashore insehsibIe; he was
esnsciated, bur barely escaped with his Ii e, being
ttacked with violent fever. There Is one fire-
nan, known as Tom Sawyer, wild, reckless
hail axrf