The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-09-02

stopped with sail cloth, had the carpen.
ter been set 10 work before the water had
made such headway, and all agree the
vessel might easily have been run ashore
In time 10 prevent the loss Of life. Its
reported tho vessel already began 10
lurch and settle from quantity Of water
in the hold when the tlremen first gave
the alarm and II Is almost certain that the
water reached the fires very few min.
utes afterwards There seems 10 be an
impression that this awful calamity would
have been averted had the Captain when
the collision first occurred, taken the
trouble to 60 below and personally ex.
anime the damage DONE But the saddest
thing Of all, was in the saloon OF the Mar.
ragauset, o young woman, poorly, but
neatly dressed weeping silently near the
spot where the dead body Of her husband
lay. She was asleep when the collision
occurred, but was awakened by the shock
and told her husband to get up and see
what was the matter. He did so and soon
returned saying that the Captain had told
him there was no danger. He got into
bed again but his wife could not sleep and
was soon again alarmed by the sound Of
many feet running to and iro. A moment
later the steward, brave man, Of whom
oil spoke well, rushed into the state room
and told them to put on life preserVers as
the ship was sinking. This was aterrible
shock, but they hastened to obey the or
der. The children of the young couple
lay asleep, one baby Of six weeks old
and the other q boy of three years. The
father took the largest child in his arms,
the mother clung to her infant, and the
two struggled 10 get 10 the deck. The
saloon was about knee deep In water
by this time, and In less than five
minutes the man and his wife were In the
water. The waves ran high, and soon
husband and wife were swept asunder.
The former lost his strength and relaxed
his hold on the child, and both were
drowned. The mother held her babe
over the hungry Waters until her strength
was exhausted, and then wave larger
than the rest dashed 1t from her arms, and
she saw 1t sink slowly to the deptS below.
Just as she was exhausted, and after the
life.preserver had slipped from beneath
her arms. the Moccasin came up, and she
was recalled TO q life which, for the pres.
ent at least, Is bitter indeed. ~ have my
husband here" she said, "but they can
never find my babies in so large sea."
The poor wOmsn goes 10 Philadelphia
this afternoon, where her parents live and
where her husband will be buried.
Some days, perhaps weeks, must elapse
before correct list OF the dead can be
made out. All the papers were lost with
the ship.
Already anxious friends are beginning
to visit the offices Of the company, asking
whether such or such one sailed in the
ill'iatcd steamer, but 10 all such inquiries
unsatisfactory answers are returned.
From an interview with Abel TORY, q
pilot OF the Metis, 1t appears his first con-
sideration after the collision was for his
own safety. On ascertaining there was
danger of the steamer sinking, he imme.
diately went, 1t is said, TO his room and
procured two cork mattresses, which he
had stored away. One Of them he gave TO
friend and the other he attached to his
own person and 1oatcd of from the ship
without making any particular effort 10
MD any Of the passengers. His conduct is
in great contrast TO that Of the Captain and
Others, who exertcd every nerve TO save
life.
NEW YoRK, September 1.-The mum.
Der Of lives lost by the Metis disaster is
now reduced to twenty-five. Several
bodies at Watch Hill await Identification.
The following is list OF the dead so far
as Identified: Mrs. W. E. Sheridan, wife
Of Mr.. Sheridan, of the Globe Theatre,
of Boston; August Steinway, Piano
Manufacturer, Boston; Mrs. Mary Wilson,
Williamsburg; Mrs. G. W. Howard,
Rome; Laura Brasher, East Boston; S.
G. Martin. Manchester, Jas. Harbeger,
Newark; p. II Field. Geneva; Henry
Cross, Providence; Jas. McMurphiG,
Providence; ]. s. EastOn, Boston; @. q.
bliss, Providence; two children of Arthur
Wilrum, broker of Brooklyn. The latter
was in charge Of @. G. Adams, who made
every effort TO save them, but they died
in his arms In the water from exposure.
]. s. Bradley, son Of Chiet Justice Brad
ley Of Rhode Island, when about to sink
from exhaustion, was saved by the second
engineer, Doane, Of the Metis, who pulled
him on n skylight on which he was float.
ing. Mr.. Sheridan, the actor, and his
wife, jumped into tho water as the ship
was sinking, both had life preservers on
but Mrs. Sheridan was separated from
her husband by waves and disappeared In
the darkness although he could hear her
voice for some time, he was saved and
her body was washed ashore.
The statements of eye,witncsses agree
that q sufficient examination was not
made Of the hull Of the Metis immediate.
ly after the collision and that fatal mis-
take was made in proceeding on the voy.
age and refusing assistance from the
steamer Stonington. Nearly an hour
elapsed between the collision and the sink.
ing Of the Metis, during which the steam.
er could have been beached. Only fifteen
minutes,beiore the steamer sunk the pass.
Gngers were warned TO save themselves
as best they could. Af(er that everything
was in confusion and the widest panic
prevailed. The passengers were left to
take care Of themselves. The crew, deck
hands and passengers crowded indiScrim.
inately into the boats, and though Capt
Burton and other officers behaved nobly
In refusing to leave the ship till the last
moment, they seemed TO have lost control
over the men.
PROVIDENCE, R. l., September 1.-The
body of the woman which was picked up
and carried TO Newport has been identi.
fed as that Of the wife Of G. L. Howard.
She was victim Of the Metis disaster and
was married but two days before A
body supposed 10 be that Of Mira Howard
had been sent to Sharon Springs, where
In 4 4 la.
day. Both wore rings with the same
initials. t N.IH 7rt..l p! ' nr
The Journals Watch Hill dispatch Of
tonight says no new waits from the Meis
have been discovered. 1t is reported that