The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-09-02
AIPW WRECKED.
3 Wreck of the Mstis in Long
Island Sound.
Interview with One Of the
Saved.

hot a, an early hour last evening, but
New Haven train was an hour and
Aslf behind time, and on its arrival
"a took possession OF the only one o.
passengers Of the illfsted Metit
bo had come o, to New York. The
flowing is his narrative: l..
M name is G.. G. Guild. l am q
Arjwsre merchant, doing business at
q Reaie street, in this city. l em-
Srksd aboard the Metis at fifteen min
% nsst five P. NJ. on thursday, and
nsssed down the Esstriver en- route
Providence. Captain Burton was in
rmmand OF the steamer and, though
<be,yy sea was rolling in the Sound
the vessel labored somewhat, all
ssn, we'll until twenty-five minutes past
zee A. NJ. 1t was then very dark and
tSe rain pouring down iu prrents. Sud
nIy very severe shock startled all
pmberers from peaceful repose-s
,ooner name unknown struck the
&,smer at the forward g,ngwsy, car
n NO away her al stsncfions and out
sIde plsnking and plougbng deep into
ber hull. For some few moments but
Grle fear for the "a 'ety)i the Metls
Ii.,,d 10 the minis OF nose aboard,
~; many OF
Il THE PASSENGERS GOT Up,
dre..ed themselves and went upon deck
~ ascertsiu the amount OF ismage done.
4 was one of these. When gained the
aeck gazed around, but could see
q Ao,hing on account OF the intense dark
les that prevailed. net the first
S,f,er, who was consulting with his
sollesgues in the cabin, snd asked him
% tell me whetherthe ves gel was in any
6snger. He evadei the question, evi-
.:6en,lv being 10th TO repr, for fear OF
t.e .tins a panic among tie passengers;
u then went back to my ssteroom and
ssi down with nv clotheon for about
tTentv minutes, when one # the officers
esme along the saloon AM called out
b every one to put On &
THE LIFE PREsHR"ERs
ban ,ing in their bertha | jumped up
Einmedstely, obeyed b. instructions,
went outs de aud foundIhat the boat
Asi already sunk to hc main deck.
$rae passengers, which should judge
numbered l04-jncludng about forty
,iies snd childten-ogether with a
rev Of about fihy, vre rushing about
most frantic stae Of terror and
B generalization. Mar Of the ladies
we're merely attired in heir night gowns
Or chem settes, and tley were In fear"
3tlIlv terrified state, SINE calling upon
.s.us in His mercy save them, others
Nca their knees.
Il lMPLoRINC sUCcoR,
fi,om whence thev krw not. The scene
vas a most appallin one, and will for
ever live in the mndS OF those who
tlsve been spared. Soon We were all
,o,ierei up to the hurricane deck, for
tie water had riser to the state-room
a,oring. / went Up with the rest of
nv fellow passergers. / only saw
three boats, thash there may have
been four. In thtexcitement, as every
one was rushing tr place in her, one
boat was swampe, in lowering, but |
believe she was ubsequently righted.
The deck loosend from the hull about
ten minutes attelwe were ordered upon
j. and it shortly Droke away, and the
vessel sank. We were then, men and
women, iudiscr;ninstely,
ALL HDDLED TOGETHER
in confused mass, clinging to the sky
lights for des life, as the seas broke
over the ra. with virulent fury. A
Tremendous quantity Of debris was
d p.ting sro.nd, for, in ad iition to the
spars and smbers aud plsnking, the
|Metis had large deck cargo aboard.
The men suck nobly by the women and
children, binding them with ropes to
the skylphts and providing for their
sa'ety il every possible way. There
did not .eem to be any contention tor
positio,, though each one took up that
be deemed best. Some were crying,
some praying aloud, q lev
CALM AND sELF-PossEssED.
The rain beat upon US with binding
fury, and | deemed it probable that the
waole deck would soon go to pieces, fol
,ae rolling surges that broke around II
US every instant with des-
l-uction. Thinking it probable thai
this would be the case-knowing my
Ell to be a good swimmer, and fearing
tat 10 the decentralization which would
ensue | should only be uselessly sacri'
tciug nv last chance Of life by being
aged down by others sprang over
board and clung to the lsshing at the
end OF a pressed cotton bale. l had
much difficulty in inserting my fingers
beneath the tight,strsined cords; but /
succeeded, and hung on with all
THE TENAcIrY OF DESPAIR.
An Old gentleman was at the other
end of the bale. The water Was covered
with floating debris and as each heavy
roller came bursting up we had the
greatest difficulty in avoiding being
crushed by spars, planks or p0nderous
cases. | said but little to my comrade
in misfortune; be must have been q
fine old fellow though, for he called to
me in cheering tones, Cling to it" In
about halt an hour, however, his
strength gave out, for the water was
terribly cold, his hands relaxed theil
grasp and he sunk beneath the surges
| could tell when he slipped of, for the
bale tipped up towards me, but it was
for me to render him any
assistance. l held on to- the life-pre
serving bale for more than an houl
longer, drifting along to wtndward o.
the raft. In the frs: faint flush oi
dawn which then began to glimmer IL
the eastern sky. could see the dozens o
poor creatures huddled together on th'
hoating deck and hear above the roal
nt .l L