Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-10-23
Tho Loss Of the Norfolk.

The Philadelphia papers contain some
further particulars of the loss Of the s.ea.
mer Norfolk, Captain Kelly. ON her pas.
sage from thas port to Norfolk and Rich
mond, with 26 passengers. q crew OF 81
persons. and q valuable cargo. The par.
ticulars are furnished by George U. Por~
ter, Esq. of the Baltimore Merchants
Exchange. who Was passenger on the
steamer Jos. Whitney, from this port.
We copy the following:
The Norfolk left Philadelphia on Sat-
urday morning. September IL. and en-.
countered heavy gale from E. s. E.. On
Sunday evening. which continued to in.
crease in violence during the night. Be-
tween 10 O'Clock p. M. and q. m. she
sprung . leak. carried away jib. spanker
and fore.speneer. and to tighten her .
large portion of the cargo was thrown
overheard. Her head was then turned
toward the beach. with the view Of rum
ming her on to save the lives Of those on
board, but the Tudder broke off, and she
was left helpless wreck in violent gale
and heavy sea. and at daylight on Mon
day broke into pieces. then about ten
miles south of Chincoteague. the passen-
gers and crew barely having time to take
to the boats. saving nothing but what
clothes they had on before she went
down, and was lost entirely from view.
After being on board the small boats
in heavy sea and high N. N. w. wind
for about nine hours. they were fallen in
with at Fl P. NJ. by the steamship Joseph
! Whitney, Captain Howes, from Balti-
more, bound to Boston, who succeeded
IN taking up three Of the boats. contain.
ine forty PERSONS. The fourth boat steer
ed off III another direction in search of q
vessel which was in sight, but which did
not heed them, a2d it was not seen after
wards. but it is supposed made for the
shore. This boats crew. containing the
first and second engineer ncd hremen,
was afterwards picked up by the steamer
Caledonia, bound from Charleston 10 Bal
timore.
The passengers all speak in the high
est praise OF the conduct of Captain KEEL.
ly and his officers, Mr.. John Moore and
Mr.. W. H. Snyder, during the trying cir,
eumstances of the loss Of their ship. The
captain stood at the gangway, and would
not allow single man TO leave the ship
until the ladies were all safely slowed in
the boat; he then had each boat provided
with compass and provisions. DC. being
himself The last to leave the sinking ship.
1t is impossible to describe the feelings
Of the unfortunate shipwrecked people
upon finding themselves once more safe
and on the deck Of the Joseph Whitney.
Some of them were almost entirely desti-
tute Of clothing. while others were but
half clad-most of the ladies and children
were without shoes and stockings. and
from their exposure to the high wind and
sea. their garments generally were nearly
washed off them. In a shert time they
were made rs comfortable as possible.
The officers and passengers of the Joseph
Whitney did all in their power; trunks
were opened. and dry clothes were pu.
upon all. The passengers generally were
unremitting in their attentions to these
persons. In this connection
mention should be made of the kind and
generous conduct of poor Irish girl.
Margaret Finley. who fills the position OF
stewardess of the Joseph Whitney. Her
Joy was unspeakable upon Witnessing the
rescue of the shipurecked people; she
dealt out clothes to them till the last piece
was gone. save she clothes she had on.
and then gave up her room for their fur.
ther accommodation. The rescued crew
and passengers expressed themselves in
high terms Of praise OF Captain Howe. of
he Joseph Whitney. and her crew and