The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1873-03-07
rne Nortnneet Dlsastor.


fleet disaster are extracted from late London
papers From these IL appears that at half
past ten O'Clock at night the captain and
others were alarmed by cry from the officer
The captain and pilot rushed on deck but
before they got there the steamer had run
into their vessel, striking her amidship,
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 while It was
rapidly gaining panic seemed to seize both
crew and passengers, and the officers could
not keep them in check. Crowds Of men
and women had rushed up from their berthe,
many Of them only half clothed. The pas
seagers had mostly retired, but few We're
undressing. The noise of the collision is
likened BY one Of them to apealot thunder,
ana such was the violence ofthe shock that
those standing were knocked down. 1t ap-
peared the steamer rebounded, and came
second time in collision with the Northhaet.
The water began TO pour in, and in very
short time the passengers quarters were
swamped. The women were slower to rush
on deck than the men, and many were not
in condition to go till the water rose
threatening around them. No one on board
kanrd - onanE nlfhnuUh a
loud aud eager shouts from the Northheet
must have made her crew aware OF the
terrible danger that existed. She backed
for two or three minutes, and then steam
ing away, was soon out OF sight. For half
an hour the scene on the deck Of the Moth.
feet was appalling. Men were cursing and
swearing, aud fought their way toward the
boat while the captain aud first mate roared
out commands to the men to keep back and
allow the woman to get to the side Of the
vessel, but apparently without success. -
Rockets were fired and blue lights burned
The gun was loaded, but the screw OF th'
ramrod became detached from the handle
and the piece could not be discharged. Fht
signals of distress We're seen by several YES
sells, but appeared to be regarded as signal
for pilot, for no assistance was rendered
Meanwhile, the captain, finding the men de
termined to leave the vessel, armed himsel
with revolver, and, ascending the poop
declared his determination to shoot the frs
man who tried to leave the vessel befor
the women were saved, The first boa
launched was lowered by q number of pas
sengers BY the ropes. There being no lad
der at hand the only way Of getting into
was BY leaping Or dropping some twelve o
fifteen feet AS there was terrible rusl
toward the boat the scene was one OF dis
tressing confusion, and a man and boy ie
into the water and were drowned. Th
officers did all they could to force the ME
VIM first got into the boat to leave il, tina
the women might be saved, but to no pul
pose. About thirty persons having got int
it the boat put of. Not one Of the cre'
! was in the boat. Another lifeboat was the
3 launched, aud one man got into it and wa
ordered to leave, but refused, and the cal
j tain shot him in the calf SI his leg. CaI
r tain Knowles then placed his wife in th
boat, and said to the boatswain, who ha
! already got in y" Here is charge for you
4 loosen, take care Of her and the rest, an
] God bless you" Wriaging his wfe's hant
< he bade her goodbye, saying: | shall me-
e or see you again" II is impossible to d
i scribe the panic that ragged all this time
) Heart-rendng shreks were heard on a
r sides.
----~---.s--9S-.+-----~---