The daily union., 1854-11-17
THE LOSS OF THE SHIP NEW ERA.

IdE LOob OF AuG CHAT NEW Era.
The following interesting and graphic account
ing the sad disaster the ship New Era is furnished to
the New York associated press by their agent
os BOARD STEAMBOAT ACHILLES
Near Long Branch Nov l3-3, p. IN.
AS promised this morning by telegraph proceed to give
you what particulars have witnessed of the dreadful wreck
at Long Branch.
The news of the wreck of the New Era ashore Long
Branch reached me about O'Clock this morning by ee
graph and Immediately conveyed the intelligence TO Capt
Reynolds, OF the Achilles, who then yng-to of the
Hook. While waiting answer from W. X. Jones, as TO
whether he should proceed to the wreck To
the city for the wreckng schooner message came from
Mr. Norris at Long Branch that the ship ashore had 800
passengers board and fast breaking up Upon this
Capt decided to go at to the scene OF the wreck to
cooperate with those already the spot in saving life
We left the Hook o. in dense fog and sontherly wind
which raised very heavy head-swe The fog however,
increased in density TO render it impossible to discern
objects further than the vessels length much less to keep
sight Of the shore safe distance objects near it,
We however kept on, until must have been within
short distance of where the wreck lay but as IT was inn
possible do anything, Capt r. after waiting some
time, put the vessels head again to the northward.
When opposite the Highlands, the fog suddenly lighted
up that the land could be distinctly and again
seered to the southwark in search Of the wreck About
o'clock in sight of her, lying broadsde to the
beach heading southwark with her fore MAN, and mzzen
opsails close eefed still standing On reaching her. she
proved to be level with the water and full and the swell
breaking heavy urge her decks We had already
many pieces of the wreck and half mile further
we saw the body OF child apparently about four five
years old and in quick succession also that of man.
stripped of clothing and others with clothes onour or
five bodies in all AS approached the wreck SO as to
get view, most narrowing spectacle met the
eyes The bboom rigging, and top Of the ship fore and
aft filled with human beings closely packed together
and cngng each other and to the ropes while the ship
surged and fro with each returning wave which broke
in wild spray far into the rigging and over the ship
drenchng and suhocatng the passengers while the poor
creatures filled the air with the most souharrowing and
pitiful outcres for assistance.
On the beach some hundred persons, gath
cred in groups apparently consulting as to how to act
while others sat esurely upon the gunwale of the boats
which the heavy surf rendered it certain destruction to
launch We several boats upon the shore apparently
well adapted for the purpose and crowd of persons drag
gng long ite-boat toward the beach, where it left
| and no further attempt made to launch it, We
line from the ship to the shore and e-car From
the fact that what appeared the ships boat was lying
the beach, Judged the officers and crew, most Of
them might have landed been thrown ashore in her
The tide was about at its full; the wind had died
away and slight breeze sprung up from off shore which
greatly increased hopes that the swell would go down
with the tide and render it possible for the boats to be
launched from the shore AS to ourselves we found we
could do-nothing This steamer which is employed ex-
presy by the underwriters to render assistance to vessels
ashore has not the sign of surfboat boardnotng
but two miserable yaws both Of which would scarcely
float the vessels she sinking, and of them
could float herself put overheard Not SPAR line
epreserver not piece OF cork big enough to float
a drowning dog. BY Al o'clock the swell had much
subsded that every passenger could have been rescued
had there been surf-boa board, and there not
man, from the fireman to the pilot and captain who would
have joced at the opportunity of snatchng the poor
|
whose neglect is it that these steamboats, not provided
with suri-boas for such dreadful emergencies this :?
Still hoping for movement toward launching the boats
from shore continued painful spectators of the scene
ringing bell to encourage hem and beckonng them
on the shore to launch the boats
When wheels put in motion to adjust the posi-
ton of the steamer the passengers apparently fearing
about to leave them would rend the air with implor
ing cries while others toed the ships bell the sounds Of
which borne to above the waigs of tho surf that
swept the ship. We enough to distinctly
holding their little ones with hand while
the other bleaehcd by the spray clung with death grip
the ratlines which they stood in the
zen rigging having but shirt On the iorecaste there
stood few moments ago group of four cngng to the
stay but they now gone-a heavy swell has probably
swept them away. Two have been seen 10 ia from the
jib-boom into the surf
Thus we have looked on, unable approach the ship
Capt Reynolds twice hailed them the shore and asked
them to launch the boats the surf to seemed to be
sufficiently smooth to do the side Of the ship
Finding that could do nothing, and the went
down seeing the boats hauled back upon the beach, we left
to procure e-boa making signals to the wreck that
i would return Immediately.
Meanume Tue Le'alnah arrived opposite the wreck,
but like ourselves had boats render any assistance
On our way up we soon me-. the Hector having in tow
wrecking schooner charge Of Captain Bovine and with
him went back to the wreck On reaching it Captain
Bovine informed that although he had boats he had not
two who could pull an oar and asked if any board
would 60 with him in the boat? replied Here is one,
and Mr. Haskell volunteered TO do the Capt Rey
nods then informed Capt Bovine that he could get men to
his eboat 10y coming alongside of the Achilles We
then made preparations to join Captain BOVINE but to
surprise he padded away from toward the ship leaving
word for the Achilles to return to the city Thus large
and powerful boat with plenty of accommodations for the
rescued passengers sent to town. and the Hector
comparatively slow and unsuitable boat, is retained
At 81 o'clock when be left the wreck, the wind was
blowing fresh from the westward and it thought
would soon reduce the swell but with the darkness to
WITH and short-handed it must be impossible to
take off the passengers and many more must inevitably
perish from exposure during the dreary darkness that has
closed them
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/ MARYLAND FARMERS CALFoRNIA.--Samue b. Martin
of Tho Martin, esq, of Washington county Maryland
is largely engaged in farming and grazing in California in
connexon with his two brothers and two nepnews The
Hagerstown Herald publishes the following extract of a
! letter from him
We have raised good crops of wheat on our farm we
have bushels of oats 1900 bushels of barley, 1900
bushels Of potatoes and viii have about $500 bushels
of onions about 700 bushels of sweet potatoes 300 bush
els Of BEANS 20 tons Of pumpkins and squashes some
melons and cona of which the product of two hundred
of land We left ten of wheat stand in the field
fine beautiful wheat and which would have yielded twenty
FIVE bushels the acrenot considering it worth cutting
got nnetyve bushels of oats to the some land
and seyenyseven bushels of wheat We have fifty acres
of potatoes other land and will get in the neighborhood
OF $50 bushels the OF onions will! get about
$50 bushels the Potatoes the best crop this
aho sack nj