Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-10-09
HE CENTRAL AMERICA-TERRIBLE s1-y

| rEhINI ON LIE OCEAN - 1HRlLLlE(
NARRATIVE OF FAMINE, &c.
II appears that it was the Bremen barque Laura
Capt. Wilmssen, and not the barque Bremen, as RI
ported by the telegraph, that arrived at New York OF
Monday, with three persons rescued from the wrecl
of the Central America. On tho 2Sth uli., latitud
40 45, longitude H. at P. NJ, the Laura spoke III
Brissh brig Mary, Capt. Shearer, of Greenock from
Cardenas for Queenstown, and took from her tn.
three persons whom the Mary had picked up at ses
viz John Tice, second engineer; Alexander Gran,
fireman, and q. w. Dawson, a colored passenger
The Express says:
} den depot at I'D O'clock in the steamer DR.. Kane
and were Immediately conveyed In carriage to th,
office OF the steamship company corner Of West ant
Murray streets. The second engineer, Mr.. Tice. wa
taken 10 the private office, where hundreds followed
to get sight of him
The condition of Messrs. Tice aud Grant is almos
beyond description. They are nothing but skin ant
bone and are covered with bruises received on th,
water. Mr.. Fice had one Of his feet bsndsged, and
u was with the utmost difficulty that he could walk
he had on pea jacket and glaze cap, which hst
been furnished him by some of the sailors Of the
6arque Laura After remaining at the office about
htteeu minutes they ware taken In carriage and dr
ven to the resdepce Of Of the officers of the com
pany, 10 Seventh street, near avenue A. Quite num-
ber OF the acquaintances of Messrs. Tce and Grant
were among them, and several of those rescued from
tho Ceptral America met them uet as they were rs.
turning TO tue carriage, and the which passed
between them was most affecting to all beholders. II
is thought that by proper medical treatment they will
| be restored TO health again.
Mr. Tice's feet and eRs are said to be covered with
bos and olsters. His face also s badly bruised, and
Mr.. Grant is in a most deplorable state.
AS soon as the news OF the safety Of the engineer
and others was announced there was great rush at
| the office by parties who had friends on board the
| steamer. Many were making inquiries at the office.
aud the Of the three rescued were finally posted
up on the door. Mr.. Tice is single man, but has
mother living somewhere back Of Hoboken. Mr..
Grant is married man. All the rescued agree that
II is hardly possible that any more could have been
saved than have been heard from.
1t appears that the three men had drifted nearly
sr hundred miles from the Of the nrsck before
they rescued. Capt Burt, of the Marine gives the
position OF the steamer when she went down at lat.
81 49, longitude IS So and Capt Shsarer of the Ma.
ry, states that he picked up Tice Dawson, and Grant
in latitude 3G 40, longitude II. They were drifting
in the Gulf Stream, tout ofthe usual track of vessels
which there runs al the rate Of three miles hour
that in eight days they would have floated, with
tue aid ofthe stream alone, ire hundred and serenity
SIC males.
STATEMENT OF ALEXANDER GRANT, ONE OF THE
FIREMES.
was one OF the iremen on board Of the Central
America, and up to the time Of the ships going down
had done all 10 my power 10 her and the passen
gers. About fifteen or twenty minutes before o'clock
on the Saturday evening on which she sank knowing
that she must go down sometime during the night, !,
with nine Others turned to for the purpose Of cutting
away the hurricane deck, on which, if possible, TO
save our lives and as many Others We could get
had just completed cutting away the last piece Of
rope which held it down, when, upon rising and look
ing around me, saw that the vessel had gone down
under us and left rs floating on top Of the deck
Nothing TO be seen Of her but her passengers as
they after another to the surface Of the
ter and few pieces Of the wreck which were float.
ing about they arose from the decks Of the steam
or. We could not see q man in the water over one
hundred yards but we heard cries for help all srouud
ms up to daylight on Sunday.
.SaAdoy Morning-At daylight that morning saw
about ten twelve persons floating around us but
they all too far of, except Dawson, for to give
any assistance Dawson was on plank. aud swan TO
US, and climbed upon the hurricane deck with us.
About ii o'clock on Sunday morning John Bank.
Of the coal passers who was with at the time
the vessel suuk from under us, died from exhaustion
and swallowing salt water. Alter death we threw
him overheard.
Before night three more died, whose numes do
not know. Two OF them were passengers and one
coal passer. They died from exhaustion and swg
lowing salt water. These also threw overheard
That evening, Just before dark, picked up an
other passenger, whose name do otkuow. He was
supporting himself 10 the water, by piece Of board
and was very much exhausted.
During Sunday night there were four more Of our
number died Of exhaustion and swallowing too much
salt water. The name Of one of these do not know.
He belonged to the stewards department, and wa
a coored man. The names of others were
Geo Burlington Sd engineer; Patrick Evans, coal
passer Patrick Carr, fireman.
Nonddy-On Monday We saw nothing Of any more
OF the passengers OF the wreck nothing transpred
that day worthy Of note; there were then four of
out of twelve alive.
Tuesday.-Ws saw another passenger short di,
tance from us, who was on part of the captains
room and great deal better of than he would havs
been on the hurricane deck with us: We spoke with
him, and he wanted TO know how were getting
along, and said he did not wish to exchange hs raft
or support for a chance on ours He told me bis
name, but cannot recolect it, We parted with him
when night came ou in consequence of the wind be-
ginning to blow pretty strongly from the eastward
and raising heavy sea. We never saw him after
that.
Some hours prior TO night coming on, K,unathy
one of the coal passers, became derauged, and was
wholly unconscious OF his condition, and during that
night both he and one Of The survivors Of the hurri
dane deck, passenger, whose name do not know,
died from exhaustion and swallowing salt water
There were now but two-nyself and DawsoR--lett
out of the twelve persons who we're at ono time on
the hurricane deck with us, l being the only sur
vivor OF the ten who had started from the wreck on
the deck when the chip went down. We were both
very much exhausted, but resolved to do the bee: We
could to save our lives.
IHsdResd0y,-The sea was not quite so rough as il
had been. although there was pretty good swell
rolling. Nothing worthy OF note occurred during the
day.
miles of but could not tell whether there any
in it not, but thought there was. resolved, how
ever, to reach it if possible, and accordingly divest
ed myself of all but my under clothes, and tying
life.preserver around me jumped into the sea and
swan towards the boat with all my might. cannot ,
say how long was before finally reached the boat
but before | got to her discovered man sitting
down and trying TO scul the boat towards me- On
reaching the side Of the boat the man who proved
to be Mr.. Tice) helped ne in. The boat which, when
secured by Mr.. Tice, was full Of water, had been
baiIed ont by him through the aid Of q bucket and
tin pan which he had found n it, 10 addition to three
oars, in good order, which had remained in the boat
after being swamped. The hole in the bottom of the
boat for allowing the water to drain ont, being
taken on board the ship, and which was open when
discovered by Mr.. Tice, had been plugged up by
him with tho!e pin, go that when got into her she
was In fine trim. Mr.. Tice and myself immediately
pulled the boat as fast possible to the hurrlcan.
deck and took Dawson in. He strong "a sither
of us, had all bsen without food from l2 o'clock
al noon Of the Saturday before, and were completely
exhausted, az we had been necessarily at work for
some SO hours before the ship down in trying TO
save her, and none Of had cared 10 eat but very
little during the whole Of that time. Alter taking
Dawson on board wesowed the boat to drift With the
wind to leeward, not being able to help ourselves II
we had wished, and net knowing which way to pull
Before the wreck never thought l could begin to
go through with one half Of what have, and do not
think could ever do il again.
Friday and Saturddy.-Wind light and pleasant :
weather; nothing Of note occurred.
Sunday, Eighth Day.IWs still continued to drift
to leewsrd with the wind being perfectly resigned to
whatever fate awaited 10 the afternoon We die /
covered brigantne to the leeward Of us considers
bls distance. We made every possible effort to at
tract the attention of some board Of her. but
to no purpose as she too far uff. The wind was
blowing pretty stiff at the time, and she was under |
short calls, with reeted opsails She passed on her
course, and VISA out Of onr sight in sboat two hours
.tfonday, Ninth Dayton Monday. about fouf
o'clock, we saw another sail, 10 which We made all
the signals Of distress in power which were for
tunately seen by those board aud the vessel stood
directly down for us We seo pulled all We were able
10 for the vessel, which proved TO be the brig Mary
Of Greenock, Scotland, from Cardenas, Cuba, with
molasses bound to Cork. We saw the vessel some
time before she Us, think, and made signals to
her. Shortly after FIVE o'clock We were picked up by
the vessel where We were received by all hands with
the utmost kindness. Everything was dons for US
that could be-. The boat in which We were saved was
also taken on board Of the Mary with us. When We !
got on board Of the vessel we we're 90 much eIhsus