Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-10-01
Loss Of the Central America.
Additional Particulars.
sAnRnAros OF A RESCUED PASSENGER.

The New York papers of Saturday fur
nishes us with many additional particulars
of thrilling interest which we condense and
give below. We are happy TO be able tc
announce that all the women and children
were saved, and that the list of saved reaches
100, at least The following figures gives
the pccuniary loss by this melancholy dis.
aster: ae
Treasure-On freight from California $l,600,0 ,00C
-f In passengers hands, 100000
Value ofship and cargo, 250.OOC
Total loss, 25O,00(
OF this sum 81, 900, 600 is known to
lie covered by insurance, chiefly in Lon
don
The following is the fullest and most
satisfactory account OF the disaster that
we have yet seen. 1t is from a rescued
passenger The detailed horrors of the
scene of destruction we have yet to learn;
but we shudder to think of the revelations
yet to be made-the magnitude of the loss
the protracted agonies of the sufferers; the
struggles between hope and despair; tho
wild battling for life in the midst of death,
which always characterize such scenes
as this; and, worst of all, the endless sor-
row which no balm can heal, that must
fall upon a thousand hearts and homesteads,
as each days report confirms the dreadful
anticipation, or dashes into fragments the
last remnant of hope clung to with that
desperate tenancity with which affection
endows the mourner:
ACCOUNT OF THE DISASTER By A pAssENGEF
on BOARD THE SHIP.
The following is the statement of Hcnry
III. Childs:
left Havana on the steamship Centra
! America for New York on September 8
! The weather was delightful and the seq
calm on the passage from Aspinwal. On
the afternoon of the day of sailing from
Havana fresh westerly breezes sprung up
On the following morning the wind blew
very strong, the gale continuing to increase
in violence as the day advanced. AT night
there was no abatement in the fury of the
gale, and it commenced raining in tor
rents. On Thursday it blew up hur-
ricane, the sea running very high. Or
Friday the storm ragged fearfully.
At IL o'clock in the morning of this day
it was first known among the passengers
that the steamer had sprung leak and
was making water fast. A line of men was
Immediately formed, and they went to work
bailing out the water from the engine
rooms, the fires having already been extin.
guished We gained on the water SC
much that we were able to get up steam
again. but we held it but few minutes,
and then it stopped forever. Bailing con-
tinucd, and was kept up in all parts of the
ship until she finally went down.
During Friday night the water gained
gradually, but all on board being in pretty
good spirits they worked to the best OIL
their ability, feeling that when the morn
ing came they possibly nigh: speak some
vessel aud thus be saved. The fatal Satur.
day came at last, but brought nothing bul
increased fury in the gale. Still W,
worked on, and about two O'clock in the
afternoon the storm lulled little and the
clouds broke away. Hope was renewed
and all now worked like giants.
At 4 p NJ. we spied sail, and fired
guns and placed our flag at half-mast. Il
was seen, and the brig Marine, Of Boston
bore down on us. We then considered
safety certain. She came near us, and we
spoke to her and told her our condition.
She laid by about mile distant, and VIZ
in the only three boats saved placed all thu
4 women apd children, and they were safel,
put on board the brig. As evening wa,
fast approaching, we discovered anothe
sail, which responded to. our call, ant
came near us. Capt. Herndon told ou
condition and asked them to lay by ant
send a boat as we had none left. Sh,
promised to do SO, but that was the las
we saw of her except at distance, whicl
grew greater and greater every moment.
At Z O'Clock we saw. no possibility o
keeping her afloat much longer, although
we all felt that if we could do 50 unit
morning all would be saved. In shor
/ time a heavy sea for the first time brok
over the upper deck Of the vessel, and thel
all hope faded away. Sea a.t@ 80
II Life preservers were now supplied to all
and we sent up two rockets, when tire
mendous sea swept over us; and the stea
mer in a moment went down. / thinl
some four hundred or four hundred ans
fifty souls were launched upon the oceal
A. r.