Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-04-04
SINKING OF TINE ATLANTIC.


the behavior OF the officers, after the Atlantic d
struck on Mays Rock Ia
1t seems that many more lives would have been a
saved if the steerage people had not been so slow
IN getting out of their belths. G.
Captain Williams is here and is absolutely over e
whelmed with grief, not oHly at the disaster gen.
orally, but particularly at the loss of the women r
and childIen He accounts for the accident by
the statement that after he laid down for a sleep
the ship must have run over fifteen miles hour
when he thought she was making less than eleven.
The latas. report shows that ALB persons were
saved and about $50 were drowned The rescued
pr sen9e 8 are loud IN their praises OF the poor
tsh1 -men Of Prospect beach and their wives and
daughters, vino did all in their power to make the
unfortunates comfortable as soon as they reached
| the shore.
! One-half of the persons drowned were women
and children.
| The ship has broken in half and the wreckeTs
are at work bringing of bodies and bundles and
and bales of dry goods The Cargo was worth
$500 600, and very little OF il will be saved.
The rescued passengers are being we'll treated
here. They all agree that throughout the terri.
bic scene Captain Williams acted like a hero
1t esu'terly Impossible to save any ofthe ladies,
though strenuous exertions were made to do So
Captain Williams conveyed Mrs. Merritt and |
her sister to the life boat but finding il imprac'
tcable to launch the boat he placed them in the |
rigging They were let, as every woman and
child on board. Among the many sad accidents
of this terrible calamity was the death Of Mr..
Price, who perished upon the side of the vessel
from exposure.
The ladies behaved with the utmod heroism.
Not one cry was heard from them they perished.
mother and daughter parted from each other
IN silent agony. Mr. Fishers wife besought him
to save himself, but he refused to leave her,
:, saying 81 shall remain hY you; we shall meet
e in another and better world" They were both
Y lost.
t GENEROSITY OF THE QUEEN.
LONDON, April 3.-The Queen has given
orders 10 afford the emigrants saved from the
wreck the Atlantic every attention, appropri
ating sum from her own private purse for their
accommodation.
s. THE CREW WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST
le ever gathered on any vessel, being picked up
a, about Liverpool docks, and were with the great.
- est difficulty kept under control during the voy'
age The storekeeper says that one of them
he attempted.to snatch his watch and chain one
n night, but was foiled. On another occasion,
r. during the storm on March 25th, he says that
n some Of the crew tried to break into the spirit
IN room, and it was for awhile feared that force
would have to be used to prevent them. When
'u the boats came from the shore to rescue the
ad survivors, the saiIor7 repeatedly pushed the
re passengers aside, OF knocked them down and
al iuml ell into the boat themselves.
to A young man named Wellington. who had
on and was bringing home valuable collection o
books trinkeis, etc, and was returning to friends
m in Bostou, was probably drowned in his STATE
M room.
1m The sailors, mostly Liverpool men, behaves
outrageously. The body of Mrs. Fisher wa
&C. found, and some fend in human form had smash
his ed her finger with rock to wrench from it he
'ay wedding ring.
rk' A BRIDAL PARTY GOES DOWN WITT
Of THE WRECK.
IN Among those drowned was a family Of III
v v name of Merritt, of New York. Mr.. Merit va
IL about 40 wears old, and bachelor until h
ri married Miss Mary Scrimer, April g 1872, ju
w oro year ago, and for their wedding tour wei
the TO Europe in the identical vessel in which the
res since met their terrible death. About six montl
owe ago Mr. Merritt wrote inviting his sister, Mi
SER Merritt, and Miss Annie Scrimser, sister of
Iose wlfe's to Join them. The two young ladi
I Me l started and arrived in Par.s in safety. II
4, family, then consisting of four persons, Start'
the out together again, visiting, Italy, and final
arrived back in London, writing 10 the fami
here their purpose return by the Atlantic. TIL,
-. did as they proposed, and left Liverpool by III
and steamer. They all met death in the same mannC
: to and by this sudden calamity the family of Il
give Merrls is wiped out, it were, in one blow.
HALIFAX. N. s., April 3-Eyening.-Not
ing of Importance has been received from Il
-, wreck to-day. A schooner loaded with cofh
@ @ue.e has been sent to Prospect. About 100 of Il
AVes survivors have left here for Portland on Il
zoo steamer Chase, and more will go tonight
rket - R;1 SHninS All will "a hsid The GA %
and some of the passengers viii remain here
day or two to give statements, ii necessar
luest before that tribunal
~ r;nn THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
last We saw very little of the women and ch
from dren, says another informant; eVerythl
happened so quick that before even those vi
were strongest had got out OF the chOked ps
alth sage way the females were either so bewildl
Citv ed or the water had so impeded their prOgrC
tary that very few came on deck. Those that d
were swept away before they could fast
themselves or be secured by others. saw 0
woman, said he, In the water with three CD
''ain' dren Just as they were washed overheard, T.
n on in her arms, one an infant, and the other wi
q ana its arms about her neck. They went down
noon most instantly.
It his THE ONLY YOUTH SAVED FROM THE WRECK
caves -. ~. fouov,;ng st,tam.nt. Nv mama
lourn John Howley, IL years of age. went on
-A Atlantic at Liverpool with my father, moth
and Young brother. All belonged to Asht
The Lancashire. The first thing he knew worth m
..5o tioning was that he awakened in his berth
I y ~ a great noise. Although he did not hear
~ us voices, there seemed TO be great rush, and
10 IN stumbled out Of bed and into the crowd Most
ge IN the people passed him. and he saw six men ctO
were ing iato top berth, upper steerage, and he
nthaP IosT of the broke thrOun