Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-02-20


The details of the terrible disaster to
the ship Northfeet are published, from
which it appears that at haf-past 10 at
night, the Captain and others were
alarmed by cry from the officer of the
watch, " A ship is right into u.s." The
Captain and pilotrushedo on deck, but be-
fore they got there the steamer had run
into the vessel striking her amidships
and cutting her below water-mark. The
carpenter quickly reported her nearly
half full of water. The pumps were
started promptly, and the crew worked
hard at them for some minutes, but
when it was found that the water was
rapidly gaining, a panic seemed to seize
both the crew and passengers, and after
wards it was Impossible to keep the
latter in check. A crowd of men and
women had rushed up from their berths,
many only half clothed. The passengers
had mostly retired, but few were I'M
dressing. The noise of the collision is
hkened by one of them to peal of
thunder, and, such was the violence OF
the shock, that those standing were
knocked down. 1t appears the steamer
rebounded and came a second time in
collision with the Northfeet. Water
began to pour in, and, in a very short
time, the passengers quarters were
swamped The women were slower to
rush ON deck than the men, and many
were not in a condition to go till the
water rose threateningly around them.
| No one on board the steamer was heard
to speak, although the loud and eager
shouts from the Northfeet must have
made her crew aware of the terrible
danger that existed She backed for
two or three minutes, and then steaming
rapidly away was soon out of sight. For
half an hour the scene on the deck of
the Northfieet was appalling. Women
shrieked, men cursed and swore, and
fought their way towards the boats,
whilst the Captain and first mate roared
out commands to the men to keep back,
and allow the women to get to the
side of the vessel, but apparently with
out success. Rockets were fired, and
blue lights burned. The gun was
loaded, but the screws of the ramrod
became detached from the handle, and
the piece could not be discharged The
signals of distress were seen by several
vessels, but appear to have been regard
ed as signals for pilot, for no assist
|
scene on deck battles description. The
Captain, finding the men determined to
leave the vessel, went below, armed HIM
self with revolver, and, ascending the
poop, declared his determination to
shoot the first man who tried to leave
the vessel before the women were saved.
The first boat launched was lowered by
the passengers, by cutting the ropes.
There being no ladder at hand, the
only way of getting into it was by leap
ing or dropping some twelve or fifteen
feet. AS there was terrible rush to-
wards the boat, the scene was one of
distressing confusion, and man and
, boy fell into the water, and were drown
! ed. The officers did all they could to
i, force the men who first got into the boat
! to leave it, that the women might be
saved, but no porpose. Even firing with
! blank cartridge, it is supposed at first,
was unavailing About thirty persons.
having got into the boat, put off. Not
one of the crew was in it. Another life
! boat was launched A man got into it,
{ and was ordered to leave. He refused
, and the Captain shot him in the calf
Then Capt Knowles placed his wife IL
, the boat, and said to the boatswain, who
! had already got in, "Heres charge fol
: you, boatswian. Take care of her and
! the rest, and God bless you" Wiring
ing his wife's hands, he babe her good
bye, saying, 81 shall never see you
, again. 1t is impossible to describe the
{ panic that ragged all this time. Heart
= rending scenes were witnessed on al
!, sides. One of the passengers, seeing the
, Captains wife in the boat, threw his OWL
= wife in, tossed the baby to her, and en-
! tered the boat himself Aittle girlwas
, thrown into the boat byssher father, who
tried to save therest of his family, but the
, seething, maddened crowd pressing to-
ward the side of the vessel prevented him
= andwith his wife and two other childrenh he
: went down with the Inflated vessel. The
: engineer made frantic efforts to save his
wife and children, but was iammed be
tween the cook-house and the gunwale
and received such dreadful injuries that
! he is in preearious state.
t Only two of the seven boats aboard
! were launched, owing, no doubt, to the
q panic, and they were seriously injured
: as the tackle was cut and they fell into
: the sea. When the second boat had got
s off, it seemed to be question of mo
e ments. The quarter deck was st1l
crowded by men, women, and children
some crying, swearing, and praying
The captain and pilot were together, and
the latter was heard saying, If yor
g want to save yourselves make for the
: topmast." To this many poor people
: rushed. In quarter of an hour tug
: picked up the second boat with thirty
S occupants, and then steamed for some
= time around the spot where, about three
e quarters of an hour after being struck
: the Northfeet went down head first witt
t awful suddenness with 1927 souls OF
4 board. At that moment the first boat
d was 100 yards, and the second only 20 o.
S so from the vessel. The crew of the
e first boat, after landing the women
: rowed around the scene of the wreck
q and saved five men trying to swim t.
I shore. A lugger took off the occupants
5 of the second boat, thirty-four passen
It gers, and pilot-cutter rescued the pilo
e and ten men, who, having gone dow