The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-08-31
Great Calamity at Sea.
THE STEAMER METIS SINKS.
seventy of One Hundred and Fifty
Persons on board Drowned.
PARTICULARS OF THE AWFUL CA
TASTROPHE.

WATCH HILL, via. Stonington, Ct, Ang 3d.
The propeller steamer MetIs, Capt. Burton,
was wrecked about six miles off this shore this
morning A dreadful storm prevailed the lat
ter part of the night and about four o'clock the
propeller was struck by schooner, knocking
hole in her bottom. She Immediately began
70 hil The passengers were aroused and warn
cd to secure life preservers and in short time
the lower part of the boat, engines, &c, won't
down about five miles from the shore. A large
number of the passengers and crew climbed on
the upper deck which parted from the hull and
foated. The waves rolled high and the rain
continued but the upper works foated and
struck the shore just below the Ocean House
about quarter to eight o clock this morning.
The Metis had on board 104 passengers and 45
deck hands, walters, &c., Capt. Burton of Bristol,
II. l., George B. Hall, agent of the Providence
and New York Steamship Co., which owned
this steamer and d. P, McBrien and wife are
among the saved.
The Captain and agent of the line are now at
the Larkin House.
!, The greatest excitement prevails here among
the guests of the hotels and they are doing all
In Their power to aid the sufferers.
WATCH HILL, r. l., Aug 30, l. P. M.-The
government Cutter Moccasn left here at ten
O clock for the scene of the disaster as did the
yacht Josie, Capt. Lopez with large crew. One
OF the life boats OF the Metis has just landed
here. Those saved in this boat are as follows:
Albert ID. Gallup, Director Of the company, of
Providence; Hugh Carroll of Stonington; John
Lauler OF Now York; Patrick Steward of New
York; Benjamin j. Josephus and Antoine For
rest, tho last two from the Western Island. All
deck hands.
learn from Capt Burton that the purser,
John Latham and Chas. Anthony of Providence,
the freight clerk are SAFE
A private despatch to New York from Provi-
dence states that the steamer Metis after the
collision driftcd ashore at Watch Hill with
only her upper deck above water Another
despatch says that 70 out of $50 passengers
were saved The reports of the disaster created
considerable excitement in this city,
A private despatch says that John McAustn
of the firm of McAustn & Troop of this city
who was on the steamer Metis says that when
she struck the schooner the crash was slight
but the steamer sunk Immediately. He was in
the water ten minutes wheu he succeeded in
climbing to the cabin of the boat which foated
ashore with from 40 to 80 passengers on board
He thinks that about 100 lives were lost but
more may have been saved then are yet re-
ported.
SroNINGToN, Ct, Aug sO-Tho following is
the statement of Capt. Chas. L. Burton as
given to f. Wesley Smith of the Albany Argus:
We left New York ~ g. Is p. NJ. on the 10Th
of August. The weather was overcast and
rainy with fresh breeze from the Southeast at
$40 A. NJ. when between the two light houses,
Montauk Point and Watch Hill, about five
miles from the Rhode Island shore the propeller
was run into by an unknown schooner, striking
us 40 feet abaft of the stern or nearly abreast of
the pilot house. The propeller was Immediate
ly stopped and turned round and we endeavored
to find the vessel but failed to do So 1 sent the
mates and pilot below to ascertain if the pro-
peller was making any water, they reported to
me that she was not and we considered the
damage very slight and then proceeded on our
way to Providence. After running few mo-
ments the engineer reported that the steamer
was rapidly sinking l Immediately headed
her for the nearest shore and used every exer-
ton in our power to reach it.
At this time the wind was blowing strong
gale from the southeast accompanied by heavy
rain. 1t SOON became evident the steamer
must 90 down. 1t was not longer than half an
hour from the time she was headed for shore till
she sunk. The life boats were lowered and fill
ed with persons anxious to be saved One of
the boats was swamped but was soon righted
by the engineer who was on her. He sculled
her up to the wreck and she was again boarded
with success. About so persons were left
the upper deck, which drifted with the gale
The storm still continued, and although several
vessels came within sight none recognized us.
We continued IN this perilous condition till
about o'clock a. m. we neared the shore,
one-half mile from Watch Hill light house.
The sur. was ybi high t and our danger
number of people from Watch Hill Hotel were
on the beach proffering aid, but all was of no
use to us. The rear of the surf prevented any
communication and it was evident to us that
the deck on which we f1oated must soon go to
pieces. In few minutes that breaking up
commenced and we were all thrown into the
surf By the kindness of those on shore nearly
all were saved from the pilot-house and upper
works. l am unable to say at present how
many of the crew and passengers were lost with
the hull.
WATCH HILL, Aug. 30.-The purser, John
81. Latham, was picked up by United States
revenue steamer Moccasin, as was Orrin An
thony, freight clerk. Steward Mcclellan, whom
all supposed was lost, was saved on mattress
by steamer Moccasin, as were also Charles s.
Bradley, lad of Providence, William H. Pur-
dy of New London, cook, chief engineer King
of Providence, LIST officer Baker and quarter
master Appleby and Palmer of Stonington
Eighteen dead bodies have just been brought in
by this steamer. The papers and books belong
ing to the Nets were all lost. The purser says
there were 14 full tickets sold, also two half
tickets, and there were several small children
and infants on board. He estimates the full
number of passengers at ITO, and the crew,
walters, &c, make in all 1856 souls.
Ia list of the passengers known to be saved
does not include the names of any persons east
of Provdence
1t seems to be almost terrible certainty that
20 lives have been lost by this awfnl wreck.
Many went down with the lower part of the
steamer whose names can never be known
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 tho Methodist Episcopal church
in this city to make arrangements for the fun
eral services of his wife in his church next
Sunday. The body was sent forward by train
this afternoon A gloom has been cast over
the entire section by the disaster.
All the hotels at Watch Hill have from to
20 of the rescued now in their parlors and
sleeping rooms. There was no marine insur-
ance on the Metis. The steamer was valued at
$175,000.
NEW YORK.