Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-09-26
TOTAL LOSS OF THE STEAMSHIP
CENTRAL AMERICA.
FIVE HUNDRED LIVES LOST


4rriuai Of the rescued at Norfolk and Saran.
hoh--7@o Millions in Specie LOST |
NoRroLK, Sept. 1s. /
The steamship Central America foundered
on Saturday last, when two hundred miles off
Cape Uattsras. Fifty passengers, including
26 females, we're rescued by the Norwegian
barque Eloise, which has arrived at this port
The officers were all lost except Mr.. James
NJ. Frazer. The chief engineer, George Il.
Ashby, took boat and deserted the ship an
hour before shen went down. The two mil.
lions of dollars 10 specie, which were on board
the Central America, were lost. "A y
FULL ACCOUNT OF THE WRECK
BY A SURVIVOR. ..
The Wreck Of the Central America-State-
ment Of Henry II. Chiids.
SAVANNAH, Sept. Is.
Henry II. Childs, one Of the rescued pas
sengers, states that the Central America left
Havana on the 9Th inst, having had delight
full weather and calm SEQ from Aspinwal to
that port. On the afternoon Of the day Of
sailing from Havana we had fresh breeze !;
aud on Wednesday it blew very strong. At
night it increased and rained in torrents. On
Thursday the wind blew a hurricane, and the
sea ran very high. On Friday the storm rs-
ged with undated fury, and at III O'Clock A.
NJ. it was first known among the passengers
that the steamer had sprung leak, aud was
making water fast.
A line of men was formed, who went to
work in bailing the water from her engine
room, the fires having been already extin-
guished by the furnaces being overflowed.-
We gained upon it go much that the fremen
were enabled to get up steam again, but this
continued for only few minutes, when the
fires were again extinguished and the engines
were abandoned. The bailng, however, was
continued in all parts of the vessel, aud kept
up until she finally went down. During Fri
day night the water gained gradually, but all
being in good spirits, we worked TO the best
of our ability, feeling that when morning
came we might possibly speak some vessel
and be saved.
The fatal Saturday came at last, but brought
nothing but an increased fury Of the storm
Still We worked on. About o'clock =. nj
the storm lulled little and the clouds broke
away, SO thut cur hopes were renewed and We
all worked like giants. At o'clock p. Nj
we spied sail and fred guns. Our flag be
ing at half mast it was seen and the brig la
rine, of Boston, bore down upon us. We
tucu CtuolueEcu Oui SosOty SSiVhih. ouo Sohhs
near and we spoke to her aud explained oul
condition. She laid too about mile distant
and we in only three Of the boats, saved, pla
ced all the women and children, and the,
were safely put on board the brig.
As evening was fast approaching, we dis
covered another sail, which responded to ou
call aud came near us. Capt. Herndon tol,
our crippled condition and asked them to "a.
by and send boat, as we had none left. Sh,
promised to do so, but this WAS the last VIZ
saw of her, except at distance, which grew
greater at every moment.
Att O'Clock we saw no possibility OF keep
ing aAoat much longer, although if We coul'
do SO until morning all would be saved in
short time. A heavy sea for the first tim
broke over her upper deck, and our hopes fa
ded away. Life preservers were then furnish
ed to the passengers and we sent up tw
rockets. A tremendous sea then swept owe
US, and then tie steamer in moment wen
down.
think that some four huDdred or four hun
dred and fifty souls we're launched upon th,
ocean, at the mercy of the waves. The storm
at this time had entirely subsided. We al
kept near together, and went us the waves
took US. There was nothing or very littl
said, except each one cheered, and courag
was kept up for two or three hours; and
think for that space OF time, none had drown
ed. But those who could not swim becam
exhaused, and one by one gradually passed t
eternity.
The hope that boats would be sent to u
from the two vessels spoken to soon fed fror
! US, and our trust was alone in providence
and what better trust could you or ask for
| saw my comrades fast sinking, and at on
o'clock that night was nearly alone, upo
the ocean, some two hundred miles from Ian
| |, however, heard shouts from all that cou
do SO, that they were not far from me but
| could not see them. Within an hour frou
this time, saw q vessel, which judged wa
about one mile from ME. Taking fresh cour
age, l struck out for the vessel aud reuche
it when nearly exhausted, but was drawn ol
board by ropes. 1t proved to be a Norwe
gian barque, from Balize, Honduras, boun
for Falmouth, England. l found on board G
her some three of my comrades, and at min
o'clock the next morning we had 49 noble ie
lows on board. And these are all know G
having been saved. We cruised about til
scene of disaster until We thought that a
alive had been rescued, and then set sail.
| We found the bark short OF provisions, an
the crew living on cruel. We had some te
| uuu COuco W ouISclNce, uuu HOO
on Sunday, spoke this American bark (th
Saxony) bound for Savannah, who supple
US with provisions and took five OF US o
board. Oar names are Il. ii. Ridley, {
Maine Jabez Howes, of San Francisco
Henry ii. Childs, of New York.
The Norwegian barque then set sail fo
Charleston with the balance OF the forty min
passengers. Their names names unfortunate
ly cannot give. The few | recollect al
Capt. Badger, Of Baltimore; Mr.. Frazier, 5,
cond officer of the Central America; r. /
Brown, of Sacramento; Billy Birch, of th
San Francisco Mnstres; A. j. Easton, {
San Francisco and Fletcher Augusta, {
Maine.
There is also q lad saved some seven year
old, whose mother was with the other ladie
placed on board the brig.
Z. S.-There were three passengers tha
got into tho boats that saved the women ar
children. which were known to me. The
names are Mr. Priest of Long Island Tho
Payne, OF Stamford Connecticut, aud N
Jones.
FULL PARTICULARS OF THE DISASTER.
One hundred Sared By the Brig Murine DIR
ved at NorJoik-Nearly tro,hundred SuI