The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-09-02

with Mr. Wilson McCrillis of this city, he got
on to a gang plank, which was floating by from
which they were rescued. The bodies of the
two boys were found in the morning, both fas-
tened to the life-preserver, and forwarded to
their parents in Brooklyn,
One man who was married at Sharon Springs
N. Y, night before last, and was on his way to
Providence on his wedding trip, sends word to
a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal church
in this city to make arrangements for the fun
eral services of his wife in his church next
Sunday. Her body was sent forward by train
this afternoon.
Mrs. Peckham was forced from the wreck
when near the shore, her dead body being car
ried by the waves within the reach of those on
the land. Willie Chase was washed from the
wreck two hours or more before by wave
which forced him into the stateroom, to the
door of which he was clinging when he was
last seen The receding wave bore his mani
mate form out into the darkness and it was
lost
The scene this morning on the beach was
fearful beyond description. 1t became known
about o'clock that the steamer had sunk. or
was blown up, and that persons were in the
water drowning. Everybody rushed to the
beach, very many not dressed, stopping only to
put on sufficient clothes for covering. The deck
of the steamer could be seen, then about mile
out, covered with men, women and children
floating on the water like piece of paper. and
as flexible moving up and down ON the waves.
like now one portion out of sight and now
another as one of the spectators said, like
flock of birds on a thin, wavering cake of ice,
apparently ready to break in pieces at any mo,
ment and with the surf beating over the whole.
Near it was bale of cotton with two man on
it drifting into the surf. The men on shore
made preparations for their rescue. Two rones
were organized; to one was tied Capt. Josiah
Clarke, and to the other Mr.. Russell Bnnce
VII ton Fifteen m n m ppad
had these preparations been completed when
the bale of cotton came ashore, and two men
one white and one colored, were saved. A
wave broke over the wreck, now near the shore
washing off two or three persons. These were
caught by the men on the lines and rushed
through the surf to the shore, taken care of nv
the ladies, and conveyed to the hotels and
houses. Several were saved in this way when
the wreck got to the breakers and went to pieces
about O'Clock and men, women and children,
pieces of wreck of all shapes and sizes were in
one surging mass, drifted in and only by surf,
which seemed to enjoy the cruel sport, the men
on the lines worked brayely in irving to save
the sufferers at the risk of their own lives It
il estimated that all but one or two Cd the raft
were saved. About this time there was a life
boat containing eleven coming into the break
ers. Signals were made to the people on board
to keep clear of the wreck, which was success
fully done. The first breaker they cleared safe
ly, the second landed them on the beach, and
the tnlTu lppeu the boat over. Three paSsen-
gers got caught under the boat and are supposed
to have been lost, and the remainder were saved.
Large numbers OF people were on the beach
all day, some with idle curiosity, others on the
lookout for what they could steal, few with
heavy hearts looking for some token of friends
who were on board, and many hard at work.
The beach is strewn with wrecked stuff for !,
mills or more, as well as with cotton bales, mat
resses, pices of furniture clothing and ali sorts
of debris. The main part of the wreck lies to-
gether in one huge mass of shivered timbers,
literally broken into kindling wood 1t is al
most impossible to conceive of that pile of
splinters as being but few short hours before
the noble steamer Metis Near the wreck sat a
man well wrapped in blankets, who was mourn
ing the loss of his wife. She was with him till
almost IN shore on cotton bale, when wave
took her ten feet away and she was lost He
was saved unhurt, and there he sat watching
each returning wave in hope and vet in fear of
seeing her body washed ashore. He would not
go away, but sat all day long receiving sympa-
thy and kind words of the hundreds. Watching
the waves in silent sorrow.
A gentleman reports that he was on a piece
of wreck with two ladies and a child, strangers
to him. He did all in his power to keep them
in good courage and aid them to retain their
hold, but they were lost.
Some of the rescued were on the beach look
ing among the rubbish, to see if perchanee some
of their goods were not saved MANY of the
rescued are badly janmed and bruised by pieces
of wreck. When it broke up all were in to-
gether, and IN as much or more danger of being
killed by timber as by drowning
Solemn religious were held in the parlor of
the Larkin House this evening, called forth by
the events of the day, and God was asked to
sustain relatives and friends in their affliction
Capt Richie of the revenue steamer Mecca
sin says: My officers and crew furnished the
saved with all their spare clothing Capt. Loud
and j. Crandall of Watch Hill. with their
crews and life boats, and Capt. Crandalps pri-
vate boat, which was stove, saved fourteen who
were placed on board my steamer. Although
Capt. Crandall has lost his boat yet he says he
is well paid for the loss having saved fourteen
lives with her. There was heavy sea running
and it was almost impossible to approach the
vessel with life boats. The wind blew heavily
from the northwest against southeast gale
of wind of the night previous, occasioninr
very high cross sea.
Capt Osgood of the yacht Fleetwing, gave
one hundred dollars to divide among the suffer
ers.
The scene was awful and heart-rending to
those engaged In saving the perishing, and can
only be realized by those who have experienced
like trials, Fathers looking for their children,
husbands for their wives, a mother for her
child son for his father and a sister for her
brother. 1t beggars description.
VIM. Il. Sheridan, Boston, says he knew
nothing of the disaster which had overtaken
the vessel until there was great rumpus out
side OF the stateroOm: 81 rushed out and
found that the steamer was sinking, and bur-
ried my wife into the life-boat There was too
many of us in the boat. We had proceeded
nearly to the land when the rough sea caused
our boat to tip over and we were all thrown in
to the water. 1t was terrible moment There
were few OF US who could swim and only
eight or ten succeeded in laying hold of the
boat. My poor wife was not among them.
MI. Sheridan here became very much agitat-
ed and hid his face in his hands. In moment
he resumed in broken voice: 81 have no phys
ical trouble; my grief is elsewhere. have tel
egraphed to Providence to learn if nv poor girl
was among those who were taken there by the
cutter Among the pathetic incidents of the
disaster, L remember well the death of two lit
tie children; All last evening they played
about the saloon, prattling gaily with the pas
sengers, and seemingly wrapped up in each
other When bed time came one of them said
"tlss me, mamma, tiss me, for am going to
Sleep, and saw them no more alive. This
morning their bodies were washed ashore on
this beach clasped in each others arms They
were beautiful as in life and their couutenanccs
bore placid smile as il their death was pain
less. Our boat capsized close to the shore and
IT. was sad sight to us who had gained our
lives when we witnessed the struggles of those
who, unable to Withstand the terrible undertow.
were drowned in our very faces Their uplft-
ed hands and despairing faces will haunt me
to my dying day" Mr.. Sheridan is much pros
trsted by the shock which he received
THE Loss OF TUT Mpryo H. g., H.