New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-11-07

The Wreck of the Victor.

The Wreck of the Victor.
The New York World of Saturday CON
tains the following report, which presents
some additional details:
The officers and crew of the steamer
| Victor, which sailed from this city to New
| Orleans October l6, and was wrecked off
| the Elerida coast on the tWenty-ninth ar
| rived in the City of Austin yesterday. The
| disaster was fortunately not accompanied
| By loss of life but the sufferers tell pitiful
| story OF hardships which required robust
| constitutions to survive. The vessel had
! passed Cape Hatteras on the eighteenth,
| and on the twenty-ninth Cape Canavaral
| The wind at that time was blowing hard
| from the east, but no one suspected any
| reason Cor disaster, when, about eight in
| the evening, two hours after making Jupiter
| Light the shaft broke of as if severed by
| some sUdden blow even with the stutfng-
| box, and the vessel began filling rapidly.
The pumps were Immediately manned
and sails set, but notwithstanding ali their
efforts there was soon three feet Of water
in the hold. They succeeded finally in
stopping the part OF the leak which was in
sight, but the vessel then struck bottom,
and continued humping about in a heavy
sea till completely filled with water. The
rest OF the night was spent in making prep
aratiOns for getting to shore. AT daybreak
succeeded in lowering boat and running
line to the shore. The morning was spent
in landing the women and children, and by
two in the afternoon all were safely on
shore, with no loss of life, although three
boats swamped il making the pass
age from the wreck to the shore. Their
troubles had not begun, however.
Their refuge was q barren strip of
sand, and almost their sole dependence
for provisions was the wreck they had
abandoned. Bhis boats crew succeeded
IN visiting that afternoon and brought off
some ships stores, but the vessel broke up
in the night. and by morning nothing but
heg ehjulaeys and cylinders could be seen
off shoge. The night was one OF fearful
sutfeciag. 1he only protection from the
gale was few pieces of canvas under
which the women and children huddled in
vain e rch for warmth. The storm, in
stead OF abating. increased in violence till
the twenty-thlrd. when it moderated. On
the afternoon of the twenty-fUurth the
steamer General Meade took them Oft, and
the next day they fell in with the City of
Austin, which brought the officers and crew
to this port. the passengers proceeding to
New Orleanso 1he vessel and cargo are
total loss.
The following is the captains official re-
port OF the Joss OF the steamship Victors
The steamship VictOC, q. Gates. master.
left New York on Wednesday, October II,
Tor New Orleans; on Friday az s A. Ne
passed Cape Hatteras Sunday. strong
breezeS from east northeast at II N. passed
Cape Canav4rai: at P NJ. made Jupiter
light: at $40 the light bearing west, broke
the shaft even with the stutfing box: the
ship commenced TO fill rapidly: ship head
Ing OFT southeast under fore and att sails:
deepened the water from thirteen TO four.
teen tathoms: at this time the ship had
II ~ bo, ~
able pump at work. about this time mine
o'clock succeeded in stopping most OF the
leak thas was in sight: let 90 the port anchor
IN eight tathOms OF water. and payed out to
seventy Gath0ms without bringing ner up
when she Stguck bOttOmo unshaciled the
chains 20 .eyenty-tiVe tathoms and set the |
head sails, and she continued TO pound uno
til she was .Ull of water, the sea making |
clean breach over her. The balance OF the |
nigbS was spent in making every prepare.
ton for getting on shore. At daylight she
was broken IN two amiGships; got boat
down uHde? her lee and succeeded in get
ting line Oh shore, there being two men
on the beach from! the lighthouse. We first |
g0S the women and children on shore and |
then the men; az :: p NJ. all hands were
safe OF .h0reo after sWamplng three boats !
in the breakers At five o'clock, the water |
being somewhat smoother. the mate and |
CHIEF engineer with a boats crew sue |
ceeGed. after sWamplng in The first attempt, |
in getting of 20 the wreck and threw overo |
board some provisions, and got back IL
safety. She ship breaking &p fast. After |
night the gale increased. and at midnight |
sh" broke up. "A: daylight on Tuesday the |
wreck was piled on the rocks with nothing |
of shore bat the steam Ghimneys and |
cylinders n sight. The cargo was nearly
all destroyed with the debris OK the ship. |
The gale continued with increased VIC |
lence anti. Wednesday morning. st 3 |
2. NJ. ?he steamship &eQeraI Naade, |
Captain Sampson. came along. and |
veIy kindly Cook us off. AS there was
nothing 20 save We concluded TO leave.
The sea was quite smooth at the !ime. |
Friday at half-past six, twelve miles east of !
Key Wes: Eel IN with steamship City of !
Austin, Captain Thomas Eldcidge, who very
kindly took myself. officers and crew oQ
board and brought US to this port.
Ine passengers proceeded to New Orleans |
on the General Meadeo And now, in behalf |
CT myself, officers and crew. wish TO return
my sincere thanks 20 Captain Eldridge and |
officers OF Che steamship City of austin. and |
CAPTAIN Sampson and officers of the steam |
ship Genera! Meade. who did everything in |
their power 20 make US as comfortable as
possible. GURDON Gates
Captain Steamship Victor !