The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-16
STATEMENT OF FREDERIC Fl. SOUTH.
WORTH.
BARK KILBY, Jan, 8. 1854. |

WORTH.
BARK KILBY, Jan 8, 1854
Three hundred miles out from New York
Mr.. JAMES GORDON BENNETT:
DRAR sIR;-
forward you few OF the most prominent items OF the
appalling wreck Of the magnificent Pacific nail steamship
Ban Francisco,
Being weak from injuries and deprivation of the stan
OF NE shall not BE- aSs TO give you very detailed 40.
suffering which carried away the lives Of two hun
drsd human beings probably mors) hurrying them I'M
On the morning Of the 2lst Of December 1853, this
truly splendid steamer anchored At the Quarantine
ground, and after rseeivins on board 800 souls
monty trUops tor CAlifOrniA-the day. I'D
half past eight c'clock) proceeded TIE noble
ship g' ed through the waters II she had long
oo ocean, srd her engine and machinery together with
her new PADDLE wheels, worked well and called forth
the sorlirsuoa OF all board. Her motion vas
easy, and tho gils phoenix upon her whselhouse
seemed u extend is golden head and wings to speak it,
joy for res triumph steau navigation On the 23d
lhe weather was pleasant could he in the
Cali Stream tbi OF the year. but the golden
sun set behnd the dark clouds along the western sk
indicstors gveo OF a coming gale Soon the gra
duAil, rsins WHO'S increased to parfect hurricane
Which tosecd the steamer Use ri, and ro and
the angry waves began TO roll higa and threatening aud
oashing over the gusrds, oecssoasly washed usn,
some boxes or live ssocx iUto the roaring ocean
At about IL clock the gale had broken the foremost
and the waves. they washed deck away
guHrdf leaving security outside of tine saloon on the
upper deck against being carried overheard To add
our already peous situation, the pump rod
4oclock the ing OF the 24th Ths upper saloon
pied by officers and few way passengers for RIO Janero
and Valparaiso Besces these occupants these saloons
crowded with soliers, ~ho forced in here by
the necessities o. the OCCASION 1t wAs peous for
OF then to remain On deot AM there other place
for them inssnuch the forward deck cabin and state
rooms, we're filed with solaeTs, aceompanie by
their wives and families. Colonel Burke the
officer o. the day, ordered the soldiers into
the after cabin sno when al nad crowded into 1t who
hundred ana nifty At about O'Clock . mighty swell,
only be formed by Old ocean when Ashsd by
such tempest struck vessel smdsbips compile tsly
submersng the whsehouses, And washing them, with Al
their inmates within an instant, ~ least half mile dis
tant into tie fosming Ny self and Mr. Rankin
anne g the number who were wsbhed and the only
two of this entire company who successful in regain
ing the ship. ALI the rest sunk into the Of death
rocked into an eternal sleep by the roaring
swelling As can only describe the Awful situation
OF these mortals by my experience, / hope |
win De excuted for slludirg mysen well remember
wss HIg in my statercom ON the after deck with
atrgyellipg Ianon Mr. James Sto,kwo, when there
shock and sUdosn crash Of breaking timber, and
felt myself rolling like top in tbs water, with salt
brire rushing into my mouth and almost binding
When TO the surface OF the . narrowing
sight before me- was half mile from the steamer
and around me about acre of floating uDber I'm
medatey by my side mp from the deep Mr.. Stock
WELL who caught hold Of tne stick Of timber
which had chung for safety Toe stick began SILK
and sezed hold Of another pi.oe, and made the
best OF way to the wrecked steamer. Two
or tsies huge swels soon tossed me near the ship.
and grAsped rope ward Of the wheehouse, TO which
ciupg for refuge, raising and falling with the pitching
weasel While in this situation standing
the PADDLE or the wheel who pungsd into the ocean
~ every roll OF the ST. and who prohab persisted
Losing my strength, dropped from the rope 10 which
chung ard fortupaeiy friendly we've threw aaanst
the guard OF The vessel wpisn SEIZED held Of and the
plunge carrying sull higher ths guard |
cleo upon The forward deck, there
with my il. broke Open ats room sw and crept
into il Bs Dire While 10 the the VI sht
tran death itself When to the surface
o. be ws. saw about ory struyr ling for life and about
hsh them had blood streaming from wounds about
their heads Beng blinded by Thought was salt
water put my hand TO my orehead to wipe away the
brine, when surprised to ind was bleeding myself
fror wound my broS II In, therefore, elusive
that Of those washed away ct the same time
woundeo by The crashing tmceIs. Besides myself, Mr..
Rarslp the or y saved of the number who
swept into the ocean
such force o. the waves that they broke IN
part Of tn. deck asd killed snd injured several bssdes
delugrg the gers she lower cabins, and filing
the saloons with water Captain Gardner slept dsck
swept Away with the Others but at time
found by his side, with splinter thrust throue
his head which must bavs klei him iesta ntsneousy
After recovered myself locked around me, and the
only dry place in the steamer was in the after cabin,
where the officers, with heir wives and children
stosed away layirg rolled In blanksts ~
comfortable rs circumstances would permit But
oh the of confusion tongue tell,
pen describe The storm continued to rage,
and Ut the cy Of the waves without
sell As wave after wave came dashns against shrek
after shrek came from those who dreaded to look into
he grave. Nesrly all gave up all hopes Of safety, and
many we're patiently waiting TO be summoned before the
nanny cheeks turtsd PALE and there wore those
who tried to pray who had never prayed be
fore 1t . such made the
The very thoughts of the hours and days Of suffering
freeze my blood ~ 1t courses through my veins. IL
is worthy OF remark that in the hour Of oar greatest
peril Comm ander Watkins, Captain Melus, Lieut. r. K.
Murray and other gallant officers constantly revived the
sinking spirits Of ell board BY repeated ASSURANCES Of
be Of good cheer; And Heaven oHly knows how many
hearts, fast growing cold, we're kept warm with lies
blood by these gallant men.
daily from the Boy Book OF life appropriate passages,
and offered up for our dsverance To us those
prayers answered. Those who sank beneath the
pillows At peace with the world. The mighty
has taken them to its bosom, and their asm
was sung by the vhistling viuds OF heaven.
During days OF distress the smau engine kept
constantly 1t work pumping and BY It's aid the ship
kept aoAt The San FrALcisco proved herself strongly
web put together, could have swan an hour in such
gale. The bulwArks and guards not strong
they might have been and perhaps to this we
lives. Had the guards and aflsr cabin been Of iroa
strss 9Th, and not yielded to the wave its
force that would have overturned the ship and not
single soul b, left tell the Avfu tale
We we're rescued from our dismal situation by the
bark Kilby Thi, vssssl loaded With cotton and
molasres, boupd TO Bostou, from New Orleans. About
for unfortunate beings. The OF ,ranefer
ring the pas into the Kby from the wreck such
sea ga oTe s,o h,, ,nan Sescf,Sea
parents. riend rom friend with assurance Of
meeting more Oh IT was an asfu state, and cold Is
the heart OF him whose pulsAtion Ia not quiekened
his eye dimned with tear at IshsAral The Klby
PEELED the wreck before all had res
cued. II being impossele to lay along siic
The rames OF those on board the Kby are
Col Gates, wife and three children,
Col Buike,
Capt. Judd,
Lieut. Joeser and wife,
Fremont, wife and three ehildrea
Van Yeast,
Mrs. Major Wyse,
Surgeon satterlee,
Mr. Wtetz, Assistant Surgeon,
Capt Gardiner, Of the Dragons,
Lieut.. Murray, Of the Z. 8. Navy,
Nrs. Chase and one child
Mr.. G. ". Aspnwall
J. i. Graham, Jr., Of New York.
Antonio Falco, late Brazilian Consul In N. 7.
Mr.. Alexander Besse.
Mr. IAsrade and wife.
r. II. Southworth.
Rev. Mr. Cooper, wife and four chlerso
Miss l. Eaton
Miss Lucy Moor and