The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-11-17


ed to Purser vought:
i. .4r- OFFICIAL REPoRT.
STEAMSHIP COLLAR, at Sea, Oct. 8, '54.
EDrroRs OF THE HERALD: | would respect ,
fully submit the following report of our sad
disaster, hoping you may be able to find
something worth transmitting through your
9 c,lumns to the public.
The Independent steamship Yankee Blade.
Henry Randall, Esq., Commander, sailed
from San Francisco, Sept. 30, at 4 o'clock
p. NJ, with eight hundred passengers, and
8l6a,ooo In specie--passed the Heads at
o'clock, and at o o'clock the same evening
saw q steamer on the starbssrd beam, sup
posed to be the Uncle Sam, or John L.. Ste.
vens.
Oct. at 81 o'clock p. N, being encompass
ed in dense fog, steering 8. Z by s. course
and supposing ourselves at least ten miles
from shore, we struck a reef of rocks of
Poirt Aguello, about fifteen miles above
Point Conception upon which the ship ran
upward Of sixty feet, while her stern swung
in nine fathoms of water, which in twenty
Ave minutes sunk below tn, promenade deck;
but SO firmly was the forward part imbedded
in the rocks that up to the time we left the
ship (about 2. NJ. on the Cd inst.) she had
not receded an inch.
AS soon as we discovered our danger the
officers Of the deck launched and manned the
boats, and proceeded at once to get the ladies
and other passengers on shore. And here 1t
is but justice to observe that great approba-
tion is due Capt Henry Randall for his
promptness in gorg on shore to find a prop
er place to land his passengers, in taking
charge Of one Of the boats himself, and beach,
ing it successfully when that o: the first off,
Ter was strsnded--for the anxious manner in
which he urged the hands on shore to return
to the wreck with the boats when they dis
played every desire to desert him-and for
sending his son, Henry Randall. Jr., to sup
ply his place on the wreck, in which capacity
he (Henry) acquitted himself in manner far
beyond his years, inspiring all hearts with
hope, and preserving as much order as could
be preserved under such exciting circumstan-
ces.
While the boats were being lowered, the
chief steward and storekeeper went below
with a gang Of men, aud broke out large
quantities of provisions, which were sent on
the upper forward deck. The purser pr epar ed
/ to save the ships papers and the vauables
, left in his possession belonging to passengers
, which have all been safely delivered to theil
owners. But, on going below about ten min.
q utes after the ship struck, he Found the specie
covered with five feet of water. and SO rapidly
was she filling, that the water rose in tn,
stern at the rate of six inches per minute
4 consequently ne one dared descend to tn
vault, which he locked, 6nd returned to tn
deck to save what he could Of the expires
matter, ETC., which he succeeded in getting
forward, and in company with some stou
hearts, watched by it all night, while despe
radoes were rummaging and pillaging the
, ship, and It was reported, ath ough not sup
r posed to be true, that man had been murder
ed on the lower forward deck
Before dark the promenade deck and hon
ses aft the shaft had all washed away, an,
others were torn down to form RATS in readi
ness for immediate departure, ia. case of
/ itspdden crash.Sor we know not how soon
gssa mlght stfi she ship, and scatter he
Mig Eemng on. and the fog, which ha,
for shot time disappeared, again setting in
the boat were stopped running, not being
able to find the shore, and the terrors Of su
situation began to stare US in the face; for
amid the bowling Of the wind .hr roaring o
the waves asthey broke upon the deck, an.
the hsaEse orders Of the third officer anu Mr.
, RandaHsthere arose the loud accents Of ar.
deptpnd dcspairng prayer. Confusion, in the
widest sense, prevailed,f for there were
those wht had prepared TO swim ashore sti!-
r fening with the co!d--those whoha sought
to GroN their.fear in too frequent !ibatons
of the ardsnt--whie some, with calm res
ignat;on, had prepared themselves for the
worst, had awaited their fate in peace. Thus
we passed the dismal night-m,de still ore
solemn BY the church-ike toling Of the bell,
which seemed to beck us on 10 our funeral.
The scene on shore was equally prinh |;
the boat the first officer commandad. with
twenty-one souls, mostly females, was strand
Ell, and al, with the exception OF himself and
three others, who were thrown upon the
beach, apparently lifeless, were lost; and
here would record ap instanse of female en-
ergy seldom equaled, esen in the annals of the
Revolutions. A Mrs. Dane Elwell, who had
exerted herseifby going siakQuihe water along
side OF the boats, and carry yjN the ladies' a.
shore, saw the almost lifeless bodies of two
ladies', and said to a young nah, "Youa take
one, and TN take snNte picked
up one OF the ladies', and piacsas he's on her
shoulder, and carried if an almests perpe NJ
dicular bluff to pot wheretbeY hpdksan
camp, and built fires, and Al wAfA tz "
er with many other,tsdies, stripped0a her
under clothes and gave them 10 the exhaust
Iced men.
During the nigh; number Of bodies wash
ed ashere, among others-a female with a
child clasped in hsr arms the wife of Mr..
Brennan, who, asan extraordinary instance
of devoted love, .weneo shore, with spade
in hand-dug up his wife and child--kssed
them-prayed over them. and then re-buried
them.
At daybreak the boats were again set in
motiop6when Mr.. Hewitt came on board and
although much bruised. his heart never for
saking him, recommended the discharge of