Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-04-04
TIE OCEAN HORROR.
Additional and HOTrifying Partic-
uIars OF the Loss of the
Steamship Atlantic.
Nine Hundred ana Fifty-TwO Souls
on BOard-NearIy One-Half
OF them Lost.
SOuI-IIarrOwing Details of SurVi.
vOrs-RepOrt of Interview
with Capt. Williams.
The Officers on Duty at the Time
of the Disaster to be held
Responsible.
The People of tie NOrth-AtlantiC
Ports Determined Upon
Searching InTes-
tigatiOa.
Other Wrecks liz the SOu th-Atlan.
Other Wrecks in the Outh-Atlan-
tie-A Grew Three Days
in an Open Boat.



Details by Survivors.
New YORK, April 3.-The following
is the statement of a cabin passenger,
William D. Markwold. He was inter-
viewed by Chronicle reporter. He
says: 'I turned into my berth at nine
o'clock Monday night, and was aroused
by the shock of the ship striking some
thing. All the men in the cabin rushed
upon deck to zee what was wrong. /
went into the saloon on deck, and OBJ.
served by the clock that the time was
three o'clock. Rockets were being fired.
! Within fifteen minutes from the time
she struck, she careened. The captain,
with his officers, behaved bravely. The
cry was raised,
TAKE TO THE RIGGING! IT'S YOUR
| ONLY CHANCEp
At daybreak fisherman's boat came
out and rescued a number of us, and
landed us on Meagher's island. A haUd-
full of people there warmly welcomed us.
They gave us food and clothing, and did
all for US that they coGld. Ed. Ryan,
A. Wansbrick, d. Ryan, and their
wives, were especially active in minis
tering TO our wants. There were
three boats crews, whose names
deserve a high place on the roll of hon.
or. The first boat was manned by Dem
mis- Ryan, James O0alen, Frank Ryan,
John Blackburn and Ben. Blackburn;
the second boat by James C'Brien, Mi
chael O'Brien, p. Dollard, William La
cey and T. J. Toorg. regret that
have not the names of the other crew;
to those men chiefly belong the credit Of
having, at the risk of their own lives,
rescued from death over four hundred
souls. They, as well as several others
of whose bravery have learned, should
certainly receive some record.
While coming upon the Delta the pas
sengers were ringing the praises of the
crews referred TO, as well as of Rev. Mr..
Ancient, who rescued the perishlng chief
engineer, third-Officer Brady, and
quarteFmasters Speakman and Owens,
who established communication with
| the shore.
THE KINDNESS OF THE PEOPLE OF
PROSPECT
was also universally acknowledged.
The snip turned over toward the land
and sunk. a number of persons clung to
her bulwarks, but the sea being high
they were washed off and many were
got in the rigging and
SWUNG THEMSELVES OFF BY ROPES
into the water and swan to a rock, a
distance of fifty yards. About one
hundred and fifty who were passengers
principally belonging to the steerage
that was in, saved themselves in this
way. The captain, who was clinging
to the ships side, moved forward
toward the passengers in the boat and
advised them to jump into the water
and swim ashore"
William Hogan, of Waterford, tells
the following: 81 was on deck at three
O'Clock, l heard a sailor on duty call out
cali well" At three O'Clock, after hear
ing the sailorsaying tall' s well, /" L went
to the forward steerage and got into bed,
and about five or ten minutes after
ward l heard the watchman cry out
"breakers ahead, "and almost instantly /
heard tremendous crash, and the air
rushed in and blew out the lights. 1t
was my impression that the boiler had
| burst. l called up some of the boys
that were sleeping near me, and told
them to rush on deck, that the boiler
had exploded. Some of them refused
to go, and said that it mattered little;
thinking the steamer was out at sea.
that it was just as well 10 meet death
below as on deck. The orders were
given, as is a common thing on steam
ships with sailors, that the matches
should be closed and no one be permitted
to ascend TO the deck. Thinking our
lives we're ~ imminent danger, we
forced the matches up. As soon as
We were on deck We ran to the side
of the vessel and saw a rock, as l
supposed, about three hundred yards
distant. thought at first il was an ice
berg we had struck, but Immediately
the ship began to heave OF plunge, and
after three or four plunges she settled
and the water seemed 90 be rushing in
| Believing that our safety depended on
our being on the side of the vessel near
est land, I rushed to that side and
caught hold of the rigging. Then the
ship began to turn over gradually on her
side. / got on the side Of the ship and
caught hold of rope. ! then heard
A DISMAL VAIL,
which was fearful to listen to. 1t pro-
ceeded from the steerage passengers be-
low. 1t did not last more than two
minutes, when all was still as death" j"
John Faxley, the chief engineer, says
great many Of the passengers Were
drowned while going from the vessel by
rope TO the rock, the cold being so in
tense that some of them became be-
numbed and were unable to hold on to
the rope. No assistance could then be
rendered them, as the rock we stood
upon was covered with seaweed, which
made it very dangerous to stand upon
besides the edges of the rock were round.
All that were on the rock with ourselves
were soaking wet and cold, and we could
not render any assistance whatever to
those who were in the greatest peril. A
number of those washed OF the wreck
and saved by the line were afterward
washed off the rock and drowned. We
could see the people falling from the
ships side and rigging. Several persons
who became completely exhausted lay
down on the rock and died.
A BOYS FRANTIC STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
The little fellow, the only child saved
from the wreck, ran Upon deck with the
stream of passengers when the first
alarm was given; his parents and other
members of his family were still below
and evidently perished VIXEN the shin
filled and fell over on her side, nestled
about among that struggling mass OF
excited humanity. The piteous screams
of the poor little fellow wentsto the
stoutest heart. He had leaped upon the
back of one Of the men il hopes of saw.
ing himself, but in that fearful crisis
when everybody was intent upon saw.
: ing themselves,
FEW PAID ANY ATTENTION TO THI
VAIL Or THE BOY,
and the man, upon whose back he was
clinging as il for bare life, made seveTa
I Intellectual attempts TO shake the boy off
The cries of the boy st last attracted tht
attention of the captain, who, perceiv'
ing the tenacious manner in which hS
was struggling Cor life, called out to tn,
men who were surrounding the Lines
that led to the rock OF safety to en-
, deavor, if possible, to save the boy
and the poor little fellow was immedi
ately passed over the heads Of the strug
Cling mass of beings and placed in q
: boat. The men, who were exerting
themselves to save themselves, wept al