The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-11-16
LOSS OF THE SHIP NEW ERA
Frightful Ioaa of T;fa

At o'clock Monday morning, Messrs.
Charles. C. Duncan & Co., of South.st..
received a telegraphic dispatch from
Long Branch, on the Jersey Shore, in
forming them of the loss Of the packet
ship New Era, consigned to them, with
passengers and cargo from Bremen. Tho
first dispatch merely stated the bald fact
that the ship had grounded on the outer
Bar, off Deal, some IL miles to the south
of Sandy Hook.
The consignees Immediately telegraph.
ed to the steam.tugs Achilles and Levia.
than, then lying inside of the Hook, togo
to her assistance.
Subsequent telegraphic dispatches inform
US that the ship went ashore in dense
fog, with over 400 passengers and o crew
of 80 men on board. It appears that
the ship lay humping on the sand bar
through the night, firing signal guns for
assistance from the shore. But owing to
the fog, the darkness of the night: and
the heavy sea then on, it was impossible
to approach her.
At daybreak the beach was lined with
the fishermen, wreekers, and surf-men
who had congregated from many miles a.
long the shore, to render assistance to
the stranded ship and her unfortunate
passengers. The roug ghness of the surf,
however, prevented them from attempting
to get on board, and as the ship was
broadside on, and humping heavily, the
sea all the while making nearly clean
sweep over her decks, the only available
means of assistance were the mortar and
Iife-car. The stake was soon driven fm-
Ily into the sand and the hawser secured
to it, but up to our last accounts, after re-
peated attempts, owing to the great dis"
tance of the vessels from the shore, VIC
learn that they had been unable to send
a shot and line over her, so that the life
car had not been brought into use. The
fog, which continued to prevail through
the day occasionally lifted when the scene
r from the beach is said to have been truly
appalling. The screams and cries of ter
tor from the passengers of the doomed
ship blanched the check and made the
stoutcst hearts quail. The hardy coast
men almost rayed il their utter impo-
tcnce, and frequent and desperate at
ttcmIts were made TO launch the surf-boats,
but each effort only served to show the
{ impossibilty of keeping boat naoat in
such violent breakers. AS the fog nov
! and then cleared up for q few moments,
the people OIL shore could see the poor
enierants cliu9ihg 10 various parts of the
ship, to save themselves from being wash
ed into the sea. ! he bulwarks hsd been
washed away, and men and women, clasp
ing their children IN their arms, iinplor-
ingly beckening and crying for succor.
might be seen scattered over the upper
deck. And then tremendous sea would
sweep over them, washing numbers from
their frail hold into the boiling breakers
below. 4 few of these sot ashore alive,
but tie greater portion were drowned
Those who succeeded in reaching the beach
: had lashed themselves to planks and spars
or clung to fragments of the bulwarks,
and by their aid managed to swim past
the uudertow, when they were caught by
{ the sprf-men and saved
. The captain and some twenty OF thiF-
: = ot the passengers were SAID to have
, reached the beach in safety, but no names
e are given. 1t is stated-but the author
it's is rot given-that nearly onc-balf of
the passengers were drowned in the steer
age shortly after the vessel struck. II
certainly appears that large numbers of
dead bodies were washed ashore during
the whole of yesterday.
At last accounts the steam-tug Achif.
les had reached the neighborhood Of the
, New Era, but the strong sea renderd
near approach impossible.
4 later dispatch TO the consigncez
states that the ship was fast breaking up,
and that some $50 to 400 passengers still
remained on board, nearly one-half of
them drowned in the tween decks; and
though every effort was being made, bu.
slight hopes were entertained of saving
the lives of the remainder.
The New Era is new ship of 1870
tuns, having been built at Bath. Me-, in
April last, and was Oh her first voyage
when she went ashore. She sailed from
Bremen with cargo of 600 tuns of chalk
; and AGO passengers, for this port, con.
: signed to Chas. G. Duncan & Co., of No.
, 90 Southst., consignees of the illfated
! Powhatan, loss off Barnegatt last spring.
, She was commanded by Capt. Thos. j.
Henry, formerly commander Of the Cor.
della. 1t is not known whether the New
Era had any cabin passengers on board
or not. The vessel was owned By Messrs
Hitchcock Co., of Bath, and her cap.
tain. The Mutual Office, of Bath, Me-,
have an insurance of $4,000 upon her;
the remainder of her value, $4,000, il
insured in Boston Offices.