Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-10-02
Burning Of the Steamship Austria in Mid
Ocean.
Over Five Hundred Lives Lost.


seven suryivingpassengers Of the German steam
ship Austria, burnt at sea, September 18th, in
latitude 450 min., longitude 40 80 MIN
These twelve persons were taken from the bark
Maurice on the 18th, the day after the disaster.
The Austria sailed from Hamburg, Germany,
Sept. 2, for New York, with 420 passengers, a
crew of over 100, and large and valuable
freight Shetouched at Southambton England,
on the 18th, and took in nine more passengers
and freight. The details of the disaster arc Civ
en- i'll the following statements from persons res
cued from the burning vessel -
STATEMENT OF CHARLES BREW
Took passage at Southampton, on the 18th, BY
steamship Austria, Capt. Heytdmann, which left
Hamburg on the 2nd. We sailed at . p. m.-
The evening being lsttle misty we in conse-
quence anchored between the Isle of Wight and
the main land. Sailed again at four o'clock the
following morning In weighing anchor an un-
fortunate accident occurred by which one of the
crew lost his life. Owing to some mismanago-
ment the anchor ran out, whirling the capstan
round with terrific force, hurting the men in all
directions. Two were severely injured, one was
thrown overheard and supposed instantly kill
cd, as he never rose to the surface.
From the time the ship was laid on her course
we experienced strong westerly winds. On the
9th the weather was more favorable. On the
18th, eleven knots had been attained. and all
were in high hopes of reaching New York by the
18th. little after o'clock p. M, | was on
the quarter deck dense volume Of smoke
burst from the aft entrance. Some women ran
aft, exclaiming. "The ship is on fre-what will
become of us?' The ship was instantly put on
"a gnpg1 nj t.l eh.. ,.I al al.
magazine exploded, from which infer that the
engineers were instantly suflocated. | only
walked from where was on the quarter deck
to the waist of the ship when | saw flames break
ing through the lights amidships.
As the ship was head to the wind, the fire
Travelled aft with fearful rapidity Invent to the
man at the wheel, told him to put the vessel side
to the wind. He hcstated; as he was native
of Hamburg, got German gentleman to speak
to him. At this time | saw some persons let
ting down boat from the port side quarter deck
What became of her don't know think she
was crushed under the screw went with some
Others to get the boat on the starboard side
quarter deck; the moment We laid hands on the
ropes so many crowded in we could not lift it
of the blocks; left it for few moments until
the people got out; returned and put it over
the side of the ship. They all rushed in again
it descended with violence into the water and
was instantly swamped; all the people were
washed out, except three who held on. We let
down rope and pulled up one who proved to
he the steward. Another in the act of being
hauled up was strangled oy the rope The fire
came on too fercely to attempt to get up the
third.
All the first cabin passengers on the
poop, with tho avoeption of a few gentlemen
who must have smothered in the smokn ing ROOM
Many second cabin passengers were also on the
poop, but number of them got shut into their
cabin by fire. Some of them were pulled up
through the yentflator, but the greater number
could not be extIcated. The last woman drawn
up said there were six already sufFocated. 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 ascertain
the reason, but was informed that the hemsman
deserted his post, and the vessel, efkto herself.
headed to the wind.
At this time the scene on the quarter deck
was indescribable and truly heart-rending; pas
sengers rushing frantically to andfro husbands
seeking their wives; wives in search of their
husbands; relatives looking after relatives,
mothers lamenting their children some wholly
paralyzcd by fear, others madly CRYING to be
saved; but few perfectly ca i'm 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 a We
terry grave Two girls, supposed to be sisters,
jumped over and sunk, kissing each other. A
missionary and wife leaped into the sea togeth-
er, and the stewardess and assistant steward,
arm in arm, followed. One Hungarian gentle
man with seven fine children, four of them girls.
made his wife jump in, then blessed his six eldest
children and made them jump in one after the
other, and followed them with an infant in his
own arms.
About this time was standing outside the
bulwarks, holding on by the dayits, leaning out
10 avoid the flames, which were leaping towards
me. | saw the swamped boat under me- spin
ming by rope still attached to the ship As
oars were tied in her, thought if could get
to her | would be enabled to save myself and
some others let myself down by rope, pass
ing over man who was clinging to it, but who
refused to come with me, took out my penknile
to cut the tackle the large blade broke, then
severed it with the small blade the ship passed
ahead; as the screw approached found the
boat drawn towards it, tried to keep the boat
off, but the screw caught and capsized her over
me. diyed away from the ship, came to the
surface near the boat which was keel uppermost,
got on her and by pressing on one side, with
the assistance of a wave she rghted, but was
still swamped. The oars had been knocked out
by the screw. The only thing could find in her
to paddle with was some laths nailed together
as sheathing for the sides. When | looked
around the ship was quarter of mile away
from me. l could see ladies and gentlemen
jumping off the poop into the water in twos and
threes, some ladies in flames.
Several hestated to leap from the burning
ship until the last moment as the hight was
twenty-five feet, and were only at length COM
PEELED to throw themselves off to avoid more
painful death. In half an hour not a soul was
to be seen on the poop. pulled after the ship,
picked up German who was swimming strong
ly, got him beside me on the boat and we pull
ed after the ship With laths saw vessel under
sail approaching; she reached the steamer about
) p. m We continued pulling towards them,
and about half past o'clock, after being five
hours in the water, got within hail of the sail
ing vessel, which put of boat and took us on
board. She proved to be the French barque
Maurice, Capt. Ernest Renaud, of Nantes, bound
from Newfoundland for the isle of Bourbon, with
fish. She had up to that time rescued forty
passengers of the burning steamer, chiefly taken
off the bowsprit. A few were picked up float
ing around About one ofthe Austria's me-
tallic boats came up, with about twenty-three