Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-04-08


boat loads. Halt an hour later an
other boat came and rescued many
of those clinging TO the wreck.
Third officer Brady who had succeed
ed in reaching shore over line car
riod from the vessel by himself, or
ganiEed a crew,and materially aided
IN the work of rescue.
The company said that tie catas
trophe was caused by mistating the
lights on the coast. and die not at
tach the blame to the Officers Of the
vessel, and that Captain Williams
was an experienced and excellent
seaman. He is about three years in
the transatlantic trade, and gith the
White Star Lise since it's o'ganiza-
ton: At one time he commanded
the steamship Colorado, with, after
he retired from her, was sulk by
collision in The river Mersey
THE CAPTAINS STATEMENT.
The following ID the Captains state
ment: awe sailed from liverpool
March 20. During the first part of
the passage we had favorabh wealth
err and easterly winds. On he Gath,
25th, and 26,h we experienced heavy
southwest and westerly gals, which
brought the ship down to lis miles
day. On the 3lst of Marci the en-
gineor's report showed but bout l27
tons of coal on board. We were
then 460 miles east of SANDY Hook,
with the wind southwest ami high
westerly swell and falling bare meter,
the strip steaming only eight knots
per hour. We considered the risk
too great to push on, as we might
find ourselves, in the event e gale,
shut out from any port OF supply
and 80 decided TO bear up | Hail.
fax. A. y IN on the 81 S4moro
Island was distant l70 mles, me
ships speed varying from light t.
twelve knots per hour, wind south,
with rain, which veered TO Westward
at 8 p. m, with clear weather. At
midnight judged the ship to have
made 122 miles, which would place
her forty eight miles south Of Sam
bro, and | then left the deck and
went 10 the chart room, leaving or
ders about the lookout, and TO let
me know if tht y saw anything, and
call me a, 3 a IN intending then to
put The shIps head To the SOUTH
ward aud await daylight. Ny first
intimation of the catastrophe was
the striking of the ship on Mesg her's
Island and remaining there fast.
The sea Immediately swept away all
the port boats. The officers went TO
their stations aud com menced clear
iUg away the weather boats. Rock
cts were fred by the second officer.
only ten minutes having elapsed the
ship keeled heavily TO port, render
ing the starboard boats useless
Seeing that no help could be got
from the boats. got the passengers
into the rigging and outside rails,
aud encouraged them to 60 forward
where the ship was highest and less
exposed TO The water. The third of.
fieer, Mr.. Brady, and Quart rmasters
Owens and Speakmau, by this time
having established communication
with the outgoing rock about forty
yards distant by means ola line, got
tour other lines TO the rock, along
which about 200 people passed.
Between the rock and the shore
was a passage one hundred yards
wide. A rope was successfully pass,
ed across this, by which means about
fifty got to land, though many We're
aE8wHRfagat iB JSahyo ab6@ptu A5hA a lie II
island, but she was too small to be
OF any assistance. Through the ex-
ertions of Mr.. Brady, the third off,
Ger, the islanders were aroused, and
by them three larger boats came to
our assistance. By their efforts all
that remained on that ship and on
the rock were landed in safety, and
cared for by fisherman named
Clancy and his daughter. Daring
the day Survivors To sbe number Of
420 were drafted off to various hOus-
es scattered about, the resident mag
istrate, Edmund Ryan, rendering
valuable assistance. The chief Office
er having got up the mizzen rigging,
the sea cut off his retreat. He stood
for six hours by a woman who bad
been placed in the rigging. The see
was loo htgn u attempt uls sescue
Al 8 +, IN, Il clergy man, The X VI
Ancient, succeeded H. getung uim a.
line and getting him off. Many Of
tho passengers, saloon and Storage,
died in the rigging from cold. Among
the number was the purser of the
ship. Before the boats went out
placed two ladies in the life boat, but
finding the boats useless | carried
them to the main rigging. where l
left them, and went aft TO encourage
others to 90 for ward on the side of
the ship A this juDcture the boil
ers exploded ard the boat rolled
over " leeward, tn ship at this time
being on her beam ends. Finding
myself useless there | went to take
the ladies forward, but found them
gone, nor did | see them afterward.
Many passengers at this time could
not be stimulated to any effort to
save themselves, but lay in the rig
ging aOd died from fright and expos
ure. / remained on the side encour
aging, helping and directing unit
about fifteen were landed, when, find
ing that my hands and legs were be-
coming useless, l left the ship, two
other boats being close to her, and
embarked the remainder.
STATEMENT OF CHIEF OFFICER FIRTH.
J. w. Firth, chief officer of the At.
lantic, made statement in substance
as follows;
The watch ended at IL o'clock
Monday night. The second and
fourth officers took charge and |
went TO my berth. | was aroused by
h.a Oh e