The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-07-11
Statement of Passenger of the City of
Washington.

New York July OF.
A five column statement of Il City of
Washington passenger charges that the loss
of the steamer was due to the criminal
carelessness of the officers and crew, and
that they just barely escaped being engulf-
ed. An ocean captain, Il passenger, fire.
quently warned the chief officer that he
was running too far northward, and advis-
ed running Il hundred miles further sonth,
but the advice was disregarded, though the
was taken for seven days, notwithstanding
the vessel was going through heavy fog
at the rate of between twelve or thir-
teen knots an hour Had she struck at
night she would have gone down, or had
she gone to the right or left two hundred
yards she would have struck either Green
Island or the reefs, and fearful loss of
life must have ensued. The saloon passen-
gers were mostly chatting or playing cards
when, at / J o'clock p. M, Saturday, the
ship went at full speed on Gull Rock shoal
She gave two slight bumps, and a trcmen-
dous tremor ran through her. No one had
the smallest idea where the ship was. At
ter lapse of half an hour terrible CON
fusion, the cannon firing, fog horns blow
ing and women and children shrieking, a
sailor cried II hear human voice" A
death-lke silence followed, and soon two
brave men, Cornelius Swanburg and VIM
Ferguson, who had put out from shore
in a small boat. climbed up the
side of the ship. The latter had
risen from a sick bed The work of dis
embarking was Immediately commenced,
under their guidances. with three of the
ships boats, the second officer standing at
the gangway of the ladder with a hatchct
in his hand, threatening to cut down any
man who tried to get into boats before the
women. Meanwhile the humping and
scraping of the stern post and rudder con-
tinued, arousing fears lest.the ship would
break in two. The stecragc passengers,
however, remained remarkably quiet, and
no attempt to rush was made Some of the
women displayed great presence of mind
and herosm, sitting quietly till called upon
to disembark. A young Irish girl came
and asked the narrator whether she ''should
ever see Castle Garden at ALL" On receiv-
ing an affirmative reply she wrapped an VI
ster coat around her, gave him Il kiss, and
descended to the small boat. Once all on
| cI,n lao nd Nine l.,
one group and the Irish emigrants in ano.
ther All the neighboring barns and out
houses were soon occupied. The adjoin.
ing fences were soon stripped of rails, fires
were built, biscuit distributed, coffee
served and all were happy under the sense
of great danger escaped The cabin la
dies were received into the houses of Mrs
Harding and Lewis, who with their daugh
tiers cared for them like ministering angels
Soon many of the poor emigrants were fast
asleep lying about in the barns on the beacl
under the banks and big rocks. Col Par
nell, United States army, was very promi
ncnt in affording assistance to the latte
and conducting them to places of shelter
The ship doctor was also very efficient il
erecting tents, distributing cordlals, &c
The cabin passengers raised a subscription
of $3.50 for the heroes, Wamburg and Fer
guson and morewill probably be forthcom
ing. Stores, blankets, beef and biscui
were landed all day Sunday and Monda,
from the ship. On Monday the ship wa
found to lie in fifteen feet of water, appar
emily as solid as the rock she rested ON
Had she backed off on first striking sh
would have sunk in. five minutes. Tel
minutes after striking she began to fill an,
on Monday had fifteen feet of water in he
hold When the narrator left the til
neighboring people were showering ever
attention upon the rescued passengers, an
there were plenty of provisions for all 70
days to come. He closes his narration b.
comparing the navigation of the City O
Washington to man galloping at brea
neck speed, regardless or indifferent whctl
or there are gates ahead or not. Fortl
nately for us we got through one gate, tn
little Hope Rock, but Gull Rock shoal gal
. >yao I'M fortunately clnop1