The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-04-10
A Terrible Disaster.
LOSS OF THE STEAMER ATLANTIc-sEyEN
HUNDRED AND FIFTY LIVES LOST.
HALIFAX. April l. 1873.


HUNDRED AND FIFTY LIVES LOST.
HALIFAX, April l, 1873.
The steamer Atlantic, of the White Star
Line, from Liverpool, March Goth, for New
York running short of coal, made for Halifax,
when about twenty miles from that port. When
off Cape Prospect at 2.30 a. M, she ran ashore
on Meagher's Head. She had on board over
one thousand men, women and children, and
only two hundred and fifty succeeded in land
ing, the remainder, including all the women
and children, were lost. The Captain and
third officer were saved. The first officer was
drowned. On the first receipt of the news OF
the disaster here the Cunard and Government
steamers started to the assistance of the. AT.
lantic, but the third officer. who arrived here
atS;s9 & M, says the vessel and cargo are
New YORK, April 2.
News received here last evening of the loss
of the Atlantic struck terror to the hearts of
all who heard of it. but it was not until this
morning that the terrible character of the ca
lamity became fully public. Bulletin boards
of the evening newspapers were surrounded
by excited crowds, and sympathetic comments
can be heard on every side. In the hotels
great excitement prevailed among the guests,
many of whom had friends on the steamer.
All details were eagerly sought for until a late
hour last evening. The company's employees
at the wharf here had not received any infor-
nation concerning the Atlantic. Among the
passengers were William 81. Merrith and wife,
of Norfolk; Miss Mary Merrith and Miss An
tsnie Scrugner. 1t will be some time before the
actual list of taose lost can be obtained.
The Tribune this morning says the first OIL
Ger appears to be the only officer lost. The
captain and others of the command were saved.
A dispatch received by the agents of the White
Star line late last night says 250 passengers
were safely landed on Meagher's Islands. The
sender does not believe the loss quite SO heavy
as at first reported, and another account says
$50 men managed to reach Meagher's Head
Rock safely.
A special to the Times from Halifax, regard
ing the wreck of the White Star steamship
Atlantic, says It is understood over seven hun
dred unfortunate passengers out of one thou
sand on board, all women and children, were
drowned. The first intimation received of the
wreck was rumor that the Ocean steamer had
gone ashore; down the coast and that several
lives had been lost 1t was next ascertained
that the Atlantic had attempted to make Hal
flax harbor en- her way from Liverpool to
New York, in consequence of the shoftness OF
coal A heavy gale prevailed at the time, so
that as she neared the coast, in hopes of sight
ing the light on Lambs island, the vessel was
Iesistlessly carried before the wind by strong
current that always prevails in that locality,
right on to the shore, causing her to become q
total wreck. Late last evening further and
fresher details were obtained. Itappears there
we're about fifty cabin5pa passengers aboard, to-.
gether with over nine hundred steerage passen-
\ gers, so that, with the crew, the total number
of souls aboard was over one thousand. Du-
ring the passage across, the steamer encounter
ed very heavy weather, but all was well till
Yesterday. About IL o'clock Monday night,
the captain and officers believed they we're
making straight for Lambs Light, but two
hours later the vessel struck. The scene at
that moment was terrible. The steamer bump
ed upon rocks two or three times, as the heavy
waves lifted her showing her doom sealed.
Scarcely had the first shock been felt than the
passengers rushed from their berths in the
cabin and steerage on to the main deck. At
tempts were then made to cut away the boats,
and one was soon filled with men and women.
1t was too late, however, for the steamer sud-
denly careened to leeward, falling over on her
beam ends and almost Immediately sinking,
the boat mentioned being swamped and going
down with her. So close to shore was the
steamer when she struck that several sailors
succeeded in swimming ashore with line after
they found themselves thrown into the sea.
Fortunately, fishermen living on the coast were
on the lookout, and they assisted the third off,
Ger and his companions in hauling rope by
means of the halyards they had SO bravely car
ried ashore. BY means of this line, some 250
men succeeded in getting safely to land.
New YORK, April 3.
Latest Halifax dispatches received in this
city say that the loss of life by the Atlantic is
not as great as was at first supposed. 1t is now
established that nineteen out of thirty-three
cabin passengers were saved and fourteen lost I;
of the crew, sixty were rescued alive, and about
the same number lost; and of eight hundred
and odd steerage passengers, four hundred and
seven escaped The loss altogether is now es-
timated at five hundred and forty-six The
two vessels, Lady Head and the Cunard tug
boat Delta, which left Halifax early yesterday
morning for tie scene of the disaster at Pros
pect, returned to Halifax, bringing with them
4O7 survivors of the wreck. A few others,
comprising All officer and four men, who re-
mained at Prospect, and three who walked in
land, are moi included among the number
bsoupht to Ealifax. When the two vessels,
which left Halifax about o'clock, approached
Prospect, those on board said that number of
fishing schoonsrs and small boats had gathered
about the submerged ship, which indicated the
locality of the ship. Several trips were made
between the Atlantic and the two steamers,
and finally the whole surviving company of
the disaster were brought safely aboard.
The captain of the Atlantic attributes the
disaster to the speed of the vessel, which must
have made more than nine knots to get 80 far
out of her course. The captain seems over
whelmed with sorrow. He said TO reporter ::
"To think that while hundreds of men we're
saved, every woman should have perished! 1t
is horrible. IL l had been able to save even
one woman, [ could bear the disaster; but to
lose all, it is terrible, terriblep He seemed
to fully realize that the world would hold him
to strict account The latest accounts report
41S saved ard $50 lost, including $50 women
and children. The cargo was generally fash
ionable dry goods, valued at S50O,OOO.