The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-09-12
The Loss Of tie Central AmerIcn.

enJlre COaSU from cape OanhVerdl 10
Cape Hatteras The Central America
left the port of Havana on the morning
of the 9Th, and was therefore literally
midway of her route when she met the
gathering tempest.
The vessel was built in the city of
New York, in the year 1888, and was
called the George Law, incompliment of
Mr.. Law, under whose superintendent
the ship was built; that gentleman's in
terest in the company that owned her
ceased in 1864, when, by permission of
the Secretary of the Treasury, and an
act of Congress, the name was changed
to the Central America.
In July, 1857, she went into the bal
ance dock, and was Thoroughly overhaul
ed. Her commander, Captain HerAdon,
of the United States Navy, was one of
the most efficient and prudent COM
manders in the service as far as human
foresight could gaurd against accident,
everything had been done by her own
ers to secure the safety of the ship
against any possible accident of the
seas. When the Central America left
Havana, she had on board four hundred
and ninety-two passengers of these one
hundred and sixty-six were saved the
total number of those lost being three
hundred and twenty-six persons the
treasure she had on board has been esti-
mated at nearly two millions; the ves-
sci was valued at two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars she was the first ship
ever lost in the California line of steam
ers
-
ing of Wednesday, the 9th, and contin-
ued to increase until the ship became
unmanageable. About half past five
o'clock on Friday afternoon the captain
ordered the foremast to be cut away, In
hopes that it would right the ship; she
was then listed over to the leeward, so
that people could not walk the deck
At this time the passengers, including
many of the women, were heroically
engaged in whatever work about the
ship they could do to facilitate its safe
ty, and those who were not engaged on
deck were busted in bailing water out of
the ships hold. Saturday, the 18th,
dawned upon the passengers still en-
gagged in bailing, but all was of no
avail, the water was increasing rapidly.
Throughout all these long continued
trying days and nights, Captain Hern-
don was untiring in his exertions, and
with the appearance of the greatest
cheerfulness encouraged all to their
work. The men, especially the cabin
passengers, at this time found their
strength failing them; the women re-
mained calm, and seemed to be resigned
to death.
At noon the weather moderated lit
tie, and cry went throughout the ship
of a sail sail which created the
greatest excitement. The effect of sud-
den hope where all before was rife with
death, caused the most stout-hearted to
lose their self control. There was
shrieking, crying, weeping, agonizing
Joy, where late was nothing but the ag.
onies of death. The serene calmness
that rested on each cheek, making il
pale as lead, but stern as steel, was dis.
placed by the flush of excitement, pro-
fuse tears, the embraces of friends
mothers, children, husbands and wives
Then terrible fear followed, that the sea
was so high the vessel Offering succol
could not be reached.
The brig, though badly damaged by
the storm, answered the signal of dis
tress, and passed by the Central Ameri
ca within mile of her stern. Many o
the passengers, who had been constantly
at work without eating for two or thre,
days, now recovered their appetites, ant
partook heartily of such food as offered
Captain Herndon, having announced
his determination to remain the last
man on the ship, decided first to saw,
the women, which resolution was cor
daily seconded by the passengers. A
one o'clock the captains boy entered tn
cabin and told the ladies that they mus
come on deck; many, in anticipation o
this order, had already relieved them
selves of all unnecessary clothing. 9th
ers, as if to illustrate how little valu
was the gold, brought out bags (not en-
trusted to the purser), and scattered i
, on the floor, asking all who wante'
, money to help themselves. The momen
the women reached the deck the Sc
washed over them. The first boat low
, /, cred was dashed i'll, the second swampe,
, and lost. All things being in readines.
Z the women were let down into the boat
by kind of rope-chain moose wa
,, passed under their feet and dress; ther
was nothing to support their backs
, they then seized a rope which cam
a down in front, with their hands TIL
, boat could only approach the stcame
q between the waves, so they had to re
! main suspended sometimes while tn
wave passed. These waves would ais
drive them under the side of the steam
!, er; the cook was hurt considerably tina
way she died on the home passage
probably from the fright she received
! she had no bruises. The wemcn wer
!, placed in the bottom of the boats an
. rowed to the Marine, the spray dashin
6 over them all the time the oarsmt
: were first rate hands or they would neve
= have reached the brig. Thirty womel
. twenty-six children and a number {
. men were thus conveyed on board til
: Marine. The first passengers got o
, board of the brig at half-past tw
> o'clock on Saturday, September u, th
, last just before dark in the evening.
About two o'clock on Friday, the e1
gines of the steamer stopped, and tn
| ship fell off, helpless, into the trough {
, the sea.
The last that was seen of Captai
, Herndon was his standing on the top {
5 the wheel-house attempting to fire
r rocket as signal of distress. In tn
: position he remained when the vesst
i went down. Ae she began to settl
some of the passengers jumped over an
endeavored to get clear of the antic
Anl Ill g h.