Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-12-14

= eIooy OftJ VI LAM AHio VI ou0 oisoA hooiA
Of Saturday, 24th November, have at length
been received. Fhe annals of lake disasters
present few incidents shat can compare in
Of horror with the simple narrative
Of the survivors Of the wreck After des-
cribing the terrible gale of wind, the blind
ing snow storm, and the final wreck Of the
steamer, the account proceeds:
Captain Monroe Immediately ordered ev-
cry one to the hurricane deck as the only
chance Of safety. A number, needless of
the warnings, Jumped into the life boat and
made fer the shore. They were all lost a.
mong the breakers Soon after grounding,
the propeller keeled over, broadside to the
seas, and with her deck exposed to the ac-
ton Of the waves. Her deck-load was at
once washed of, and the repeated blows of
the huge waves stove in her decks and dash
ed her sides to pieces. The hurricane dec =
with its load of half frozen sufferers, foated
towards the shore.
About three o'clock in the afternoon the
hurricane deck Of the vessel grounded with
in short distance from the shore in shallow
water. At this moment a boy who was on
the wreck was washed off by the waves, but
was rescued by Captain Monroe After this
the boy became frightened for the first time
and chung eagerly to his preserver Capt
Monroe fastened plank life preserver to his
body, aud taking the boy in his arms, Ieaped
into the water and waded ashore As the
boy was Landed, his suspenders broke aud
his pantaloons fell about his ankles, where
they frozs in solid mass, claiming him to
the spot where he stood. In few moments
the half-naked boy was dead.
Capt. Monroe walked back to the piece of
wreck and directed bis comrades where to
leap SO as to strike in the shallowest water.
One by one the leap was made 10 safety I'M
til but one was left on board, and that one
was Mr.. A. Fl. Derby the clerk of the pro-
pelier. He was seen sitting Oh the wreck
with his head bent down, as if in despair.
Capt. Monroe called him by name, but he
did not answer, although his mouth opened.
70 second hail he again opened his mouth,
without giving any articulate sound. Capt
Monroe and engineers Manchester and Cum
mings went to the wreck, and after consid-
cradle difficulty got off the helpless man.
Capt. Monroe took Derby on bis back,
while the two engineers steadied bis legs so
as to prevent the waves washing him off
In this way the party waded through the
water, ice making on them at every step,
the surf dashing around them, the bitter
wind freezing their hands and faces, and the
binding snow obscuriag their view.
Ga reaching the shore, Capt. Mearos at
tempted to lower Derby to his feet, but
found it Impossible to let him down The
living bearer had frozen fast to his dead bur-
den.
The Captains arms were frozen stiff, and
clasped around the arms Of dead man.
The two engineers were also SO frozen about
the hands shat they could render no assis-
lance. Finding it impossible to rid himself
Of his terrible burden in any other way, Capt.
Monroe flung himself on the ground, head
foremost, and thus ''spilled' the dead man
from his shoulders. But he had escaped
from one horrible dilemma only to find him
self in another. His trowsers were frozen
SO stiff up to his hips that he was as much
unable to rise as if his legs were encased in
lengths of stove pipe, and his companions
could render him no assistance. AT short
distanceswas the body Of a man, frozen in a
sitting position Captain Monroe managed
to roll himselfto the body, and by it climbed
TO his feet.
This little party of survivors now set out
on their painful march towards the light
house, which was at no great distance. =
They had got safely along untl within about
three hundred yards of the house, when a
small creek i'm peded their progress. First
Engineer Manehesser attempted to cross the
creek, bus abandoned it and returned to the
shore, where he sat down exhausted and des>
pairing. Second Engineer Cummings came
Up and endeavored to encourage him to
further efforts, but in vain. Captain Mon
roe begged Manchester to rise and make an
attempt to get around the creek, telling him
the lighthouse was close by. "lt's of nc
use, Captain said the unfortunate man,
Il can't 60 any further"
Cummings placed his arm around the
body Of his comrade in order to lift him to
his feet, but at that moment the icy hand O
death was laid Oh both, and, clasped in each
others arms, face almost touching face, wlts
words of friendly endearment frozen In the
utterance, these two brave men-Manehes
ter and Cummings persisted within few
minutes walk of safety. In this position
they were afterwards found by the party
sent IN search.
Captain Monroe succeeded in reaching tn
lighthouse in safety, although badly frozen
Out Of twenty-five who had formed the crew
Of the Inflated Jersey City, but FIVE sur
vived, being Capt. Monroe two firemen, tn
wheelsman, and one passenger. The other
either persisted in the waves or were frozer
to death in that awful death march.
| Senator Clay Of Alabama, in recent let
ter, says that the Legislature Of that Stat
ought to declare, among other things, "al
federal office holders, within the State, afte
the 4th of March next, outlaws, and subjec
them to all the privations. penalties an
pains Of out]awry.'
! We received the st. Louis Bulletin of th
9Th December, on the 9Th only three day
from the great metropolis Of the West t
this place.
| The tax GA the property of James Fl. Lu
M 10 0CS (N1l