Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-11-27

OF LIFE.-At an early hour last evening the
| people of our city were astonished by bright
| light in the eastern horizon, the alarm from
| which came from the harbor, and which beto-
| kened some disaster.
The steamer Ocean, Capt. Donovan, for
Bath, left Fosters wharf Mt o'clock last Fri
day evening, with about rs passengers, and
twenty minutes after, at the Lower Middle
Ground, while in company with the Forest
City on the starboard side, the Eastern State
on the larboard, and the Boston little in the
rear, she was struck on her IaTboard side,
abaft the wheel house, by the British steamer
Canada. In the collision, the Canada cut
down to the hull of the Ocean the force of
the blow striking the room of Carpenter s.
Co.'s Express, upset stove, and almost inn
mediatCly the steamer was enveloped i'll
flames. So rapid was the conhagration, that
she was burnt to the waters edge IN about an
hour.
The boats of the Ocean, as well as of the
several other steamers and ships in the vicini-
ty, were Immediately put in requisition for
the safety of the passengers and crew, yet we
are panied to learn that, notwithstanding all
the efforts that were made, several lives were
lost. The scene was truly terrific, as describ-
ed by those who witnessed it, and as the pas.
sengers were transferred to the several steam
ers and ships, the suspense in which those
who were saved were kept for several hours,
as to the fate of their friends, was of the most
narrowing character. Before the last passen-
gers left the wreck, she was so nearly con-
sumed that they were obliged to hang upon
the guards and get as near the water as posi-
BILE. The boat in charge of the mate of the
Forest City was upset several times, and the
forward boat of the Ocean was swamped as
soon as lowered into the water. Mr.. Kim
| ball, the clerk of the Ocean, was the last to
| leave the wreck, and did much to encourage
the survivors IN their prospect of being saved.
| He awards great credit TO Capt. Donovan aud
| to Levi L.. Stoddard, OF Portland, who was
in charge of one of the boats of the Forest
| City, and did much towards saving the pas
sengers.
The Forest City returned to her berth at
Central wharf about IL o'clock. with some
fifteen passengers, including the dead bodies
! of a young mum, woman, and child of about
| four years. The names of none of these per-
sons were known. The young man had
small tuft of beard upon his chin, and was
apparently from % to 80 years Of age, and the
woman near the same age. The man had on
blue coat with metal buttons, and mixed
| pantaloons.
Hiram l.. Wing, of Carpenter & Co.'S Ex-
| press, living in Bath, was badly burned about
| the knees, and in his hands. Charles Pope,
| of Taunton, colored man, who was going to
Bath, to engage as steward i'll ship from that
port, had his thigh, leg, and ribs broken and
was otherwise injured internally. His I'M ur-
les are supposed to have been caused by the
falling of freight upon him. Sarah Pope, the
wife of Charles, was also badly injured inter-
nally. Mrs Calhoun, No. % Warren Street,
Boston, was saved among the last of the pas
sengers, and was not otherwise injured than
in getting slight wettng. Mrs Carroll, of
| Newton Lower Falls, who had two children
with her, exhibited great courage and presence
of mind, in sustaining herself and children,
by rope suspended from the guards of the
steamer. Susan Berry, stewardess of the
| Ocean, who was separated from her sister, ex-
hibited great distress in her alterations of
mind. Michael Kennedy, an old man. had a
narrow escape from drowning, as did also Bar
tholomew Grady. Mr.. Grady had his child
in his arms, and in the overturning of a boat
several times, he came near perishing and fin
ally was separated from the child; whether it
was saved or not he could not tell. Mr.. Twi-
cross, of Bath, Me-, was also brought up in
the Forest City, receiving no injuries Most
of the above named, besides those badly hurt,
were slightly injured. Drs. Geo. F. Bigelow
and Morrill,, were speedily called to attend up
on the sufferers, and after making them as
comfortable as possible, procured the removal
of Wing, and Mr.. and Mrs. Pope to the Hos
pital. AT later hour, one of the crew of the
Ocean, whose hands were badly injured, was
brought up i'll the boat Quarantine, and car
ried to the Hospital
The steamer Neptune, with the mails, came
up about midnight, with ten of the rescued
passengers and crew. 1t is reported that the
boat Quarantine brought up thirty fve who
were rescued by the Canada's boats, and that
several women remained on board the Canada.
Capt. Hussey. Of the ship Westward Ho,
from Calcutta, is entitled to great credit, in
not only saving fourteen passengers of the
Ocean, but i'll bringing them up to the city in
his gig, amidst the storm and darkness.
From the accounts we have received, it is
believed that few or none others have been
lost or severely injured.
The steamship Canada and other steamers,
had not come up at late hour, and probably
remained below during the night. Previous
to midnight many persons viewed the bodies
ofthe dead aboard The Forest City, but neither
of them were identified positively. 1t was
supposed the child was in charge Of an aunt
by the name of Hackett, to be carried to Bath,
having no mother, and the place of her fathers
residence being unknown.
The Ocean has been running about five
years, and was owned by Rufus X. Page, Capt
Nathaniel Kimball, and others. She was
worth $4,000, and was not insured. She
had a full freight, with passengers mostly for
Bath.-BostOn Courier.