The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-04-10
The Atlantic.

Line, winch occurred on the lst OF April,
The vessel started from Liverpool on
March 20, and according to the Cap
tains statement during the first part of
the passage had favorable winds On
the 24th, 25th, and Goth ult, the ship
experienced heavy gales which brought
her down to one hundred and eighteen
miles o day. On the 3lst of March
the engineers report showed about one
hundred and twenty seven tons of coal
on board. The Captain then judged the
ship to be AGO miles east of Sandy Hook
and as the was steaming eight knots an
hour he concluded the risk to great to
push on for fear the ship in the event Of
a gale, would be shut out from any port
of supply, so he decided to bear up for
Halifax. At p. n. on the 31st inst,
Sambro Island was distant 170 miles,
the ships speed ranging from s to II
knots an hour. AT midnightthe Cap
tain judged the ship to have made 122
miles, which would place her 48 miles
south of Sambro, In the Captains ac-
count he says further:
MY first intimation of the catastrophe
was the striking of the ship OF Mars
Islands anG remaining there fast. The
sea immediatly swept away all the port
boats The officers went to their stations
and commenced clearing away the
weather boats Rockets were fired by
,he second officer. Before the boats
could be cleared, only ten minutes hav-
ing elapsed, the ship keeled heavily to
port, rendering the starboard boats use
less.
Seeing that no help could be got from
boats, ] got the passengers into the rig
ging and outside rails and encouraged
them to go forward where the ship was
highest and lest exposed to the water.
The third officers, Mr.. Brady, Quarter
masters Owens and Speakman, by .his
time having established communication
with the outlying rock about forty yards
distant by means Of line, got four other
lines to the rock, along which about 200
persons passed between the rock and the
shore. The passage was 100 yards in
width, and rope vas successfully pass
ed across this, though many we're drown
ed in the attemp:. AT 3 a. IN. the
first boat appeared from the island but
was too small to be of any assistance.
Through the exertions of MIR. Bsady
the islanders were aroused, and by
a. m. three larger boats came to their
assistance. By their efforts al! that re-
NAMED on the side OF the ship and on
the rock were landed in safety and cared
for by poor fisherman, named Clancy,
and his daughter. During the day the
survivors, to the number of 429 were
drafted off to the various houses scattered
about, the resident magistrate, Edmund
Ryan, rendering valuable assistance.
The chief officer having got up into
the mizzen rigging, the sea cut off his
escape. He stood tor six hours by the
women who had been placed in the rig
ging. The sea was too high to attempt
mis- rescue. At p, II. a clergyman,
Rev. NJ. Ancient, succeeded in getting
him line and getting him off. Many
Of the passengers Of the saloon and steer
age died in the rigging from the cold,
among the number was the purser OF
the ship.
Before the boats went out placed
two ladies in a life. e.boat, but finding the
boat useless, carried them to the main
rigging and left them, and went to en-
courage others to get forward on the side
of the ship. At this juncture the boil
ers exploded and the boat rolled over to
leeward. The ship then was lying OF
her beam ends. Finding myself usees;
there, | vent to take the ladies forward
but found them gone, nor did | see them
afterwards: Many passengers at thi:
time could not be stimulated to any eft
fort tc save themselves but lay in tht
rigging and died from fright and ex
posure.
I remainded on the side encouraging
helplng, and directing until about l.
were landed, when becoming useless,
lett the ship, two other boats being clost
to, and embarked the remainder. Or
reaching shore, l dispatched Mr., Brady
the third officer, off to Halifax, across
the country 20 telegraph tie news of
the disaster, and obtain assistance, Mr.
Marrow, the Cunard Line agent, prompt
ly responded, and sent two steamer.
with provisions TO convey the survivors,
to Halifax, where they will be cared for
and forwarded to New York, the first
opportunity, in charge of the first and
fourth officers. The third officer ant
four men being left at the island to TAXI
care of the dead as they came ashore
Capt. S. Hendon, diver, has received
provisional authority as to the salvage
and material. The second officer va
lost, with No. 80 life-boat."
The Atlantic started FROM Liyerpoo
with nearly thousand passengers OF
board, out of which from 500 to COZ
persons found watery grave. Th'
news of this terrible disaster spread owe
the whole country like wild fire, casting
a gloom over all minds Immaginatior
carries us to the tated steamer, Atlantic
on that dreadful night, and we see cling
ing to the rigging, nearly Thousand