Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-09-25
THE HiPPOCAMPUs DISASTER.
Arrival OF the Captain and Fourteen
other SurvivOrs--Ihey were Pteked
up by Sail Vessel--Names OF the
saved and of the Lost.

from st. Joseph, Michigan, report the ar
rival there of Captain Brown, of the HIP
pocampus, and fourteen other survivors OF
the wreck. They report that n squall
struck the vessel about three O'Clock Tues
day morning, and She went down almost
instantly. The survivors were in the water
thirty-five hours, and were picked up by
sail vessel and carried to Saugatuck, few
miles from st. Joseph.
The names of the lost, as far as asceT-
tanned, are as follows: Passengers-John
Schlim, A. F. Whitney. Of Chicago; VI.
X. Hathaway, William Vaughan, Alvin
Palmer Joseph Maple, Alvin Burridge,
j. h. Burridge. Crew-Robert Richard
son, mate Eugene Eustis and William
Howe. engineers; David Taylor, fireman,
and SIX deck hands
The propeller went down stern foremost,
with only about two minutes warning, at
3 o'clock A. m, Tuesday, September 9.
Two colored deck hands saved We're sent
from Saugatuck to Chicago on the propel-
Ter Ira Chaffee.
The total number on board was forty
one; lost, twenty-six; saved seventeen. OF
the crew there were saved, Captain ii. NJ
Brown: John p Bloom. clerk; Charles
Russell, steward; Charles Morrison, wheels
man, Cyrus Rttenhouse aud six deck
Bobert Richardson; engineer, r. Z. Estes;
engineer, VIM. Brown; fireman, David
Taylor, another colored man, the other,
name unknown) and the following deck
hands: Murray Sphinx, Richard Burke.
Frank ATather Arthur Worden, Watson
Brant. eleven IN all. Of the passengers
there were saved, Ed. y Hatch, Of St 10
seph; Joseph Riford, V DALEY. Joseph
Cooley, James Kimball and George Butler
six in all Passengers supposed lost are
Joseph b. Mqrple. A. Burridge, J. w. Bur
ridge Alvin Palmer, Uriel Bigbee, VIM.
WatrOus, VIM. Vaughn, VI. ii. Hathaway,
A p. Whitney, John Schrum and three
others whose names cannotnow be learned.
The above is obtained from Edward
Hatch, one of those saved, who was a pas
senger, and who was last year the clerk of
the Hippocampus. 1t is reliable in every
respect, and certified to bv John p. Bloom
clerk, and James Trimble, an intelligent
passenger
No women or children were on board.
Mr. Bloom, the clerk, says that the pro
pcller was struck by a squall while there
was heavy sea rolling, and while the pro-
peler was in a trough of tho sea. He says
that the vessel did not appear TO be labor
ing more than usual in such storms.
She had a heavy load. but he says
she h; d carried as large loads. He further
saws Il at it may be possible that the cargo
was not us well slowed as il should have
been. and that there was not more than
forty packages on the hurricane deck,
weighing not to exceed ten hundred pounds
He further states that the Captain was just
about throwing overheard part of her deck
load, and had called his men to their work
when the terrible calamity came upon the
boat, passengers and crew.
STATEMENT OF CAPT. BROWN.
was commander of the Hippocampus on
the night of Sept. Z, having been engaged
ny Capt Morrison, the regular master, to
take charge of her that tlip. We left Ben
ton Harbor at 10 o'clock p. M, having on
board 1000 packages of peaches.
BFAvY SEA
was running from the southwark. The
wind steadily increased from the time Of
our leaving, and at o'clock the boat began
rolling badly, but nothing alarming oc-
CURED until about half-past two o'clock. /
then went to the engineers room aud
looked into the hold, to see if any water
was in it, hut found none there. Ia COM
pany with the wheelsman, Charles Nor
rison, with a lantern, | went for TIE peak
below, to see if water was there; but found
none. We went on deck, and found she
was rolling heavily, and the wind vas in
creasing ] remarked to Morrison that we.
would have to light her of her cargo.
/ told him to take some Of fine crew and
throw the peaches overheard from the
promenade deck. / spoke IN tones 80 loud
that the passengers heard it and rushed ont
on deck III great confusion
In the meantime the vessel was settling
rapidly, and, before any of the freight could
be thrown overheard, water had commenc-
ed coming IN through the after gangwav
and through the engine room into the hold.
Within FIVE minutes from that time she had
gone on her side, and WAS totally sub
merged
The passengers had retired Int had most
of them come from their berths and run
out on the weather side of the cabin.
There was intense terrOramOng them. |
told them TO help tear away the life boat
but ma one started to obey. Not one stir
red They all seemed TO be paralyzed with
fear
The life boat was not filed with peaches
II was ready foT use ut this time.
was on the pilot-h ouse trying to launch
the boat and ordered the hems-man to
put the wheel hard a-port and he did 50,
but to no purpose.
/ saw nothing could be done to save the
vessel, and came down, and started for
ward. | got within two feet Of the hatch,
but was unable TO reach it. | Let myself
into the water, and got hold Of the mast,
and floated along hand over hand, until l
got TO the masthead at the crosstrees. |
was in fear Of being entangled and sucked
down with the sinking vessel, and so
struck out about 10 feet, and got hold of a
desk, and kept ahoat with that for while.
The vessel then sank, sinking with
suddenness which left no time for prepa-
ration.
Just then Morrison cried 10 me to come
TO him. | did SO. | cot on his raft, which
was one side of the cabin.
The passengers and crew were struggling
in the water on every side, al holding TO
pieces of the vessel.
/ think the schooner Humboldt was pass
ing half mile off at the time, and we hailed
her Those aboard the schooner evidently
did not hear our cries for help, and passed
on.
Soon after myself and Morrison had got
on our raft, another raft. with Tumble,
Hatch, Riford and others upon it, came
near MS. We remained near each other till
daylight when we picked 5lp Fuller, and
kept the RATS together by mutually cling
ing TO pole.
About two hours after Daylight, we
thought it best to put the RATS together,
and about the same time Bloom and john
son fioated along, ON another raft, COM
prising the other side of the cabin.
We kept together an hour or so, and
then. the wind and sea, increasing, we
separated through fear of breaking up, and
drifted apart Our raft being the largest,
drifted farthest. so that we were separated