Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-10-01
Lass of the Central America.

Childs:
''I left Havana in the steamship Central Amer
lea, for New York, on September sth. The
weather was delightful and the sea was calm on
the passage from Aspinwall. On the afternoon
Of the day OF sailing from Havana, fresh wes;er-
ly breezes sprung up. On the following morn
ing the wind blew very strong, the gale continu-
ing to increase in violence the day advanced.
At night there was 10 abatement in the fury OF
the gale, and it commenced raining in torrents.
On Thursday it blew hurricane, the sea run
ming very high. On Friday, the storm ragged
fearful!y. At II o'clock in the morning Of this
day, it was first known among the passengers
that the steamer had sprung aleak and was ma
king water fast. A line of fner was Immediately
formed, and they went to work bailing out the
water from the engine rooms, the fires having
been already extinguishei. We gained on the
water so much that We we're able TO get up steam
again; but we held it but a few minutes, and then
it stopped forever. Bailing continued, however,
and kept up in all parts of the ship until she
finally went down.
During Friday night the water gained gradu-
ally but all on board being IN pretty good spirits,
they worked to the best OF their ability, feeling
hat when the morning came, they might posi-
bly, speak some vessel and thus be saved. The
fatal Saturday came at last, but brought nothing
but increased lur in the gale. Still we worked
on. and at about 2n'clock in the afternoon the
storm luled little, and the clouds broke away.
Hope was renewed. and all worked like giants
At4 P. VI. we spied sail and fred guns, amt
placed flag at half mast. 1t was seen. aud the
lsig Marine. of Boston, bore down upon Us. We
then considered safety certain. She came near
Us. and We spoke to her and told her our condi-
ton. She laid by about mile distant, and
we. in the only three boats saved, placed
all lhe women and children, and they were safe
" put on the brig. As evening was fast np-
preaching, we discovered another sail, which re
sponde,i to cur call and came near US. Capt.
Gerndon told our condition, and asked them to
lay by and send boat, as we had none left. She
promised to do So but that the last we saw of
her, except at distance, which grew greater and
greater every moment.
At o'clock We saw no possibility of keeping
afoat much longer, although we all felt that If
we could 10 50 until morning, all would be saved
In a short time, heavy sea for the first time
broke over the upper deck ofthe vessel, and then
all hope faded away. Life preservers were now
rplied to all and We sent up two rockets, when
tremendous sea swept over us and the steamer
went down. l think four hundred or four hun
dred and fifty persons were launched upon the
ocean at the mercy o! the waves. The storm at
this time had entirely sub>ided. We all kept
near together and went the waves took us
There was nothing or very little said except each
one cheered his fellow comrade on. Courage
was thus kept up for two or three hours, and
think for this space of time none had drowned,
but three who could not swim became exhausted
After this, gradually, one by one passed away /"
eternity. The hope that boats would be sent TO
us from the two vessels we had spoken soon fed
from US, and our trust wasalone in Providence
land what better trust could you or l ask tor?'
| saw my comrades sink fast, and at one O'Clock
that night l was nearly alone upon the ocean,
some two hundred miles from land.
heard however, shouts from all that could do
so that were not far from me, but could not
see them Within an hour from this time, saw
a vessel which Judged TO be about one mile from
ne. Taking fresh courage, struck out for the
vessel. and reached it when nearly exhausted,
an .heg drew me on board of it by ropes. Il
I.-nvcd t. be. Norwegian bark from Belize, Hon
..uraS, bound for Falmouth England. found On
board of her some three o. my comrades, and at
half past nine o'clock the next morning we had
forty nine noble fellows ON board, and these are
all know of having beer saved. We stayed
about the place until we thought thathll alive
had been rescued, and then set sail. We found
the bark short OF provisions, and the ere"
living on Cruel. We had some tea and coffee to
refresh ourselves, and at noon on Sunday we
spoke this American bark, (the Saxony,) bound
for Savannah. which supplied us with provis-
ions and took FIVE of us on board. Our names are:
HRil!ey, of Maine.
Jabez Huwes. of san Francisco.
Samuel ". Look. Of Maine.
Adnlph Freder:c!:, of Sa, Francisco.
Henry II. Chi,ds. oc New York.
The Norwegian bark set sail for Charleston,
with the balance of the forty nine passengers,
whose names unfortunately 1 cannot give. The!
few that have reeol!ected are Is follows:
Capt Badger of Baltimore.
Nir Frazier. second officer.
R. F. Brown Of Sacramento.
Billy Birch, oft the san Francisco M.nstrelS.
A Eaton, ofSan Francisco.
- Fletcher, Of Augusta. Ne.
There is d lad saved. some seven years old.
\, hose mother was with the other ladies placed on
board the brig.
P. s. There were three passengers that got in
to the boats that saved the women and children,
who were known to me. Their names
Mr. Priest, of Long Island.
Thomas Payne, OF Stamford, Conn.
MrJones, of -.