Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1854-10-12
Full Particular Of the Loss OF the
Iron steamahIp city Og PhIIaaeIphia.
NARRAfIvE oI a PAlaENQER.

Iron Steamannhp city OF Philadelphia.
SARRArIyE or A PAssEzoER.
II laPPeArs that The esuss- Of the disaster il
solely attributed 70 the fact that the cOmpasseu
Of which the ship was provided with, SIX were
almost useless, owing to the attraction Of the
nstsTal Of which the vessel vas composed
These cOmPalses were adjusted in Glasgow
and Liverpool. brt By sens inesplicable lalAli-
y, no two Of them sgreed. s,-.,4
The vessel waa- built in compartments. but
so great pas The shock that the bulEbead,
we're started. and che speedily 6lIsd. and wOd
have sank had he Bleaching been longer delay,
ed. That che did not Immediately 60 down in
deep water, with all on bOard,Whep she struck
is solely attributable 70 the fact that she was
built in water-dght sections or chambers.
In bis extremity, Capt. Leitch did all thar a
thorough seaman could do for his passengers
and owners; and those who saw him through
the whole Of tie trying Circumstance a-quit
him Of all blame, and accord % him high praise
for his humanity aud devotion to duty. e
The City of Philadelphia sailed from Liver,
pool on her frst trip for Phladelphs favored
by wind and tide, at uOOn, on "Wednesday. the
a3rd 4 ugust ,e. E--r7s4
About Il aP. NJ, on The Gath, when near.
y all the passengers we're in their berlhs, and
the ship was going at The rate Of lover ten knots
an hour, she ran against q sunken rock, with a
frightfal conclusion. Instantly the ship was
alive, from every hatchway the passengers
men, women and chldren--pOured over the
deck, in the widest confusion and distress, and
many of them in almost state Of Eudity, reud-
iug the air with their shrieks, and maaifesting
every symptom of mortal terror. ra. F..
Now the seamanship of our Captain. and the
discipline of the crew came into requisition. -
The engines were reversed, and on taking
souudings it was found that the ship was in
deep wafer on both sides, and that she had
struck rock on her port side near the cut-wa.
ter. A m an was stationed at the well to see
how fast the water gained. while the carpenter
and his crew with oskum and blankets sought
to stop the hole. But the latter was found to
be impossible, as the Ori6cs was semeisix feet
long by four broad, through which the water
poured in cataract. soon filing the forward
compartment Of the hold TO the water line.
1t was ascertsined that the point upon which
the vessel had struck was of Cape Race. 50
having taken in all sal, the steamer WIS backed
of aud headed for Chance Cove, about ! Z
miles nOrthward. This Cove she reached, how.
ever. She had hardly got into shallow water
ere the second compartment was flooded and
the FIRE e1tinguished, During all Of this time
the sea was calm as mirror. but The fog was
so dense that objects could not b. distinguished
ships lSngth distant. Boats we're launched
azi party sent to survey the beach; they re
sp0rted it good, with fine sandy bottom
whereupon the vessel was aground as far up al
as possible, and but about three quarters of {
mile from the shore, and the anchors ct go.
The boats were then hoisted out, and tht
passengers having BY this time mostly come Il
something like their senses. the work of getting
them ashore commenced The ladies' and chill
dren we're first embarked, and after them th,
male psasenge RS. During the performance o
this arduous duty the utmost care was taken tC
prevent accident, by keeping in check the ex'
cited crowd who would otherwise have rush.
ed into the boats and swamped them.
Fortunately but little surf was on at the tim'
so that the whole of the passengers were go
on shore by ARA. NJ, without the slight
est accident. s-'
The shelter and provision for SO large mum
Der Of people thus thrown upon desolate
shore, some sixty miles from the nearest vii
lsge or town, was the next consideration Spars
sails. provisions and fuel were sent ashore, ,tent,
rugged, 6res lighted, food cooked, and every
thing possible under the circumstances was
done for The comfort OF the castaways. By nigh
mattresses and bedding enough for the lsdie'
were got ashore; for the men. large fires snc
/
close quarters had TO suffice. la ariare hHs
On the next day most of the passengers lug
gage was conveyed ashore. Some confusion
here occurred from the fact thats part Of the
crew broke open sOme Of the trunks and sb
stracted their most valuable contents, These
fellows we're arrested and putin iFOnss onth
day following. the beach:ng Of the steamer. the
wreck was surrounded by a feet of fishing
smacks, the crews ofevery one of which watch
ed every opportunity to steal property, and
am informed that they did carry of consider
able, -f..-.{.g ;'sl si.lr ~ s.. E.a.
After the effects Of the passengers had beer
safely Landed, the work of breaking out The
cargo was commenced, but this was necessari'
ly slow work. as most of il was submerged in
water. ~ h.7-.