The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-09-26
APPALLING CALAMITY!
Loss ofthe Mail steamer Central America
FIVE HUNDRED LIVES LOST.

daiies for the last week have been filled with
details of this calamity, from which we have
attempted to condense the main facts.
The Central America left Aspinwal on
the afternoon of Sept. Sd, taking on board
the passengers, that had come down on
the California steamer, with the treasure,
amounting to over 100000 She arrived
at Havana, and after taking on some more
passengers, sailed on the Sth for New York,
having on board SIS souls. The weather
was calm during the forenoon, but in the
afternoon fresh westerly breezes sprung up.
On the following morning the wind blew
very strong, the gale continuing to increase
in violence as the day advanced. At night
there was no abatement in the fury of the
gale, and it commenced raining in torrents
On Thursday it blew a hurricane, the sea
running very high.
A rescued passenger continues the nara
tive: H.
On Friday morning the storm ragged fear
fully. At IL O'Clock in the morning Of this
day. it was first known among the passen-
gers that the steamer had sprung a leak and
was making water fast. \ line of men was
Immediately formed, and they went to work
battling out the water from the engine rooms,
the fires having already been eXtinguished.
We gained on the water so much that we
were able TO get up steam again, but we held
it but few minutes, and then it stopped
forever. Bailing continued, however and
was kept up in all parts of the ship until
she finally went down.
During Friday night the water gained
gradually, but all on board being in pretty
good spirits, they worked to the best of
their ability, feeling that when the morning
came they possibly might speak some ves-
sci, and thus be saved The fatal Saturday
came at last, but brought nothing but in
creased fury in the gale. Still We worAed
on, and at about . O'Clock in the afternoon
the storm lullcd little, and the clouds broke
away. Hope was renewed, and all now
worked like giants. At p NJ we spied
sail, and fired guns and placed our flag at
half mast. II was seen, and the Marine, of
Boston, bore down upon Us. We then CON
sidered safety certain.
She came near us, and We spoke to her
and told our condition. She laid by about
mile distant, and we, in the only three
boats saved, placed all the women and chill
brig. As evening was fast approaching we
discovered another sail, v hen responded TO
our call and came near US. Capt Herudon
told our condition and asked them 10 lay by
and send boat, as we bad none left She
promised to do SO, but that was the last we
saw Of her, except al distance, which grew
greater and greater every moment.
At I O'Clock we saw 10 possibility Of keep
ing afloat much longer, although we all felt
that If we could do so until morning, all
would be saved. In short time heavy
sea for the first time broke over the upper
deck Of the vessel, and then all hope faded
away. LIte-preseryers were now supplied
TO all, and we sent up two rockets, when a
tremendous sea swept over us, and the steam
er IN moment went down. | think some
four hundred or four hundred and fifty souls I,
were launched upon the ocean, at the mercy /
Of the waves. The storm at this time had
entirely subsidized. We all kept near to-
gcther, and went as the waves took Us.
\ lady passenger thus describes the scene
before the boat went down:
Women showed great courage and self
cOmpOsure-not tear was shed by any Of
them-tEerc was the calmness of the grave
among them. The men told us TO be cheer
ful-that it would soon be all right; indeed,
though we considered ourselves in imminent
peril, We did not know the full extent Of it.
The men did all they could TO keep that
knowledge from us. We remained quietly
in tue cabin; we could not remain on one
side Of tie boat, because it was all down
We had 10 60 into the gentlemen's cabins,
and there VIC remained ali the afternoon.
Many Of the ladies had a great deal Of
money that they did not give TO the purser
r . Il
state rooms and took out bags of gold-S2O
pieces, 5 |, 900 in all--and threw them down
in the cabin, SO that any persons who want
ed money could take what they pleased.
The two ladies had just returned from Cali
iornia, and "a d, weeping, - That that money
was all they had made there, and they ere
returning home TO enjoy it," None Of the
ladies conld take more than two $40 gold
pieces with them. We had to strip off all
our clothes and skirts except our outside
dress, III order to keep our clothes from sink
ing US We Ghe women) then commenced
putting on life-preservers the men still re-
manned working, saying they would remain
OH board until another ship arrived, as the
Marine could not take them all on board.
The chief Engineer Ashley is censrred by
nearly all the saved passengers for having
to be sent to the Marine, he intirnated TO the
Captain that he was going in the boat. An
account says:
Capt. Herndon replied that he had no right
to do so, and that 1t was his duty to stick to
his post. The Engineer then said II you
will let me go | will bring back the 1wo
boats, and all the boats that can be reached
from the brig" Capt. IIerndon expressed
his fears to trust the Engineer; but the lat
ter again pleaded hard, promised TO exert
himself IN securing assistance, that Captain
Herndon finally consented, when Ashley i'm
mediately seized rope and let himself down
into the boat, and was followed by passen-
ger. No sooner had the latter reached the
boat, than Ashley drew dirk and swore
that he would stab the man unless he would
jump overheard.
Capt. H., hearing the remark made BY
him, cried "stop there-you must not do
that"
As soon. as the boat pushed off Captain
ii. walked forward on the steamer and called
after the engineer: "Now will depend up
on your returning with the boats" and the
engineer in reply said: You may depend
on your life on my returning but he failed
to do SO.
ne prIS -haIiie WAS lying nearly nile
off, and by the time the third boat reached
her, it became evident that the ship must go
down before they could get back. All hands
then seized pieces of spars, chairs and life
preservers, while others rushed below to
procure the treasure. ..a !
Now the vessel gave three luiches; some
Of the passengers jumped off at each lurch.
Those who jumped OIL at the first and second
lurches swan oil some distance; but the
great mass remained on deck until the YES
sci went down, which was minute or two
afterwards.
We were all drawn under the surface at
least twenty feet, and when we arose was