Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-04-10
APPALLING DISASTER.

APPALLING DISASTER.
At halfpast 2 o'clock on the morning of
the 1st instant the steamship Atlantic, run
ming between Liverpool and New York,
while on her voyage for the latter city, hav.
ing sailed from Liverpool on the 10th of
March, ran ashore on Mars Head, off Cape
Prospect, and was totally wrecked. The ves-
sci had on board seven hundred and sixty
steerage passengers, besides the officers and
crew, with a cargo of 1886 tons, mostly dry
goods, valued at s5oO,O0O. Of the passen-
gers, five hundred and sixty-three were drown.
ed, including every woman and child on the
ill.fated vessel. The captain and one or two
other officers saved their lives. The reason
assigned for the disaster is, that owing to the
present high prices of coal in England, the
vessel started with a short supply, which be-
coming nearly exhausted. the captain at
tempted to make Halifax, for the purpose of
shortening his longitude. The officers and
owners of the ship are severely censured by
the press, their system of economy in the pur-
chase of coal not being regarded as an excuse
for murder. Though let the culpability be
what it may, it cannot but be poor consolation
in such calamity to know that negligence,
ignorance or total disregard of proper pre-
cautions led to it.
We condense the following details Of the
disaster as they reach us in our exchanges:
NO WARNING TO THOSE ASLEEP.
All the women who were asleep at the time
the ship struck were drowned in their berths,
the heavy sea which constantly poured over
the vessel and filled her preventing them from
reaching the deck. Some of the women, who
showed remarkable presence Of mind and ap-
probation of the awful situation, succeeded in
reaching the deck, only to be washed into the
sea and drowned. Soon after this six men,
who had reached the Shore wrote on black
board, "Cheer up, boats are coming to your
assistance" This announcement was respon-
ded to by hearty cheers from the ship.
After half an hour of awful suspense men
we're seen on the island carrying boat over
the rocks, and soon it was launched and took
off three boat-loads from the outlying rock.
While this boat was engaged in rescuing these
men Captain Williams and the passengers
called loudly to the crew to come to the ship
and take them off first, as they we're in the
mostimminent danger the captain at the same
said time, II will give five hundred dollars
for every boat-load rescued" The boat af-
forwards made for the vessel and took offtwo
boat-loads. Half an hour later another boat
came and rescued many of those clinging to
the rigging.
STATEMENT OF PASSENGER.
81 turned into my berth about II o'clock
Monday night. 1t was dark, but starlight,
and the weather was fine. l knew the ship
was going to Halifax for coal. The last re-
member was that "two bells" Il o'clock) was
struck then went to sleep, and was ava
kened by shock. I remarked to my mate,
There goes the anchor I thought, of course,
we were safe in Halifax harbor but as soon
as the ship made second plunge, l said,
Good God, she's ashore" With that we got
up and dressed. The companion-way was
thronged with lower steerage passengers. See-
ing that the sea was breaking over the ship,
and lower down the mpanionway, | got as
many as possible to take to the hunks and
hold on by the iron stancheons. There we
remained till after daylight, when the ship
had fallen over and the steerage was full of
water-one side only being out of it. Our
only chance of escape was the ports. A num-
Der of men got out through the ports to the
side of the vessel remained until all who
were alive were out. There were great
many drowned in their hunks, and others
were drowned while trying to reach the ports.
I got out through port and held fast to the
side of the ship for about two hours, and then
went ashore by lifeline When left the
ship there was still great many in the rig
ging."
STATEMENT OF THE CAPTAIN.
The captain makes the following statement:
eve sailed from Liverpool, March 2Oth.
During the first part of the passage we had
favorable weather with easterly winds. On
the 24th, 25th, and 25th, we experienced
heavy southwest and westerly gales, which
broug ght the ship down to 11S miles day.
On the 31st of March the engineers report
showed but about 127 tons of coal aboard.
We were then 460 miles east of Sandy Hook,
with the wind southwest and high westerly
swell, and falling barometer. The ship was
steaming only eight knots per hour. l con-
sidered the risk too great to push on, as we
might find ourselves in the event of gale far
out from any port of supply, and so decided
to bear up for Halifax.
"At PM. on the 31st Sombro Island
was distant 10 miles, the ships speed vary
ing from eightto twelve knots per hour wind
south, with rain, which veered westward at
P. M, with clear weather at midnight. /
Judged to have made 122 miles, which would
place the ship about 4S miles south of Som
bro, and / then left deck and went into the
chart-room, leaving orders about the lookout
to let me know if they saw anything, and
call me at A. NJ, intending then to put the
ships head to southwark and await daylight.
My first intimation of the catastrophe was the
striking of the ship on Mars island and re-
naming there fast. The sea Immediately swept
away all the port boats. The officers COM
menced clearing the weather boats. Rockets
were fred by the second officer. Before the
boats could be lowered, only ten minutes hav-
ing elapsed, the ship keeled heavily to port,
rendering the starboard boats useless. Seeing
that no help could be got, got the passen-
gers in the rigging and outside the rails, and
encouraged them to 60 forward where the ship
was high and less exposed to water.
"The third officer, Mr.. Brady, and Quar-
termaster Owens, by this time having estab-
lished communication with the outlying rocks
about forty yards distant, by means of a line,
got four other lines to the rock. Over one Of
these about 200 people passed. Between the
rock and the shore was passage 100 yards
wide. A rope was successfully passed across
this. by which means about fifty got to land,