Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-04-03
COLLISION WITH AN ICEBERG.
A NEW -YoRK,. K,.PAcKEr-snIp FoUNDERED.
ONE NUMBERED AND THIRTY
FIVE LIVES LOSTi
Nine Days of Horror in an Open Boat.
ONLY ONE SURVIVOR.
7 RILLIN MAJ RATIV 4.

=
On the goth of February the packet-ship
John Rutledge, Capt. Kelly, of New-York,
while on her voyage from Liverpool TO this
port, struck upon an iceberg and sunk, with
the mate, carpenter, and 80 to 35 passengers
on board. Our information in regard to the
disaster is derived from the only known sur
vivor, Thomas w. Nye of Bedford
So far as we have been able to learn, the
subjoined narrative contains all the facts in
! the case:
The pscket-ship John Rstledge left Liver
pool on the 18Th OF January, with ise pos
sengers, and crew of officers and men num-
beriBg, all sold, 10 persons. During the
passage che encountered severe weather.
One Of her crew was washed off, the bow
| spirit, and male passenger was carried
through the bulwarks by a heavy sea and
drowned. On the Goth of February the
John Rutledge was struck by an iceberg,
and wen. down. From the log-book of the
mate, which was saved in the boat with the
boy Nye, we extract the following entries:
monday, 18th February-8 a. m, thicks
foggy, with drizzly rain. Middle and latter
parI, strong breezes and rainy. Passed
several cebergs on both sides. Passed one
within ten feet of the weather side. Lat.
dead recIcnihg, 40 "a NJ; lon. d. R., 46 Q
Sc W.
TUESDAY, 10th. p. m.--Follows with light
winds and ha.y. The vessel was surroun-
ded with icebergs; it being very difficuit to
steer clear Of them. At 8 saw a large field
of ice ahead; tried to steer clear of 1t, but
there being little wind it got down to the
ship before we could get past it, and the
wind dying away, we could not steer clear
At II the ship was completely wedged with
dltice and very large ieebergs in all direc-
tons, and the breeze springng right sft,
there was no alternative but to proceed
through it. The further we go, in the thicker
the ice got, and the greater the number of
icebergs Midnight, light winds and the ship
making very little headway through the ice.
4, morning, the same. 8, steady breeze, and
the ship making more headway. Passed
some very large bergs. At the ]"
Here the log abruptly terminates. From
this we infer that the collision with the ice
berg took place between and 10 o'clock on
TIE morning os the goth Of February. And
it would seem that the mate was writing up
hs log when the fatal shock occurred. The
ship was abandoned about six O'Clock the
same evening. Before leaving the vessel,
Capt Kelly, finding that she leaked badly,
manned the pumps with passengers and sea-
man; and as the leak continued to gain up
on her, had about 100 bags of salt and a
number OF crates of crockery broken out Of
the fore hold and thrown overheard. Getting
clear of the ice aoon after, it was discovered
that plank was started from the forefoot,
and an attempt was made 10 stuff the leak
with blankets and rags. 1t appears that this
was not very successful, as the captain sub
sequently decided to abandon the vessel
There wera FIVE large boats on bOard, in
which 1874 persons were to be saved. How
the captain bore himself at this time we
could not learn, as the survivor lies in avery
critical situation; and it was as much as his
life was worth to question him closely. We
only know that four boats put off before that
in which Nye was. The captains boat was
the only one of the four which had COM
pass. How Capt. Kelly distributed tine pro-
visions and seamen we could not learn. The
last boat which LETT the ship contained only
thirteen persons. 1t appears that Atkinson,
the mate put his wife into this boat, and, with
the carpenter, wentto sound the pumps
While they were gone the boat was struck
oy heavy sea, which broke her from her
fastenings, ard she rapidly drited from the
ship, learing the mate and carpeilteri with
from 80 to 35 passengers, on board. When
last seen the ship was down to her mizzen in
the water; and from the character of her
cergo--salt, iron ard crockery-she probably
went nown in short time af'erward. Or
the thirteen persons in the last beat, there
were four women, one little girl, FIVE male
passengers, Mr. Nye,a Scotch sailor. and ths
coatsWain an Irishman whose wife resides
in New-York For the subsistence of these
people there were only one gallon of water
and six or eight pounds Of bread. The mate
had placed compass in the boat, but his
wife, in leaping from the ship, had broken it.
Cas-, thus hepIessly upon the open sea- a.
mong the fogs and nists OF thu Banks Ct
Newfoundland, and surrounded by drift and
berg ice, their prospect could hardly have
been more gloomy. Soon Lfter the boat
broke adriit night came on-howit passed
may be imagined.
From what we could learn, but little..wss
said by any one, and probaly al of them
soon came to a realizing sense of their
dreadful situation. for as soon as Mrs. At
kinson entered the boat she seized the yes
sci containing the water, and being large
robust woman, fought off all who attempt
ed to obtain a dring from it. Nye got only
two or three swalows; the rest was drank
by herself and the.bOatswam. What disPc.
sitioI was made OF the bread does not ap-
pear. The probability is that there was no
organization whether among the little party
but every ono looked out for himself. HaV-
ing no compass, nor sign by which TO steer,
they did not exert themselves, other than TO
keep .he boat before the sea. The sailors
wers warmly clothed, ss was also Mrs.
Atch,sop, but the passengers. for the most
part, were very scdntily at;ired, and suffer-
ed keenly from the cold. Day after day
only dswued to raise their spirits snew