Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-12-22
THRILLING NARRATIVE

THRILLING NARRATIVE.
The Cleveland Herdld gives thrilling ac
count OF the hariships and suffcrings expert
enced by the passengers and crew of the pro
peller Jersey City, wrecked on Lake Erie du-
ring the late gale, five only of whom survived
the disaster The steamer was bound from
Toledo for Buffalo, and when overtaken by the
gale Capt. Monroe, her commander headed
her for Long Point, Canada, intending to take
shelter behind. The storm, however, drove
the vessel so far from her course that it was
evident she could not be got round the Point
without great difficulty The account of the
Herald continues
The ordinary fires were found unequal to get
ting up the great pressure Of steam necessary,
and kegs lard and butter were rapidly thrown
in to feed the flames. But every effort was
vain. A sudden shock dull grating sound
that was felt above the bowling of the tempest,
and the Jersey City was hopeless wreck
She had grounded on the shoal about two
miles distant from the Point.
Capt. Monroe Immediately ordered every
one to the hurricane deck, as the only chance
OF safety number needless his warnings,
jumped into the lite-boat and made for shore.
They were all lost among the breakers
Soon after grounding the propeller heeled
over, broadside to the seas, and with her deck
exposed to the action of the waves Her deck
load was at once washed OIL, and the repeated
blows of the huge waves stove in her decks
and dashed her sides into pieces The hurri-
cane deck with its load of half-frozen sufferers.
tioated towards the shore.
About three o'clock in the afternoon the
hurricane deck grounded within short dis
tance from the shore, in shallow water At
this moment boy who was on the wreck was
washed off by the waves but was rescued by
Capt Monroe After this the boy became
frightened for the first time, and clung eagerly
to his preserver. Capt. Monroe fastened a
plank lite-prcserver to his body, and taking
the boy in his arms, leaped into the water and
waded ashore. As the boy was landed his sus-
! penders broke and his pantaloons fell about
ms ancles, where they froze in a solid mass,
chalnng 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 his comrades where to lean
SO as to strike in the shallowest water. One
by one the leap was made in safety, until but
one was lef: on board and that was Mr. A. Der
by, the clerk of the propeller. He was seen
sitting upon the wreck with his head bent down,
as II in despair. Capt. Monroe called him by
name, but he did not answer, although his
mouth opened To second hail, he again
opened his mouth, without giving any articu-
lation. Capt. Monroe and Engineers Manches-
ter and Cummings went to the wreck, and after
considerable difficulty got off the helpless man.
Capt. Monroe took on his back, while the
two engineers steadied his legs so as to pre-
vent 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 obscuring their
view.
On reaching the shore, Captain Monroe 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 burden
The Captains arms were frozen stiff, and clasp
cd around the arms of the dead man. The
two engineers were also SO frozen about the
hands that they could render no assistance
Finding it impossible to rid himself of his ter
rlble burden in any other way Captain Monroe
flung himself on the ground, head foremost,
and spilled the dead man from his shoulders.
But he had escaped from one horrible dilemma
only to find himself in another His trowsers
were frozen so stiff up to his hips that he was
as much unable to rise, as if his legs had been
encased in lengths of stove pipe, and his COM
panions could render him no assistance At
short distance was the body of man, frozen
in sitting position. Captain Monroe man
aged to roll himself to the body and by it
climbed to his feet
This little party of survivors now set out on
their painful march towards the lighthouse,
which was at no great distance. They had got
safely along until within about three hundred
yards OF the house, when small creek impeded
their progress. First Engineer Manchester at
tempted to cross the creek, but abandoned it
and returned to the shore, where he sat down,
exhausted and despairing. Second Engineer
Cummings came up and endeavored to encour-
age him to farther efforts, but in vain. Cant.
Monroe begged Manchester to rise and make
nn attpmnt N upt nrOun1 tha orool toll;r,. H..
toe lighthouse was close by ats of no use.
Captain" said the unfortunate man, II can't
go any further.
Cummings placed his arms around the body
of his comrade in order to lift him to his feet
but at that moment the icy hand of death was
laid on both, and claspcd in each others arms
face almost touching face, with words of friend
y cheer frozen in the utterance, these two
brave men-Manchester and Cummings-per-
ished within few minutes walk of safety. In
this position they were afterwards found by the
party in search.
Capt Monroe succeeded in reaching the
lighthouse in safety, although badly frozen-
Out OF the twenty-five who had formed the
crew and passengers of the ill-fated Jersey CITY,
but five survived, being Capt. Monroe, two fire.
men, the wheesman, and one passenger. The
others either perished in the waves or were
frozen to death in that awful death-march Six
of the bodies have been recovered, some being
returned to their former homes, ard others bur-
led ON the Point.
We are glad to learn that the brave Captain
Monroe will not suffer so severely by his expo
sure as it was at first feared. Such heroes can
not be spared. His deeds of daring and ten
der care during the fatal wreck and march of
deaf on Long Point adds a brighter halo to the
fame won by the gallant rescue of the frozen
crew of the Omar Pasha, at the risk of his own
life, a, the mouth of Cleveland harbor, some
years since.