The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-10-16
STATEMENT OF JOHN DEGNON, sENIOH
FIRST ASSIS rANr ENGINEER.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HERALD.
DyrIor AVENUE hot~ecn Fourth and Fifth
streets, Williamsburg, Oct IA, 1864 !
On looking over the papers find wholly ircsrrc:t
impression has beon formed respecting thu situation and
condition Of the unfortunate beings lost on the steam.
ship arctic Although have already made state ment
feel 1t my duty to repeat the same, with the many
particulars connected with it Eight bells had Just been
struck was standing in the passsgcwsy leading from
the deck to the engile room, when heard the cry
stop the engines" Immediately after tho ben rupg
Mr. Rodgers, tie chief ersiaeer and myself ran below
and before reschipg the working PLATFORM Mr. wDett
then duty had stopped the engines The bell rung to
'oach the en- sinss," which done At this moment
hr Rodgers ard myself looked the railing iato the
tlse Ho exclaimed, "Whst / is that ~ster" eyes,
replied, 81 Is coming in torrents" He then gave
oreers 10 open the higs injections. Thomas Brennan
an oier, AID mysef opened them. with Mr.. RIA assist
ance
Turing this time, which about Ave minutes the
engines had bsen backing the signal given to "gs
ahead the engines stared forward sgap. Mr. r. then
told me TO run forward and that the Warrington
pumps started Going into the FIRE room, I found
NJ Drown, junior Grst assistant engineer AID fireman.
Pat Tcbin, engaged in atartg tho port pump; jumped
forward and started the starboard pump; Mr. Walker
seeoSd assstant and John Holt fireman. assisting in
opening the bige valves, &c. oil this occupying ten
minutes; BY this time The water up the Ore
mans floor then ran on deck and mot Capt Luce
coming down from the upper deck the starbeArd sds
said to him, Capan the ship is sinking; nothing
unless manage o get sail over the hole In
the ships hs" 81 WIN try what can b. DONE ssid no.
Then Hfenen End coal pAss
ere below and keep tie Ores mp, telling them that
verything depended on tho pumps. Ga going below
found the nearly to the CRATES Of the lower fur
went round and opened The remainder ef the
blge valves, (hare being six in AL In reaching down
to them my fues was under water Within thirty mi
nutes after tie sion the lower arss all put out
by the sa-wstsr.W We then broke In the upper side
bunkers passed ~ coal down fire the upper fur
nac The steam st d. time had fallen from eighteen
TO fourteen inches theA took the working plat from
Mr. Drown, Junior arst assont ensiuesr beng In tbs
hrsroon, standing up to hts whist In water
At fifteen minutes past the watcr had reached tho
grSe bars Of tho upper furnace the port sds ths
ship having list TO that sidc At this time Mr BAah
lam came below to inquire what the chances with
tho pumps; was then alone In the engine room He
then pointed 70 the eros and said You these rss
viii oil be put out unless you get sal tho shios
side she win sink very soon /" lie went on desk, and d.
Getty after the washed the a,ss OUT sending up
through the matches heavy c'oud Of SMOKE Ard stxs
Tho then only one and hall pounds pressure
then wsnt forward ths Captain end told him Ill our
chances were lost with the punps
asked him II san could not b got over the leak.
He replied st could mott for much Of the bow Of thu
propeller stuck ont from the side Of ship that was
impossible - get the sad over It." the Captain then
vent aft and endcsvorei TO seat hs passengers In the
lie boats Most Of them crowded ocssly together
on the port quarter Of tho ship. -
mot Nr. Drown, the assistant engineer on the upper
decl and proposed 70 him to get tas men together to
construct raft He would not agree with ms, saying
1t would be OF no use, they would swa 1t
distsiy.. At this moment heard Mr Bsshlam's vocs
over the eide Of the ship giving orders lock svWs,
and Mr.. 3 with ave ak msn, lowering the test.
The captain then stood the upper dock uperussndog
the samc, and as thought intended tho boat for
fspec'al purpose. went out tho guard, and asked
sr Bsshism "shall get into this boass" He made
6ns~er seifd IN . second time without rsesi ring
reply was then cnnvinosd Mr.. b. was actisg usss-
Tie orders Of the captain then on the upper deok ThS