The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-23
THE PERTLS OF THE SEA.
The Strandlng Of the Santiago de
Cuba Or the Jersey Coast.
Seven Lives Are Lost in Landing
the Passengers.
FULL PARTICULARS OF THE DISASTER.
Etc., Etc., Etc, ETC., Etc, Etc.

with several of the passengers of the ill-fated
steamship Santiago de Cuba, the stranding of
which on the coast of New Jersey, near
Atlantic City, yesterday morning, was stated
in The EVENING TELEGRAPH of yesterday after
noon. A careful comparison of the different
accounts of the disaster, as given by the
passengers, leads to the belief that the follow
ing account of the affair is essentially correct
On the 9th OF April, about 375 passengers lef
San Francisco for New York, on the vessel of
the Nicaragua Steamship Transit Company.
On the l4th of May they arrived at Greytown,
Nicaragua and on that day took passage on the
Santiago de Cuba, commanded by Captain
ton Nothing happened ed to ' mar % the Voyage Voyage
until the night OF Monday, the 10Th instant,
of the passengers assert and believe that the
vessel grounded at this point but when the
circumstance was mentioned to the officers, it
on Tuesday evening" when the vessel was off
the Jersey coast, heavy fog prevailed, and the
tervals. About midnight the fog cleared away,
and then the passengers who happened to be on
hugging the coast very closely. The heavens
Were clear and bright, and the shore was there
We're @ Captain Kelley, Of the Steamer am Montana,
and Captain Patton, OF the steamer Idaho, which
San Francisco and Portland, oregon. About l
o'clock yesterday wednesday, morning, Cap
proximity of the vessel to the shore, called Cap
tain Behm's attention to the fact and the dam
there was no danger, and even ordered the man
at the wheel to steer still closer
About half-past three in the morning the
vessel was near the point known as Dry Inlet,
and five OF six miles to the south of Atlantic
City AT this time, according to some of the
steering directly for the lighthouse at the latter
place, while others assert that her course lay be-
ttOeeT the lighthouse and the adjacent shore At
quarter to four o'clock this foolhardy conduct
on the part Of the officers Of the ship resulted
in the bow of the vessel striking in the sand.
The keel struck five or six times before it be-
came fixed, and not until the vessel was i'm
movably fixed was the motion of the wheels
reversed.
The ship then began to bump violently, and
the slumb bering passengers were awakened in
the most summary style imaginable. Among
the number were about one hundred ladies,
cipitation, the whole population of the vessel
rushed on deck, where the excitement and
terror were intense. Captain Benin, however,
took the matter very coolly, striding up and
down his deck, with cigar in mouth, and appa.
rently but little concerned. All the officers of
the vessel, indeed, If the passengers are to be
believed, had lost their wits, and 1T fell upon
Captain Kelley, of the Montana, to take the
II was soon apparent that the vessel could
not be released Without the assistance of tugs.
Her position was about $50 yards from the
shore at high water, and about lou yards at low
water But as yet no lea nau snge Heen Person
who are familiar with the coast assert that a
safer place for running as3o[e eoni9 n0S haHs
were made for landing the passengers. Three
of the surf-boats were launched, as well as a
took command Of one of the boats, and
was the first to gain the shore. Another
boat.l load also succeeded in reaching the shore
in safety, and then Captain Kelley started on
his second trip About dozen OF the passen-
fades" lust as it reached the breakers, It
was overturned. and the whole party We're
precipitate0 into the ocean. Two OF them were
drowped. but the others managed to reach the
shore by clinging to the bottom of the boat. A
rome had been stretched from the stranded YES
sci hut at tEis time 1t had not been drawn
taUt, and was of no service. soon afCer the cap
sizing of this boat number OF the passengers
Succeeded in landing by means of the raft; but
on the return of this Two OF the snlps men
were washed 0VerooadG o9 dronsd hut the Other
seaman was enabled TO reach the shore py cling
sbont O'clock still another disaster hap
pened % one of the boats, commanded, IL is
believed, by Captain Patton, OF the idaho. me
number lost by the capsizlng OF his poaJ was
four, the remainder succeeding IN gaining Ine
shore; o,,ou,,o,, oil tho nassau.
gers were ashore, material assistance having
been rendered by Captain Townsend, OF Atlantic
CITY, and his wrecking crew, who arrived at
the scene of the disaster during the course OF
The nassengers all award the most unbounded
praise to Captain Townsend and his men, and
credit them with the saving OF many lives.
@ tS 6odes ere ei recoVered rec and removed to the
Mansion House, at Atlantic city. The names
of those who were drowned were as folloWs:--
Mrs Mary Watkins an elderly lady, on her
way to England TO secure legacy OF $4,000
Mrs Marcella RiclSers. of Louisiana.
Mrs Eunice s. Gross, OF Indiana.
Mary louisa Gross, daughter OF Mrs Gross.
Miss Sarah McAvoy, q young Irish lady, who
hos heen thirteen years In this country, and was
on her way back TO Ireland.
Mr.. John smith .. -, -. g.,
LAY ~ vas @ Teported in the morning papers that
Mr. a Gross, the husband of Mrs e. S. Gross,
was among the lost, but We are happy to state
that such Is not the case. , ,
The bodies of Mrs. Gross and Mr.. Smith mad
not been recovered at the latest advices
An innuest on the bodies recovered was held
at Atiantic city during the day by the Coroner,
Or Thomas X. Reed, and @ verdict OF accidental
drowning rendered, -. - -, % j. ,,,,,.,o
Tine passengers made their way up 10 Atlantic
Citv as fast as possible. some of them journey
ing on foot. wagons were proyldeu LOT Trans
poPting the women and children, ana the
RPoavieS nortions of the baggage, all of which
was landed nom the vessel. ABOUT 5o'clock
Ngesterdav Afternoon, half-adOzen OF them
Seached this city, and at q quarter OF In the
evening 25 or 80 more arrived, among the
numheP several ladies. A few also came up to
the citv this morning, but the greater portion
remained at the different hotels al ALlenIlc
cIitv during the night, and were taken 10 NeW
York to-day on q special tram, oy way oi Ine
Raritan and Delaware Bay Railroad. -,
All of the passengers Win WhoM we nave
conversed are loud In their denunclation oi
Captafn Benin, and the other oHlceIs OF Ine ves'
sej whom they accuse or the grossest oafeiess- is
ness. Several even go so lar as 70 assert tneiI
belief that the stranding OF the Yessel was pre- P
meditated, and the result o. bribery On vac