Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-09-30

lessness of the fourth officer and bOatswain in
attempting to fumigate the steerage with a hot
chain and tar.
STATEMENT OF CHARLES BREW.
1 took passage at Southampton on the 4th, in
the steamship Austria Capt. Heydtmann, which
left Hamburg on the I'd. We sailed at 5 P. NJ
the evening Of the 4th, little misty. We, in
consequence anchored between the Isle of
Wight and the main land. Sailed again at
O'clock the following morning. In weighing
anchor an unfortunate accident occurred, in
which one or two lives were lost Owing to
some mismanagement, the anchor ran out,
whirling the captain about with terrific force,
and huIling the men in all directions. Two
were severely injured, and one thrown over
boarJ. He is supposed TO have been instantly
killed, as he never rose TO the surface. From
the time the chip was put on her course, we
experienced strong westerly winds. On the
Eth, the weather was more favorable, and on
the 18Th speed of IL knots an hour had been
entertained, and all were in high hopes of
reaching New York By the 18th
A little after o'clock p NJ was on the
quarter deck, and saw dense volume of smoke
Gurst from the after entrance of the steersg ge.-
Some women ran aft exclaiming, "The ship is
on FIRE What will become of us % The
ship was instantly put at half speed, at which
she continued, until the magazine exploded, by
which infer the engineers were instantly suf-
focated only walked from where was, on
the quarter deck, TO the waist of the ship, when
l saw the flames breaking the lights amidships.
As the ship was head TO the wind, the fire trav-
eled with fearful rapidity. then went to the
man at the wheel, and told him to put the YES
sci with her side TO the wind He hesitated-
probably did not understand me, as he was a
native of Hamburger. / then got a German
gentleman to speak TO him. At this time l saw
some persons letting down 4 boat on the port
side Of the quarterback. What became of the
boat do not know, but think she was crushed
under the screw.
1 then went to let boat over the starboard
side Of the quarter deck, but the moment we
laid our hands on the ropes, so many persons
crowded into it that we could not lift it Off the
blocks; we therefore left it for few moments,
until the people got out, when we returned and
launched It over the side of the ship. The pas
sengers all rushed into it again, it descended
with great violence, and was Immediately
swamped, all being washed off except three
who held on 10 the sides we then let down
rope and hluled up one person who proved to
bo tho rtswzrd Another. in the act Of being
hauled up was strangled by the rope.
The fire came on too iercely 10 attempt to
get up any more Of the swamped boats All
the frst-cabin passengers were on the poop,
with the exception of a few gentlemen, who |
must have been smOthered in the smoking room |
Many of the cabin passengers were also on the |
poop, but some of them got shut in their cabin /
by the fire. Some ofthem were pulled through |
the ventilatOr, but the greater number could /
not be extricated. The last woman who was 1
drawn up, said there were six already suffo-
Gated
We now perceived that the ship had got her
head TO the wind again, so that the flames came
over the quarter deck. In consequence of the
crowd, could not get to the wheel house, to as
certain the reason, when / was informed that
he helmsmAn had deserted his post, and the
,essel being LETT to herself, headed to the wind
1f her own accord
At this time, the scene on the quarter-deck
vas indesenbable, and truly heart rending-
Passengers were running frantically to and fro;
husbands seeking their wives, wives in search
If their husbands, relatives looking after Tela-
ives, mothers lamenting the loss of their chill
lren, some wholly paralyzed by fear, others
nadly crying to be saved; but few perfectly
aim and collected.
The flames pressed so closely upon them that
many Jumped into the sea Relatives, clasped
n each others arms, leaped over and met a wa
cry grave. Two girls-suPpOsed to be sisters
-jumped overheard, and sunk kissing each
theri
A missionary and wife leaped into the sea to-
-ether, and the stewardess and assistant stew
I'd, arm in arm, followed. One Hungarian
Gentleman, with seven fine children, four of
hem girls, made his wife jump in, then blessed
lis six eldest children, made them jump in one
fter the other, and then followed them with an
niant in his arms.
I. about this time, was standing outside the
ulwarks, holding on by the davits, leaning out
D avoid the flames, which were leaping toward
lie. saw a swamped boat under M, spinning
y rope still attached to the ship As the
ars were tied in her, thought if / could get
D her, I would be enabled to save myself and
One others. / let myself down by a rope,
assing over q man who was clinging to it, but
rho refused to come with me. | took out a
enkniie, and tried TO cut the tackle
he large blade broke, and / then severed it
nth the small blade. The ship had passed
head. As the screw approached, found the '
oat drawn toward it. tried TO keep the boat !
f, but the screw caught and capsized her over
lie. l dived away from the ship, and came TO
le surface near the boat which was keel up
ards. got on her, and by pressing on one
de, By the assistance of a wave, she nghted,
u Wds Sill ehauptu 4ut OdIe udQ DeGu |
nOcked out by the screw. The only thing |
ould find in her to paddle with, was some laths
allied together as sheathing for the sides.
When looked around, the ship was quar-
7 OF mile from me. could see the gentle
len and ladies Jumping off into the water, in
yOs and threes, and some of the ladies in flames.
rveral hesitated to leap from the ship until the
st moment, as the height was twenty-five feet, RI
I'd were at length compelled to throw them
lives of to avoid more painful death
In half an hour not soul was to be seen on
le poop. IPulled after the ship, and picked
p a German, who was swimming strongly. /
Dt him beside me on the boat and we padded
ter the ship with the laths now saw a YES .
i under sail approaching. She reached the
Gamer at about 5 P. N We continued pulling
ward them, and about half past O'Clock, after
ing five bcurs 10 the water, got within hail Of
e sailing vessel, which put off boat and took
on board She proved to be the French
lrk Maurice, Capt Ernst Ranard, Of Nantez, A
,und from Newfoundland for the Isle of Bour- D
n with fish. She had up to that time rescued 40 10
Issengers OF the burning steamer, chiefly tax p
off the bowspnt, though few were picked B
around
About O'Clock, one ofthe metallic boats q
me up, with about % persons. including the G
I and 81 officers Afterwards three or four