Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-09-24
From the Baltimore American.
LOSS OF THE STEAMSHIP.
CENTRAL AMERICA
INCIDENTS OF THE DIsAsTER.

INCIDENTS OF THE DIsASIEh'
STATEMENT OF CAPT THOMAS ". 8ADGEH'
Capt Thomas W. Badger who Is among
the saved arrived here in the Louis iana' is
able. from his experience as sea captain
40 vell as from the close connection In
wh;ch his exertions on board the wreck
brought him with Capt. Herndon and Of
6cers' to give more accurate and reliable
account of the disaster than perhaps any
other of the saved. We have taken down
from his dictation tho annexed full and in
teresting narrative:
We left Havana on Tuesday, 9Th Sept.
in company with steamship Empire City.
Made good weather until 10th. On the
evening of the 10th. there was every ap-
pearance of gale or hurricane, ship still
going on course and carrying full head Of
steam. The storm increased during the
night and until Friday morning at 10
O'Clock, the ship making fine weather and
keeping on her course. At II o'clock on
Friday afternoon the engine stopped, and
on enquiring of the engineer, be said it
was caused by the coal passers not passing
the coal into the fire room with sufficient
rapidity to keep the steam up. The wal
ters and stewards were then called upon
ard sent down to assist in passing COAL
When the engine stopped the ship fell off
IN the trough of the sea, and was at the
mercy Of the waves. The pumps worked
by the engine, and which were the main
dependence for keeping the vessel free of
water, were also rendered useless.
The engine made but one or two revo-
lutions after this. / called the attention
to the fact that the water was gaining, the
rolling Of the ship forcing it through the
left shaft hole, and proposed and did Or
ganize a gang for bailing. The deck
pumps proving on trial to be out of order,
hailing was the only resource.
by. this time the water had risen high
enough to extinguish the lee fires, and the
men employed in the coal hole and engine
room were driven out by the steam and
hot water. There was no longer any hope
of getting the machinery in operation.-
The principal leak was found to be around
the lee shaft, and at the lower lee dead
lights. The ship was still staunch and
sound, and not leaking at the bottom at
all, and would have been in no danger if
her machinery and pumps had been kept
going.
= At o'clock on Friday we rugged drag
IA spar with an anchor lashed to it,) and
paid it out to windward, in the hope of
bringing her head to the wind, but this
had little or no effect. From o'clock un-
iii in the evening we kept the water at
bay, every man working with spirit and
vigor.
From II to o'clock on Sunday morn
ing the water gained fast on us, as the
men were fatigued and worn out by inces-
SAINT labor and exposure TO the storm. At
o'clock the gale somewha: abated, but
a heavy sea continued, the water then being
nearly up to the second cabin floor.
At daylight on Sunday morning, how
ever, all hands took hold again with re
newed vigor to free the ship. The water
was thus again kept at bay for an hour
or two more, during which signals of dis
tress were set, and vigilant lookout kept
for sails. The ladies were even anxious to
assist US in bailing,- and cheered US up in
our labors by their calmness in these try
ing times. At s o'clock another attempt
was made to raise steam in the donkey
boiler SO as to work the steam pumps, but
the attempt again failed, and all hope of
relief from that quarter was abandoned.
At 10 o'clock on Saturday morning
the men again yielded to the sevreity Of
their labor, and the water again commen-
ced to gain on us, but the bailing was still
continued. At half-past 1 o'clock sail
hove in sight, to tie windward, which
proved to be the Marine of Boston. At 8
o'clock she rounded TO at leward of ship,
when boats were lowered, bailing still 90
ing on. In lowering the boats two were
stove by the heavy sea that still prevailed,
which left only three, and one of them in
a bad condition. By 5 5o'clock we succeed
ed in putting on board the Marine all the
women and children, twenty-six in number;
during which the male passengers mostly
continued at their work. The boats could
not carry more than five or six owing to
the high sea, and they made several trips
to and from the Marine. When the boat
that took the last two of the ladies came
alongside the chief engineer jumped in the
boat, and was followed by several other
gentlemen. Two other boats came along
side afterwards, when there was a general
rush to jump in them by the male passen-
gers, involving great danger. By this time
the brig had drifted a long way leeward,
which made the trips of the boats long,
and by this time it was dark, so that the
boats did not again return.
About dark, vessel believed to be the
schooner Sovereign of New York, ran down
under our lee. We hailed and told him
that we were in sinking condition, ask
ing him to lay by US all night, which he
promised to do. The bailing in the mean
time continued to progress, but the water
had by this time raised half way up the
lower cabin, and was rapidly gaining on
US. There was, however, no cessation of
the bailing until one hour before the ship
sank, when all hope of keeping her afoat
until daylight was relinquished. This was
about seven o'clock on Saturday evening.
should, however, mention, that two
hours previous l had conversation with
Capt. Herndon, who after consultation
agreed with me that the ship must 90
down, but it was still advisable to keep it
up as long as possiblee and we did not
make known the result of our conversation,
but urged all hands to renewed effort