The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1857-10-01
Incidents OF the Loss Of thr Central sser-
STATEMENT OF J. NJ. BAssF,

/ r,n he Ses ro.s papers Q; Xontty
STATEMENT OF J. M. BASsFORD.
Mr.. Joseph VI. Bassiord, Of Benicia, Cal
iiornia, one Of the rescued passengers Of the
Central America gives the following state
ment:
Shortly after the steamer lcit Havana the
storm commenced and ragged with undated
violence till the ship went down. On deck
Friday morning about =. o'clock when the
engines suddenly stopped Anxious 10 learn
what the difficulty was went TO the engine
room. The moment arrived there the first
engineer, Ashby, come running into the
room with nothing on but his shirt, having
hurried from his berth without dressing
An instant afterwards Captain Herndon
came to the room also having been reused
from bis berth by the sudden stopping Of the
engines. a. soon as the Captain saw Mr..
Ashby he said nothing but went directly
away. Mr. Ashby made an inquiry or two
as 10 the difficulty, and retreated TO his pri-
vatc room to dress himself. after which he re-
turiei.
LOSS oF TnE STEAMER INBrTrD TO AslIDY.
am satisfied from what ! afterwards
learned, that had Ashby Immediately went
TO work in endeavoring to remedy the diff
Guilty with the engines, that he might have
got them 10 work again and saved the YES
sci, as every moment after the stoppage of
the engines was Of great Importance After
Ashby returned he called together the en-
ginccrs and frcmen; and consulted IA to
/ what should be done. A pipe had broken
and great deal Of steam was escaping
Which was at he difficulty visible TO me
Efforts were made 10 set the engines going
! bu, this proved Intellectual. inquired Of
one Of the !irencn the extent of the trouble
and was told tina, the steamer had sprung
leak, and that water was pouring in quite
ra odly, and that it was Impossible tn pass
the coal and for this reason the engines had
stopped. A. yet the water had not touched
the fire ia the furnaces. Ii was found, after
several hours, that the water was coming in
at such rate that it would be necessary to
call in extra aid. Accordingly, two lines of
men were formed On the starboan and
another on the larboarI side Of the steamer
with buckets, to take out the water. This
was about 4 o clock in the afternoon When
! the call for the buckets and aid Of the pas
scngers was called for, there was some con
stcrnation among the passengers at first:
none believed. however, that there was no
real danger.
Al this time the wind was blow ing ii.
most Il hurricane. yenturcd my lead
above the deck once or twice, but il seemed
as though there was danger o: the wind
blowing il Off 50 violent and terrific was the
gale, IN connection with the buckets,
gangs Of men were arranged with barrels TO
take up water by means Of puleys. The
pumps had BEEN abandoned before this
some time Everybody worked like good
fellow, and tie water was gained ON to such
an extent that the engineer was enabled to
get up steam in the main boiler Of the ship
and several revelations were made with the
wheels. The water now gained on the ship,
and ut length pat ont the engine frs.
Meantime efforts had been made all along to
get thu donkey engines at work, hut with
out any success.
HARD LsBoR--soNG Singing.
The labor Of the men ut the buckets aud
barrels was very severe and trying. Every
thing was done To keep up the spirits To
give impetus and encouragement to the
work, large number sang while laboring.
The voices OF the workers rose merrily anil
powerful above the din of the storm and
the lashng OF the steamers sides by the
waves. The burden of the song was the
stereotype couple', surg with sailorlike
melody and vivaci'y.
IIeavc q. Heave o. stamp and 90,
Wen be Jolly bla,her. o.
From want Of keeping up u proper sys
TEN OF management, however, in arranging
the men in watches SO as to alternate at
proper intervals, Il, the first number Of
men. notwithstanding the stimulus Of song
singing became 20 completely tired out that
after time they had to give M work.
~cmc Tell down exhausted and iain,ing in
tn steps.
LADIES FRottER ASSISTANCE Al The BIJhErS.
AZ this crisis some OF the ladies behaved
most generously AMI nobly- several Of them
volunteering TO take their places Mt the
buckets but the men, tired AS they were.
had too much gallan,ry 10 allow this The
otter Of The ladies' however. TO assume a
portion Of the trying toll gave renewed en-
enlargement 10 the men. Mrs. A. j. Eas-
ton, bride who with her husband were
among the passengers, and were on a we'd
ding tour furnished the men large number
Of bottles Of wine The liberal b,stowal
of the wine and the spirit which prompted
its donation, won the admiration OF ALL Not
only was increased vigor given TO the men.
bu, il reused them to work still bravely on.
Several Of the passengers, whose position
and intelligence, and withal, the trying cir.
cunetanoes in which the ship was placed.
ought 10 have restrained them from deport-
ing themselves other than properly drank
excessively 81 liquors on board the ship.
probably from their own private stors.
and made themselves very noisy aipl trouble
some. Know two OF The passengers of
high social and political association. who
refused 10 work, hut got alarmingly drunk,
50 m'ch so tina, their more sober conpan-
ions had 10 put them in their bcr,hs In