The Portland daily press., 1872-07-24
STEAMER NEW ENGLAND.


NE w ENULhND.
Additional Particulars.
The Boston Journal of last evening contains
much fuller particulars of this disaster than
was furnished by the Associated Press
STATEMENT OF j. W. DYER
By the statement of j. w. Dyer of Portland,
Governor Inspector of Steamboats,, who was ON
board it appears that the New England left
St John yesterday morning at her usual hour,
on her regular trip for Boston. The weather
was very thick with fog. There were at least
one hundred and fifty passengers on board, with
light freight. About thirty of the passengers
had tickets for Eastport, the remainder for
Portland and Boston. The steamer was run
ming her usual course and rate of speed, when
at twenty minutes past eleven o'clock. she
struck on the northerly end of the Eastern
Wolves. About one quarter of mile distant
she ran on to ledge about One-third of her
length, sustaining three shocks, the first one
being light one, the other two heavier ones.
Her stern laid in deep water. There was about
one sfoOt of water ION the ledge. At the time
she went on it was flood tide. The sea was
perfectly calm, nor was there any wind. The
fog was intense. As soon as she struck, she
heeled in toward the shore. She had commenced
filling with water having knocked hole in
her starboard side forward. There were no
signs of fright or CONSERVATION among the pas
sengers, Captain Field and others giving every
assurance that there was no danger if they
kept quiet The result was the passengers be-
haved nObly under the trying circumstances.
Boats were Immediately lowered, and the WON.
en- and children were taken ashore first The
work of landing passengers was accomplished
without an accident. They were taken ashore
ON the fsland, where they managed to make
themselves as comfortable as possible. A slight
rain commencing to fall, provisions were made
for places of shelter; tents being constructed
out of blankets and mattresses saved from the
wreck. A lunch was furnished by Capt, Field,
consisting OF meat, eggs, crackers. milk, &C.,
which had been saved.
After the passengers were all ashore the
work of stripping the New England commence
ed. No freight was saved, but all her fnrn-
ture bedding, &c, WINS taken ashore and saved.
Three horees were swan ashore from the wreck
in safety.
When the New England struck she began to
fill rapidly, keeling towards the Shore and
when the tide fell she finally went over ON her
broadside In this position she lay grinding,
settling andtcrushing OH the rocks, where, at a
quarter past two this morning, she was wholly
under water, and would probably go to pieces.
When the New England struck Mr.. Dyer
was requested by Capt. Field, to take boat
and go to Eastport, Fifteen miles distant,
for relief. When within two9miles of Eastport,
Mr.. Dyer intercepted the steamer Belle Brown,
which, on account of apprehensions felt for
the safety of the New England at Eastport, had
left in pursuit of her. Mr.. Dyer went back to
some fishermen to Eastport that tne New Eng
land was lost.
The passengers remained on the island until
about seven o'clock in the evening, when they
were removed aboard the Belle Brown, which
took her departure about two o'clock, or after
the fog had cleared up, for Eastport, where she
arrived at about four o'clock. Those of the pas
sengers who were bound west were taken few
hours afterwards in the Belle Brown to st. An
drews, where they left in the cars for Portland
STATEMENT OF RICHARD BUSTED.
The following is the substance of the state
ment of Richard Busted of New York:
We left st. John in slight fog, which in
creased as we proceeded ON our way; the wind
was southwest, and we were running at the
rate of some ten knots. There were some 40
passengers on board, besides the officers and
crew. AT Is minutes past II o'clock in the
forenoon, we struck on an outside reef of East
Wolf Island, about three hundred feet from the
shore. The fog was SO dense that we could not
see the island At the time, Mr. Busted was
sitting near of the paddle wheels with an en-
ploye OF the steamer, singing "Home, Sweet
Home" r.rr .s-..-- -'.-.e
On discovering slight confusion in the cab
IN, Mr.. Burteed waived his hands and cried
out several times, STEADY there, it is all right"
which was the means of preserving quiet for
that moment. The passengers acted with great
GOODNESS and presence of mind Capt. Field
and his officers acted with great diligence and
promptness. Life boats were at once launched
and women and children were rowed ashore
In the course of an hour all were landed
safely and without accident. Fires were start
ed, and preparations were made for protection
from the weather AS the tide receded the
steamer gradually listed but there was ample
time for the baggage and much of the furni-
ture of the steamer to be saved The passen-
gers took part in helping save the baggage, and
trying to be as useful as possible All were
thankful for the preserving goodness of kind
Providence. 1t was fortunate indeed, that no
lives were lost.
GENERAL INCIDENTS.
The New Orleans Minstrel Troupe, which
were on board, saved all their instruments and
baggage. All the liquors belonging to Mr..
Hughes, the bar-keeper of the New England,
were confscated by the watery element quicker
than any seizure could have been made by an
official under the Maine law. The colored
stewardess, Familiarity known as ''Belle," lost
all her wardrobe and a pocket-book containing
quite a sum of money. 444eas
While the baggage was being taken ashore
one OF the saloon walters was paying more at
tention to his own effects than the baggage of
the passengers, which he was directed to help
save. Disregarding the order, w. Fl. Goss the
steward, drew revolver and threatened to put
him in irons unless he Obeyed, which the fellow
reluctantly did.
An old gentleman, in his excitement, seized
three life preservers and put them on each be-
low the belt. He got ashore right side up
with care in one of the boats. A man at
tempting to jump into a boat fell into the water
but he was Immediately rescued.
Mr. Robert Pike, the regular pilot of the
New England, was not on board this trip, his
place being filed by an assistant.
The women passengers all behaved well and
some of them heroically, rendering assistance
in many arduous ways. One lady declared that
she should stand by the steamer as long as her
husband did, and she kept her word.
GOOD CONDUCT OF THE OFFICERS.
The testimony of the passengers is in high
commentator of the conduct of Capt Field
and bis officers during the trying scenes. At
times Capt. Field could not restrain his emo
tions as the tears trickled down his cheeks, but
he brushed them away and preserved his cool
ness and composure. He and his crew still re-
main at the scene of disaster, looking out for
the property that has been saved, and collecting
all that floats ashore.
THE STEAMER BOTTOM UP.
The U. S. revenue cutter Mosswood went to
the wreck this morning and reports the New
England turned completely bottom up. Across
the centre of the bottom her keel is broken and
a hole has been made some twenty or thirty
feet square. She will probably go to pieces
Most of the freight has been secured. The sea
Is smooth and large number of wreckinr boats
are on the spot.
On Saturday of last week Messrs. Dyer and
Staples, government steamboat inspectors made
careful examination of the New England and
pronounced her fully equipped and up to all the