Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1858-10-06
TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE.
The Steamer Austria Burnt at Sea,


The Steamer Austria Burnt at Sea.
HALIFAX, Sept. 27-The steamer reported to have
been seen on fire in the Atlantic, by the Arabian,
proves to be the Austria of the Hamburg line,
Capt Heidtmann: She left Hamburg on lst Sep
tember, and Southampton on 4th, and took fire on
the night of the 18th inst
Twelve passengers saved from the steamer Austria
have arrived at this port (Halifax) and they state
that only six or seven were saved out Of nearly six
hundred souls
The Austria had on board about two hundred and
fifty persons including many Germans resident in
America, who had been spending the summer in tho
old country.
The Austria had large number of stcerage pas
sengers. Her freight was very valuable, consisting
in great part of velvetand silk winter dry goods.
ISECOND DISPATCH
HALIFAX, Sept 27.-The barque Lotus arrived
here yesterday with 12 of the 67 passengers who
were saved from the steamer Austria, which
burnt at sea on the 18th inst. The passengers re-
port that little after o'clock in the afternoon of
the 18th dense volume of smoke burst from the
after entrance Of the steerage. The speed of the
steamer instantly slackened one half at which
speed she continued until the magazine exploded,
when the engineers, it is supposed, We're instantly
suffocateG. The fire next burst through the lights
amdships-and then travelled aft with fearful rapidty
boat let down the port side was instantly
crushed another on the starboard side was swamp
ed by the number who rushed into it. All of the
first cabin passengers were on the poop, excepting
a few gentlemen who must have been smothered in
the smoking room. Many persons from the second
shut up in the cabin by the fire. Some were pulled
up through ventatoIs but greater number per.
iShed. The last woman who was drawn up said
that six were already sufocated.
Several men and women on the poop jumped into
the sea by twos and threes The clothes on some
Of the women already in flames; others hesi-
taed till they driven into the at the last
moment bv the advancing flames In half an hour
not soul was left on the poop.
The French bark Maurice, Captain Earnest Rem
aud, came alongside at o'clock, and rescued forty
passengers They were chiefly taken of the bow
spirit but some struggling in the water.
AT o'clock the metallic boats came up with twen-
ty-two persons including the first and second off,
GERS. Subsequently, four men were picked up from
floating pieces of the broken boat. The second Off
Ger afterwards rescued from the water. Both
he and the third officer are severely burnt. Many
Of the male passengers fightiully burnt. Six
women only were saved, three of whom are shock.
ingy burnt.
Norwegian bark went alongside the steamer
next morning and sent her boat. She may have
picked up a few persons.
The Maurice had no con municaton with her.
We have not yet heard the names of any of those
saved.
Later accounts, by the rescued passengers state
that the fire the result Of gross negligence in
fumigating the steerage with burning tar. One of
the passengers says:
"The fire now came on too fiercely to attempt to
get up any more from the swamped boat All the
first cabin passengers only on the poop, with
the exception of few gentlemen who must have
been smothered in the smoking room. Many of
the second cabin passengers also on the poop,
but a number of them got shut into their cabin by
the fire; some Of them were pulled up through the
ventilator but the greater number could not be ex-
tricated. The last woman who was drawn up said
there six already suffocated. We now perceived
that the ship had got her head to the wind again,
that the flames came the quarter deck. In con-
sequence Of the crowd, 1 could not get to the
wheel house to ascertain the reason, but was in
formed that the hemsman had deserted his post, and
that the vessel being left to herself headed to the
wind of her own accord. At this time the scene on
the quarter deck indescribable and truly heart.
rendng. Passengers rushing frantically to
and fro-hnsbands seeking their wives-wives in
search of their Observation-Disclosures looking after
relatves-mothers lamenting the loss Of their chill.
dren-some wholly paralyzed by fear, others mady
crying to be saved; but few perfectly calm and
collected. The flames pressed so closely upon them
that many jumped into the sea-relatives clasped in
each others arms leaped over and met watery
grave. Two girls, supposed to be sisters, jumped
and sunk kissing each other missionary
and wife leaped into the together, and the Ste
wardess and the Assistant Stward, arm in arm, fol
lowed. One Hungarian gentleman. with seven fine
children, four of them girls made his wife jump in
then blessed his six eldest children, made them jump
in one after the other, and followed them with ar
infant in his own arms. l. about this time, was
standing outside the bulwarks, holding by the
davits and leaning out to avoid the flames, which
were leaping towards me. l saw swamped boa
under me, spinning by rope still attached to ths
ship, and, the were tied in her. thought j
could get to her l would be enabled to save my
self and some others.
! / let myself down by rope passing over q mar
! who was clinging to it, but who refused to come
j with me. took out penknife to cut the tackle
the large blade broke, and then severed it with th
| small blade. The ship passed ahead. As the screw
! approached, I found the boat drawn towards it.
,tred to keep the boat off, but the caught
[ .capszed her me. ] dived away from the ship
| and came to the surface near boat which was kee
! upwards got upon her, and by pressing on on
side with the assistance of wave she righted, bu
/ was still swamped. The oars had been knocked ou
by the screw. The only thing 1 could find in he
| to paddle with was some laths nailed together as
| sheathing for the Sides When looked around tn
ship quarter of mile away from me.
| could see the ladies and gentlemen jumping off tn
poop into the water in twos and threes, some OF tn
ladies in flames. Several hesitated to leap from tn
| burning ship until the last moment as the heigh
was % feet, and were only at length compelled 4:
throw themselves off to avoid more painful death
In half an hour not soul was to be seen on tn
poop. pulled after the ship and picked up Ge'
man, who was swimming strongly. / got him be
side me on the boat, and we padded after the ship
with the laths. l now saw a vessel under sail ar
preaching. She reached the steamer at about
NJ. We continued pulling towards them, and abou
half past o'clock, after being five hours in tn
water, got within hail of the sailing vessel, whc
put off boat and took on board. She proved t
be the French bark Maurice. Captain Ernest Renaut
of Nantes, bound from Newfoundland to the Isle
Bourbon, with fish, She had, up to that time, re-
cued forty passengers Of the burning steamer, chic
ly taken off the bowspiit, though few were picke
up floating around. At about o'clock one Of tt