The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-10-25

Ia 4
me YHnal Ooene at che Wsesk - H.
Bvshsag star.
One Of the passsages sevsd from tns
steamer Evening Star, and landed 1t Fer
nandina, Florida, this describes the 6nal
scene Of the greA: catastrophe:
stThe storm that day Tuesday and
throughout the succeeding night is described
a. one Of the severest ever known on the At
lantic coast The passengers worked faith
fully with the crew in Ill their efforts TO save
the ship, and even many ladies engaged
themselves TO the latest moment in the des>
perale work, and only quailsd when the fear
full announcement was made by the Captain
that the ship must 90 down. hi: vs. in
deed . most awful moment-one which no
pen can iustly describe. Out in mid ocean,
companion 70 the bowling tempest, the -
lashed into fury by the wind which came with
the force of some solid substance; there on
great ship, tossed and bui5etsd about like
child's TOW or bubble on the breze, what
could they hope for in this wild commotaon
with only an open row. boat 10 bear them ouf
Some, With clasped hands, stood 10 mute
despair, while others raved frantically and
cried out to their companions, sOh, save me!
save mel The mother was seen TO press
her child closer, and the husband the wife
to his bosom. Others ran from the deck in
to the saloons, and there bent down in some
corner to await the end.
IA husband Ian army officer was seen
with his devoted wife and two small children,
oil clasped tightly together, and there re-
manned, even when the foming. surge of the
angry waves washed through the saloon
where they were kneeling, and there, in the
last embrace, death claimed the faithful vic
Tins. So rapidly was the closing scene OF
this fearful tragedy that two Of tie ships
boats we're never loosed from the davits or
moorinps on deck, but went down with the
ship. Two Of them had been cut loose and
efforts made to launch them, but one roll OF
the ship plunged both, with oil who were
near, into the yawning gulf, and the next
moment returned and shattered the frail
bark into atoms against the steamers side.
Another moment and there came bAlow,
| high. crested and furious The devoted ship
| but partially lifted her stern. The shook OF
that wave drove through aud through the
| saloons, and with a quiver throughout her
frame she settled to STAFFORD, aud the Eve-
ming Star was gone forever.
This vss six clock Wednesday morning,
| October 8.
Afew seconds time was enough to obliter-
ate every appearance that SO gallant shir
had gone down with its hundreds Of precious
souls. Nothing, save some scsttsrsd trsg
ments of broken timber, aud here and thers
a few human heads, served to mark the i'll
fated spot Two of the life boats rested upor
the waters. and toward them the eyes o
drowning scores we're turned. In the mids
of the drift stuff, dashed about like demons o
destruction, many found THAR death, rs tn
severe gashes ahd bruises Of the survivor
i, bear witness. piece of hurricane deck an
pilot house composed the only additions
Goat on which there was the least prospect Q
life, and 10 this frail support chung voma
in the widest energy of despair.- The dsa
body OF another woman rested lower dow
on portion Of the deck-anothsr wave an
: bo,h are swept into the deep.