Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-10-08
THE "AUSTRIA" A"DiSASTER,


tailed statements of survivors from the burn
ing of the Austria. We can give but q
few brief extracts. Such chapter of horrors
as the accounts in detail furnish, we do not
remember to have read before. The utter
incompetency of those in charge of the i'll
fated ship and her five hundred and sixty pas
sengcrs is hardly conceivable. Considering
the carelessness which caused the fire, the
utter lack of preparation on board for any
dangerous emergency, and the little almost
nothing) done to save life, when by sclEpos-
sessed and resolute officers so much might
have been done, the wonder is greater that
any were saved than that seven eighths of
the whole miserably pcrished.
STATEMENT OF HENRY SMITH.
Mr.. HENRY SMITH Of Chelsea Mass, was
ono Of n party who was saved by II boat.
He states that he attempted to get into one
boat which fell 25 feet into the water, in
which there were some ten or twelve people,
who, of course, were tossed out of the boat
in her fall, and were sucked under the screw
Of the steamer, and persisted. The boat in
hlr fill vas capsizsd; Mr.. Smith, leaping
into the water, was on1 Of party Of twelve
or fourteen who tried to right her, while
themselves in the act Of swimming. For a
long time, as fast as they re ted her, the
swell of the sea, occasiJned by the revolt
tions Of the screw, caused her again and
again to cApsize. Tho fatigue, induced by
the exertioN, caused the death of at least
twe!ye more. AT length the boat was right
Cd and twcnty-tDur persons, including Mr.
Smith. got into Ii, and after being in the
WAGER five hours, partly rowing and partly
drifting at the mercy OF the wares, they
wel- .srled by the French bark .Hcur.,c,
shortly after o clock in the eveninr. Nr
Smith is very earnest in his cynostl.. .
extreme carclossness Of the partl on hoHrt
of the Austria, who wcra char.
the tumi5 CATION Of thar ship. IL
place. rs tar a. known to the most l.. ..
passengers, thory was no occasion ...
such furnlguion. The austria was cr I'd, , .
it is trUe, bat tn re was no hint, M
ci1n Of any sicSn.ss. In fact, up to the ,,n
that the fire was first discovered, everything
"want merry rs q Iutrrilgs be,l.' P.ss H.
gers were amUsin- tIeu, Tvs in various
ways. Some gathered J. -r. .'> wsr1 til
| ling st)ri s, crtekJn- .s.,, .....flr ancc-
does. Others Wtr1 AK 4 D.. .utI..cpcG,
and other games. 3D.. ..-.-,.'y pt a mi-
gl,iun o. tue s4ip wt~ mt be-. .!4.d 30! i,y
anybody, except TIM. W. ..d red it. u
what reason. there Is %. yiinc- whatever.
When the i,ct Of the ~. WAS lirst known to
th1 passengts, rs the Ii ,mgs were maxim :
headway in ull directions, all discipline was
imm, diately lost. the Captain, by his con-
duct, adding to the CONSERVATION Of the pas
sengers by eXclaiming: "My God we are
lost ! we are lost
STATEMENT OF MR.. BERRY.
Mr.. Philip Berry, of Hackensac, N. j.
was living on a sofa in the second cabin,
when he heard Il rush Of people coming to-
wards the door. The door was burst open,
a crowd entered, and binding volume OF
smoke followed. Learning that the ship
was on fire, he Immediately escaped by the
sky-light, and got on deck. He then saw
the flames bursting from the deck at about
amidship. His first impulse was to attempt
to remove eawning from the quarterback
with the intention of cxtnguishing the fire,
but moments consideration showed him
that would be impracticable, the smoke be-
ing so dense that the view from fore to aft OF
the ship was entirely cut off. Self-preserva-
tion prompted his next movement; he hur-
ried to see if he could get boat. Three OF
four Of the officers of the ship, assisted by
some of the crew, were at work in lowering
the second boat on the port side. The hind
falls were first lowered, but the fore falls moi
being entirely let out, the boat dangled or
the side of the ship, with the stern touching
the water. The captain then came along
and tried to lower himself by rope which
hung by the side of the steamer. On at
tempting to rest his feet on one Of the seat,
of the boat, as it swayed about in its dang
ling position, he missed his mark, and onl,
saved himself from falling into the sea BY
grasping r,pe which hung from the af
part of the boat. The ship was then goin;
at full speed, and he was dragged along fo
some distance. He suddenly let 60 his hold
and sunk, and Mr.. Smith saw no more o
him. The ship was then going from eigh
to ten knots an hour. Her speed could no
be slackened, as the engineers were ALREADY
smothered. Mr.. Berry then determined Il
save himself if possible, without the aid o
the boats. He obtained life-buoy, anC
fastened it to his breast. remaining on tn,
quarterback as long as the flames permitted
lio saw another boat lowered, containing
some 40 OF so persons, which was immedia
tely smashed, and ali lives, 50 far as he coulC
! judge, were lost. The scene on board tn,
Austria at this time was one OF the most har
rowing description. Women and men wer,
| praying, crying, screaming, TuenlnS Ildull
cally about the deck, whenever they wer
not driven back by tho smoke and flames
.. while others stood qGi1.ly looking on with {
blank vacancy of despair upon their c,ante
; nances that was even more terrible III IL
ghaStliness and silence than the Widest uut
cries. a lady, whose name Mr.. Berry ak
not know, rushing to him, implored him Il
cut her throat. Without waiting Tor "a Re
ply, she darted away from him and preeipi
tated herself overheard. He never saw he
: again The heat of the flames now becom
ing too terrible for endurance, Mr.. Berr,
!, throw himself overheard. Mr., Berry drit ec
away three or four miles from the ship, be
! ing nearly five hours in the water, supporte,
only by his buoy and was the first perso,
picked up by the bark Maurice. Willie h
, was floating, he passed the bodies of man,
poople who had c.ung to fragments of th
smashed boats, or articles of furnitur
thrown over the ships sides, but who ha
been less fortunate than himself in sustain
ing life
STATEMENT OF Mr.. PETERSON,
Sven Peterson, Swedish seaman, was o
y board the first boat that was crushed
pisces, and was six hours in the water. Il
a managed, between floating and swimmin,
to keep up until he was rescued by tn
. brig Maurice.
. Mr.. Peterson says