Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-10-02
TERRIBLE sHoss OF LIFE.
!hs Steamer Auatria Bxrnt at Ssa.

1LhIADAI18 11jO39f III lzlr
The Steamer Austria Bssrnt. at Gu. s.
HAL1rAx Sept ~ The ateaner reported to have
beensseen on Gre in the Atsptic, by the Arabian,
proves to be the Austria Of the Hamburg line,
Capt Heidtmann. She left Hamburg on LIST Sep
TENDER, and Southampton on 4th, and took fire on
the night of the 18th inst - .s,s,rs
Twelve passengers saved from the steamer Austria
have arrived at this port Hslifax) and they state
that only six or seven were saved out Of nearly six
hundred souls. IA -..
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 steerage pas
sengers. Her freight was very valuable, consisting
in great part of velvet and silk winter dry goods.
TsECoND DISPATCH
HALIFAX, Sept. 27.-The barque Lotus arrived
here yesterday with IL of the CT passengers who
were saved from the steamer Austria, which was
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 was instantly sackened one half, at which
speed she continued until the magazine exploded,
when the engineers, it is supposed, were instantly
suffocateG. The fire next burst through the lights
amidshps-and then travelled aft with fearful raPiditY
A boat let down on 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
few gentlemen, who must have been smothered in
the smoking room. Many persons from the second
cabin were also on the poop, but number were
shut up in the cabin by the fire. Some were pulled
up through ventiatoIs, but a greater number per.
shed. The last woman who was drawn up SAID
that six were already suffocated.
Several men and women OH the poop jumped into
the sea by twos and th,ees. The clothes on some
Of the women were already in flames; others hest
fofa 6riv nj
moment by the advancing flames. In hall an hour
not soul was left on the poop
The French bark Maurice, Captain Earnest Ken
aud, came alongside at o'clock, and rescued forty
passengers They were chiefly taken OFT the bow
spirit but some were struggling in the water.
At o'clock the metallic boats came up with TWEEN
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 was afterwards rescued from the water. Both
he and the third officer are severely burnt Many
of the male passengers frightfully burnt. Six
women only were saved, three of whom are shock
ingly burnt
A 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 munication with her.
We have not yet heard the names of any of those
saved.
Later accounts by the rescued passengers, state
that the fire was 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 were 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 were also on the poop,
but 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 over the quarter deck In con.
sequence of the crowd, could not get to the
wheel house to ascertain the reason, but | was in
formed that the helmsman 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 were rushing franticaly to
and fro-husbands 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 madly
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 a watery
grave. Two girls, supposed to be sisters, jumped
over and sunk kissing each other A missionary
and wife eaped 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 an
infant in his arms. I, about this time, was
standing outside the buwarks holding on by the
davits and leaning out to avoid the flames which
were leaping towards me. l saw swamped boat
under me, spinning by rope still attached to the
ship, and as the oars were tied in her. thought If
could get to her l would be enabled to save my
self and some others.
let myself down by rope passing over a man
who was cnging to it, but who refused to come
with me. took out penknfe to cut the tackle;
the large blade broke and then severed it with the
small blade. The ship passed ahead AS the screw
approached, I found the boat drawn towards it.
tried to keep the boat of, but the caught and
capsized her over me. I dved away from the ship.
and came to the surface a boat which was keel
upwards. got upon her, and by pressing one
side, with the assistance of wave, she rghted, but
was still swamped. The oars had been knocked out
by the screw. The only thing l could find in her
to paddle with was some laths nailed together as a
sheathing for the sides. When looked around the
ship was quarter of a mile away from me.
could see the ladies and gentlemen jumping off the
poop into the water in and threes some of the
burning ship until the last moment, the height
was % feet, and were only at length compelled 20
throw themselves off to avoid more painful DEATH
In half an hour not soul was to be seen on, the
poop. pulled after the ship and picked up Ger
man, who was swimming strongly. I got him be-
side me the boat, and padded after the ship,
with the laths. l now saw vessel under sail ap.
preaching. She reached the steamer at about P.
NJ. We continued pulling towards them, and about
half past o'clock, after being five hours in the
water, got within hail of the sailing vessel, which
put off boat and took on board She proved to
be the French bark Maurice. Captain Ernest Renaud,
of Nantes, bound from Newfoundland to the Isle of
Bourbon, with fish, She had up to that time res
cued forty passengers Of the burning steamer, chief
y taken off the bowsprit, though few were picked
up floating around. At about o'clock one of the
metallic boats came up with about twenty three per-