The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-09-05
The Metis Disaster-A Survivors,
Account.
NEW YORK Anpnst q

|
THE most graphic and connected state
ment is made by Mr.. G. G.. Guild, mer
chant doing business at No. SO Reade
street, in this city. He says: 1--WE left
New York shortly after five p. M, Thurs
day, and nothing of special note occurred
until the evening had far advanced, when
a violent gale came up and every person
was forced to leave the deck. The vessel
rocked so heavily that nearly all the pas
sengers became sick. BY midnight it was
almost impossible for any person tt
stand up, and even then many who were
nervous had presentiments of danger. II
was very late when I retired, and it ap-
peared but short time after when I was
suddenly awakened by the halt of the
steamer. My first thought was that we
were aground, and I felt certain, Judging
from the state of the weather when l had
retired from the deck, that our position
was very precarious, and immediately
made preparations to devise some means
to save myself When I reached the
upper deck heard we had collided with
a schooner, and though I looked in all
directions for the vessel failed to see it.
The scene on board at this time was heart
rending. Women with children clinging
to their night-dresses stood paralyzed
with fear, and were scarcely able to move.
| Others, who were on deck, swooned away
IL,
| While many of the remaining women and
children ran around the deck screaming
and crying. Husbands were looking for
| their wives, while little children, who, in
| the excitement, had become separated
from their parents, ran from room to
room in search of them, and crying as
though their hearts would break. It would
be impossible for me to describe the mi
mute details of that few minutes; but, for
mr. larf T i've r chon
forget it. A number of persons who, /
am sorry to say, call themselves men,
were not only greedy, but heartless.
Needless of the women and children,
| who were already panic-stricken, they
thought only of themselves, and took pos
session of the two or three life preservers
together with many other articles which
would help save their lives. The result
was that scarcely any of the females on
board were left any means to keep them
from being lost. In less than two minutes
after the collision, the main deck was
| crowded, and some of the passen-
gers, who imagined the steamer was
sinking, were preparing to Jump
overheard, preferring to risk their
lives in this way than wait until the
vessel was going down. The captain,
however, did considerable to allay the
panic by assuring the people that no in
ed the pilot to go in search of the schoon-
er. This was at ten minutes past four
o'clock in the morning. We sailed
around in circle for fully fifteen min
utes, but could see nothing that resem-
bled a schooner. Just then the Stoning
ton passed us, but, receiving assurances
that we were all right, continued on her
journey. Scarcely had she left us when
the cry was raised that we were filling
rrr1fh 81,
with the report the fires were eXtin-
guished. This intelligence tended to de-
moralize all on board, and the first scenes
were re- enacted, but in more frightful
and terrible manner. The women, and
many OF the men, appeared to have no
control over their movements, and re-
fused to make any effort to save them
selves except by crowding on the hurri-
cane deck. Immediately three boats
were lowered from the davits, but,
by some accident, one was swamped
IRE my life in any of the boats, and it
was a miracle that all were not sunk as
soon as they touched the water; for when
the second report of our sinking was an
nOunced, very heavy sea was running,
which threatened destruction even to any
such vessel. Strange as it now occurs to
me, [ never lost my presence of mind,
anu W ILLS 1dCG alone 40 l dSCTlDC my
escape. Not being able to procure a life
preserver, stood ready to launch bale
of cotton, to which I intended to hang
until l was picked up. Every minute
showed that the vessel was sinking lower
and lower, and those on board stood
speeches. waiting their fate. The poor
women, who were huddled together on
the hurricane deck, scarcely uttered a
word, while their children stood by their
oiI nrlx of
situation in its true light, confident that
no harm would befall them while their
mothers were by. Slowly but surely the
steamer kept settling down, and when
within a few inches of the main deck,
bale after bale Of cotton was flung over
board, followed by two or three men, who
chung to each of them. All of sudden,
the vessel made a final plunge A cry
of agony rent the air, and the
hull sank to the bottom, leaving
the hurricane deck on the surface. How
the two portions of the vessel became de-
tached it is impossible to tell but one
thing is certain, it was the only means
which saved the lives of any who were
on board. AS near as I can remember, I
was about one hour and a half in the
water, and made many efforts to guide
my bale in the direction of the hurricane
deck, which was riding the waves like an
old whale boat While was conjectur-
ing on my chances of escape, the deck
suddenly neared me, and | cried for help.
One of the men threw me rope, which
I caught and was pulled aboard in a per-
fectly exhausted condition. The raft, at
the time of its separation from the hull,
was some five miles from shore, but the
tide kept running it on to the beach. We
could see the people lined along the shore,
and felt confident that what remained of
our party were saved. This belief was
greatly strengthened as we noticed
that the people who were in the two
boats were rescued when within a
short distance of shore. We could
see the immense breakers, which were
rolling toward the beach, but gave them
but passing thought, thinking that, as
We had survived the sea of a few hours
previous, no possible accident could be-
fall us, when so near shore. Scarcely
had we reached the first swell than the
frail raft was suddenly pitched edgewise
and broken into fragments. Women and
children were forcibly thrown into the
sea and Immediately sank. 1t was at this
time and place that the female portion of
the passengers were lost, as well as ma
iority of the men. The splinters of the
deck fell in all directions, and large pieces
of lumber were hurled with terrific force
in all directions Many of those hit by
the flying missiles were disabled, and, with
the other victims, were unable to save
themselves. After many difficult efforts,
| managed to reach the shore, but was
so exhausted, in addition to being struck