Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-04-10
Correspondence.
PORTLAND, April 3, 1873

To the Editors Of the american =
Last night at midnight crowd of news
paper men, customs officers and citizens
gathered on Railroad wharf and awaited
the arrival of the Falmouth. the new
steamer on the Nova Scotia line, with the
survivors of the Atlantic wreck. 4 train
of ten cars stood upon the wharf waiting
to take the sufferers to Boston where
ample provisions have been made for their
comfort, and Fanueil Hall thrown open to
receive them.
About half past one O'Clock the steamer
touched the wharf; the gang-wav was
thrown down, and the poor men who had
lived through storm and shipwreck were
given over by the pitiiess fates TO the
unrelenting fury of an army of intervewcrs
- and such an army the principal news
papers of New York and Boston had each
sent down from one to three representa-
| tives, all OF whom meant business, and
were clothed upon with the peculiar
modesty for which newspaper men are SO
! Justly celebrated. The ship had hardly
| grazed the wharf when the horde of hum
| CRY newsmen made an eruption upon the
| devoted throng of sufferers" and began
the work of extracting personal expert
| ences of hardships."
| Ii was n pitiful sight TO see the frost
/ bitten, MANNED throng of steerage passen-
/ gers pour out of their quarters and lump
YEARLY to their seats in the ears. Many
| of them had not lost the look OF terror
/ and pain that tie dreadful scenes of the
wreck had imprinted upon their faces.
/ They We're manifestly above the average
/ 10, nt
/ 3i2 in number. many of them intelligent
and inclined to talk. but at best they looked
/ like a sad soulleSs set of men who had left
| the best part of their lives with their lost
ones. that cruel night. on the i'll fated
! ship
There were cabin passenger survivors.
| | had long talk with the second purser
/ Of the Atlantic. Mr.. William Roberts. a
thick-set. bright-faced Enslishman. who
/ stood by the ship TO the last. aud then
escaped by the aid OF some fishermen. lie
/ SAYS that there was plenty of coal on the
/ shin TO last to New York but that the
! Capt. turned his course to Halifax because
he feared coming storm, and that he
mscalculated the speed of his ship. and
was entirely ignorant of the nature of the
coast.
Mr.. Roberts was too we'll taught to be
/ BETRAYED into complaint Of his superior
officer. but yet | could see that he felt
/ that blame OF neglect. and imprudeuce.
must be attached To Capt. Williams, and
knew that his EMPLOYERS would not hold
/ him guiltless. Mr. Roberts SAYS. that the
credit Of carrying the rope 10 the shore is
! due entirely To two brave quartermastcrs
| Owens and Speekman, who swan from
ship To rock and from rock TO shore with
n line. and thus saved great many lives.
gave clear. >uccnct account of his ex-
perience that fatal night. He was In the
rigging eli hi hours in the bitter cold with
nothing on but shirt. pants and stockings,
aud was nearly frozen stiff when he was
taken from his refuge by the Islanders and
/ carried ashore. He agrees with all the
/ others whom have talked with. that the
crew behaved in a most brutal and iiend-
i>h manner. SAYS he saw them push women
| and children down the matches 10 keep
them out of the way. hut the officers did
every act of Kindness in their power.
Mr.. Is. b. Richmond of Detroit. Mich,
+ did not seem to me To like newspaper
men. His communications TO all OF them
We're Yea. Yea. and Nay, Nay. He ha> a
I strong. firm. set face. and 4 fine. manly
bearing. but he was not difiusc in hi con
yer-aton, and answered all questions with
a curt directne-s that did not invite further
interviewing under cross examination. He
admitted that he MAS there during the dis
turhlnce. that hc was broken of his rest
badly. and passed an unpleasant night.
The result of n formal interview with
Mr.. Richmond may be found in thi, morn
ing Press
\ opOl. MAN.
Mr.. b. u. Richmond OF Detroit. seems to be
a very remarkable man. lie seems perfectly
calm and unimpas> loned, and speaks of the
event of that cruel night he would Of any
commonplace incident Of history. lie was
awakened by the dull thud OF the vessel as.Ahe
~ cxreeninriy uncomfortable and damp he
stepped into an available spot in the rigging
and renained there eight hour,, and law the
show Tor nothing and il never cost him cent,
He says he did not loss single wife or child
or relative during the whole disturbance
ON the whole | was not sorry, for nv
nights exp erience in seeing and talking
with the survivors Of that great wreck,
which makes all other marine disasters of
the century. sink into comparative insigni-
ficancc.
The appointment by the Governor of
Stanley /. Pullen. Esq, of this city. as
one of the Commissioners of the Normal
/ schools. gives great satisfaction TO our
citizens. Mr. Pullen i well known
throughout the state A. the Editor of the
Portland Press; and his high culture and
scholarly attainment. will render him a
valuable member OF the Board. Y.