Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1858-10-02
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-ErplosiOn Of he Mdgasine-P Panic on
Board-7he Fearful Rush to the Boats-
Sgfocation and Dropning Of Passengers
Fearful Spread Of the Fomes-Phild.
delehicas on Board--How The Fire Origi
mated.
The worst apprehensions regarding the
steamer Austria are realized by the disas-
trous intelligence from Halifax, conveyed in
the following derpstches =
HALIFAX, n. s., Sept. 27.--Tbe steamer
burnt at sea proves to have been the Austria.
Twelve Of the survivors have arrived here.
There we're in all about siC hundred souls on
board the ill.fated steamer, Of which only
Sirty-Secen were saved.
STATEMENT OF SUR vIvoR.
HALIFAX, Sept. 27.-rbe brig Lotus ar
rived yesterday with twelve Of the sixty-nine
survivors of the destruction Of the steamer
Austria, burned at sea on the 18th.
Dir. G. Brew reports as follows
A little after two o'clock, p. NJ, | was
on the quarter deck, when | saw a dense
volume of smoke burst from the after en-
trance of the steerage. Some women ran
aft, exela ming, "The ship is on 6re-what
will become Of us ?' 1bs ship was instantly
put at halCspeed, at which she continued
until the magazine exploded, from which,
j infer, the engineers were instantly suffocs-
ted. | only walked from where ! was, on
the quarter deck, to the waist Of the ship,
when ! saw the flames spreading through the
lights smidships. As the ship was head TO
tbs wind, the FIRE travelled with fearful ra-
Fidity. then went to the man at the wheel,
aRd told hm 10 put the vessel with her eide
10 the wind. He hesitated-proba5ly did
not understand me, as he WAS native OF
linmburgh. | then got German gentle
man to speak to him. AT this | saw some
persons letting down the boat on the port
side of the quarter deck. What became OF
the boat ] don't know, but think she was
crushed under the screw. then went TO
get boat over from the starboard side of
the quarter deck, but the moment we laid
our hands on the ropes there we're so many
who crowded into it, that we could not lift il
of the blocks. We therefore left it for q
few minutes, until the people got out, when
we returned aud launched it over the side Of
the ship, when the people oil rushing ip.o it
again, it descended with great violence iuto
tie water and il was instantly svamped, all
the people being washed out, excepting
three, who held on TO the sides. We then
let down q rope, aud pulled up one person,
who proved to be tbs steward Another, iu
the act of being hauled W, was stranSled by
the rope.
The fire now came on too fercely TO ct.
tempt to get up nuy more from tho swamped
boat All tho frst-cabin passengers were
on the poop, with The exception of few
gentlemen. who must have been Bmothered
IN the smoking room. Many Of The second
cabin passengers were also on the poop, brt
u numbar OF them got shut into taer cabin
by the fire. Some Of thec, wsre pulled up
through the ventilator, but the greater num-
ber could rot be extrcsted. The last woman
who wse drawn up said there were six al
resdy suhocsted. We now perceived that
The ship had got her head to the wind again
40 thxt the flames came over the quarter
deck. In consequence Of the crowd, | could
not got to tbe wheel hoRse TO ascertain the
reason, but | WAS informed that tho helms
man had deserted his post and thut tho ves
ss being left to herself, headed to the wind
or her own accord.
At this time the scene on the quarter deck
was udascfibable, and truly heartrending.
passungers we're rushing frsntcally to and
fro-husbaude seeking their wives-wivos in
srarch of tAsir husbands relatives looking
after rels,yes-moihers lamentiug the loss
Of their ch!ldren--sone wholly psralyzed by
fesr, others madly crying TO be saved, but u
few perfectly calm aud collected. The flames
preesed so closeiy upon them, that many
Jumped into the sea relatives, claspcd in
each Others arms. leapsd over aud met
wa;ery grave. Two girls, supposed 10 be
sisters, junped overheard, aud sank kissing
each other.
A missionary and his wife lenped into the
sss loSethcr, and the stowerdess and assist.
ant etewsrd, arm in ARA, followed. Ono
Nuugsrisn gentleman, with seven lus chill
Gren, four Of them girls, made his wife jump
in. tsas blessed his six eldest children, nsds
them jsnp in one after the other and followed
them sith an infant in his arms. at this
lime vas standing outside OF the bui0aIks,
Aol!iag ou by the dayits leaning out TO avoid
rae Rsmss, which were ieapiug towards mo.
/ saw swamped boat under me, spinning by
= rope still attached to the chip. AS the
oars were tied in her, thought it could
get tD her ] would be oGG6.ed TO save myself
aud some others. let myself down by a
rop-, paseiug over man who was clinging
10 il, but who refused TO come With me.
took out s pen knife TO cut the tackle the
large blade broke, and then severed it with
The small blade. The ship then passed
ahead, and as the boat approached the screw,
| found tho boat was drawn towards it. |
tried to keep it sway, but the screw caught
the boat aud capsized it over me. | Owed
away from the ship aud came to the surface
near the boat. which was now keel upwards.
! got on her, and By pressing on ono side
with ths assistance of q wave. she righted,
he! was still swsmped the oars had been
Knocked out by the screw the only thing
could end 10 her TO paddle with was some
lalhs nailed together as q shea4hiug for the
sides; wbeu looked around the chip was O
quarter Of a mile from me | could SEQ the
ladies aud gentlemen Jumping of the poop
into the water in twos and tbrees, some Of
ths ladies being in flames several hestated
10 leap from the burning ship until the last
moment, as the height was twenty-five feet
and were only at length compelled to throw
themselves oil, to avoid q more painful death
In half an hour not soul was TO be seen on
The poop pulled after the ship, and picked
up German who was swimming strongly !;
/ got him beside me- on the boat, and We
padded after the ship with the laths. now
saw vessel under sail, approaching she
reached the steamer at about s. i. N. We
continued pulling towards them, and at about
half past seven, after being FIVE hours in the
water. got within hail of tho sailing vessel :;
she put of boat and took US on board she
proved to be the French bark Maurice
Capt Ernest Remand, of Nantes, bound from
New Foundand for the Isle OF Bourbon
with fish; she had, up to that time rescued
forty passengers of the burning steamer,