The Republican journal., 1869-05-27
LOSS OF BRIG OMAHA.

The New York Herald has the particulars
Of the loss, on May lst, Of the brig Omaha,
commanded by Capt. John Toothaker, OF this
citv The brig was on her passage from Key
West to Pensacola. when she was capsized ~
q e,nall. and six Of her ships company
drowned. The account given by the Captain
j. as follows
Ata.ouarfor before nine o'clock Was struck by the
,,o.r trt.fc .otla or tornadoi ever experienced.
;,,,a ii,t,ly lt 90 the fore tons all and main hal
jir}, b5.h sails came down, ba Immediately went
.n ,,r,r> In tine meantime the mann tOnSMi and
t,,...fi rot aback and gave the vessel a violent
-fr,llwi2 She soon lo oil and the sails gol full.
NJ YI al tl!i> time taking in the sail and had
,.. ola, elr,y hauled NJ when another fearful gust
arWind struck the vessel and threw heron her beam
.g,i- whom Size immediately turned keel up. " hen
ut end atsorelto save ourselves by clnGlhg o The
channels we were washed Oh several times. l4Fery
few minutes some one would be washed OFT and
drowned The vessel remained in this position about
an hour and a half when she gradually turned on
her beam ends, and found but two seamen on tlle
wreck with ne. | saw Mr.. Jones, the second mate,
IN tho ya1yl loat which was bottom up about
eighty ward, from ms. The boat drifted TO WlndWard
urtl nearly out OF sight, when Nh Jones succeeded
IN getting the boat on her bottom ana ale9r lii,tn T
hafd labor brought hsr alongside the wreck. Inc
bo9t Was badly stove on both sides one gunWae
had been torn off and she was full OF wafer. ne
estimated latitude at this time was 70 degrees 80
luoan TO fall during the sIuall and contlnuedfalllng
Al intervals throughout the day. The full force of
the squall lasted about an hour At about hve L.
NJ saw a brig steering 10 the southeast she came
ue,r enough for US to see her hull but She did not
notice Us.
ON sunday May .. At sunrise saw bark steering
to the southeast. She also came near enough lor Us
10 >oe her hull. but she did not notice us. During
the day we succeeded in picking up some canned
meats and vegetables, which had 1loated out OF the
hold. On sunday night the sea was very rough ana
l., la} },tit
Times, and lost most of the provisions we had picked
IN. We had no water and suffered extremely from
thirst; ana ut night suffered very much from
the colness of the air for were wet all the time
md very scantilv clothed The clothing we had on
nj the time of the squall was mostly thrown OFT to
enable It's to reach the wreck after beng washed
away. -,
inc thc forenoon, and the sea getting smooth we
managed to get the boat on the wreck ana 70 patcln
her with canvass and about SIX CLOCK we put on
from tho wreck W it'll only few cans oi meat ana
no water to rv to reach the coast. then estimated
At Scyentv-tiye miles distant. We had one Whole
oar two broken ones, and small piece OF canvas
Tor sail and a boat hook for mast. we steered "
near Is we could an east-nortleast course. Wehad
uocoml,ass. We had remarkably favorable weather,
and reached the coast on Thursday the otl, III the
afternoon, | think near Cape Roman Where we
were fortunate in finding fresh Water Alter re-
tre>hn9 ourselves and securing all the fresh water
we could we again started and endeaVored 70 reach
Key West But on Saturday morning our water
again cave out. We landed on key to procure
more when we saw a lighthouse to the eastward.
Not finding any water the key we started for the
lighthouse, but being greatly exhausted we made
very little progress. We finally reached the light
house about five o'clock p NJ. 1t proved to be the
Dry Bank lighthouse. where We We're welcomed and
soon made comfortable by its gentlemany keeper
and his assistants. nv ,
Tho names of the survivors are John Toothaker,
masters John G.. JONES' second mate. and Michael
cullen and John May, seanen. The names of those
who were drowned are West Drinkwater, mate;
Johu Thomnson cook: W. Scott and B. Benjamin.
,calnen and John Toothaker. cabin boy, who was
the captains son. There was also passenger lost
whose name is unknown \
The Omaha had on board an assorted cargo OF
about 900 barrels taken on board at New York.