Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-04-08
THE ATLANTIC.
The Progress of Official InrestIgatiO
Testimony of Officers, Sailors and
=. Steerage Passengers.
Developments of the Divers.
226 Bodies Recovered.

Halifax, he said he was in bed when the
ship struck, it not being his watch. Moth
ing was said or done to impede passengers
coming on deck. Do not know what the
speed of the vessel was when she struck.
From my knowledge and experience of
crews, that of the Atlantic was far better
physically and fully as well disciplined as
are the average. The stories of robbing the
dead are entirely true. q
Testimony OF Fourth Omcer.
John Brown, fourth officer of the At
lantic, testified: At midnight the third
officer told me the distance to Sambro light
was forty-eight miles. The ship was run
ming nine knots. At 1:30 the wind was
west north west with little swell. The
leads were all on the bridge ready for
sounding. Between 1:30 and the time the
ship struck was on the saloon deck about
ten feet below the bridge. The night was
cloudy, not thick. Before l left the deck l
went to the weather side and looked for a
light, but could not see anything but the
open sea. About half an hour after the
ship struck. Did not let the boy call the
Captain, because l knew the ship had not
run anything like forty-eight miles. No
one in my hearing told the second officer
that the distance had been run. One of
the Quartermasters asked me if he should
go to tle main yard to look for land. Told
him it was too soon. l did not hear the
rout of the sea on shore probably because
Of the noise of the engines. The leads
were not hove on account of the ciearness
of the night and the certainty of seeing the
light. The Captain and other officers were
attentive and efficient and all temperate
men. No cards or other games were
allowed. It is not true that the Captain
was playing cards half an hour before the
ship struck.
Testimony from the Steerage.
VIM. Hogan, steerage passenger, testified:
Went to bed at 8 O'Clock on the night of the
disaster. Remained till 2:30; then went to
the upper deck and for a while walked up
and down near the engine room. Heard
the watch call out three O'Clock, and then
went below. Before doing so looked out
on The side, afterwards found to be nearest
to the land. The sea was light. Neither
saw nor heard anything to indicate the
close proximity of land. Almost imme-
diately after laid down the second time l
heard fearful crash. The windows in
opened. Looked out through
a port hole and saw a rock. Ny companion
and myself made way to the second deck.
Don't know how we got up as the concus-
sion had knocked the companionway ladder
away. Some passengers cried out below
"The doors are closed" but I think they
had in their hurry missed the place where
the doors were. found it very hard to
get out. positively believe great many
more would been saved had the means Of
exit been more ample. There is l think
only room for one to get cut at a time.
Testimony OF Sailors.
Joseph Carroll, an able seaman, testified:
Was on the lookout forward of the bridge.
Knew we were making the land and the
coast dangerous. The ship was going
about 10 knots or 9 minutes before she
struck. saw the breakers first and then
the land on the starboard bow. | sung out
'.breakers ahead" to the officers on the
bridge. | did not hear the breakers at all.
stood about 80 yards from the bridge.
Am sure my cry was heard by the second
officer. Don't think that even if the en-
giles had .been reversed, the ship could
have been prevented striking.
Patrick Kelly, an able seaman, testified !:
Was on the lookout on the bridge with the
second officer, when l saw breakers. l
called out, (" breakers or ice ahead" One
Of the quarter masters saw them at the
same time and told the second officer, who
gave the signal "full power
astern." Heard no noise ofbreakers. As
near as l can judge the ship was within
/ quarter Of a mile of the breakers wheL
trst saw them.
rhe other Side of the story.
Quartermaster Thomas in the course of
ais testimony repeats the words he address
ID to the second officer and said the latter
'eplied he was not captain and 1 was not
nate and he couldn't do as he pleased.
Thomas then asked the fourth officer if he
should 90 to the main yard and look for the
and, aud was answered it is of no use.
Witness told the fourth officer he would not
zee the land until be struck upon it. The
captain was called at 3:12. Didn't arouse
It first, and witness told the second officer |
le had better shake him and get him up.
Just then Carroll cried out "Ice ahead" |
Witness left the wheel and ran to the door. |
Saw a white foam and ica. Ran back to |
he wheel, put the helmIhard On starboard; |
hen ran to the telegraph connecting with |
he engine room, but at that instant she |
truck.
Testimony of the Engineer.
Chief Engineer Foxley testified that at |
loon on the 31st of March there were 127 |
ons of coal on board, the expenditure of
he previous day having been 60 tons, and |
he ship 4S0 miles from Sandy Heck
md 10 from Halifax, barometer falling. |
All the officers agreed to the Captains |
proposition to put about for Halifax, Eight |
hundred and seventy-fou tons of coal were |
,ut aboard at Liverpool, and there were
20 tons remaining from the previous voy- !
Ige, making total of 967 tons. We used |
bout so tons before starting Oh the voyage. |
The average daily consumption was SO tom.
The consumption was greater than usual |
,ecause the coal was mixed, English and |
Welsh. We consumed about the same |
Iuantity this time So on the last voyage.
)n that voyage we had = much larger
luantity, PROBABLY 1900 or 1900 tons.
We're out Is day and had 124 tons when
We reached NeW York. Previous to last |
7oyage we had all Welsh coal.
The Work of the Divers.
HALIFAX, April THE divers at work |
o-day report that On the upper deck pas |
engers and cargo arc SO mixed that the |
,odies cannot be got at. Two girls were |
Ound lying in their beds in the lower after
teerage. Holes will be blown in the ship |
o facilitate the recovery of tie bodies and |
argo. Eleven bodies were got to-day, of |
which five were grsppled up. Up to tonight
26 have been recovered. None of those |
Ound recently were cabin passengers. The |
eports in the press respecting light at
)ape Prospect being mistaken for that of
iambro are false. There is no such light
s Cape Prospect. Nobody on board The
Atlantic saw any light in approaching the
cast.
In an interview to-day, Capt. Williams /
aid: We had an ample supply of all stores
kept salt fish for the Catholic passengers.
IN the Friday previous to the wreck they
ad complained of The scarcity of fish.