The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-24
THE ATLANTIC.
Late and Interests~e' '''~' :
from the Wreck.
Five Weeks Stay Of a Herald Core
spOndent at Prospect.
Il III e DIVE RS.
Their Modus 0perandi Beneath
the Ocean.
The Manner of Discovering and
Bringing to the Surface.
1928 BODIES RECOVERED.
1lS Passengers as yet Unac-
counted For.
Many COrpses Drifted Out
to Sea.
BLASTING THE WRECK.
Underwriters Intent on Secur-
ing the Cargo.
Ghouls and Land Sharks Around the
Wrecked Steamer.
HOLSTERS DevOuring the
Body Of a Young Lady.
ct HE HILL OF DEATH.nu
Horrible and CHASTITY Spectacles at the Scene
of Interment.
Sad and Disappointed Friends
Leave the Sickening Scenes.
The Public Verdict on the Great
HOLSTERS Devouring the
Body Of a Young Lady.
"THE HILL OF DEATH
Horrible and Chastity Speetacles at the Scene
of Interment.
Sad and Disappointed Friends
Leave the Sickening Scenes.
The Public Verdict on the Great
Catastrophe.

HALIFAX, N. g., May 90 1873
Some seven weeksha now elapsed since the ILL.,
fated steamer Atlantic struck the Nova Scotia
rocks on Prospect and went to the bottom. The
terrible shock and the universal sorrow which fol-
lowed when 1t was known that some Ave or six
hundred lives were lost has been somewhat soft
ened by the lapse Of time. but still the world will
very properly look upon and remember the disaster
as one Of the saddest ever known. Notwithstand-
ing the interval since the eventful morning OF the
LIST OF April the scene OF the wreck is still point
OF mournful interest Almost every day, up to the
present time, there have been daily spectacles
which would cause the sroutest heart to melt.
Even the narrowing scenes which accompanied
and closely followed the sinking Of the steamer
have been more than equalled since the wreckers
and divers commenced operations. Probably never
before In the history Of the world has there been
such -
SUCCESSION OF HORRIBLE INCIDENTS
In one little community as has been indicted upon
the citizens OF the little fishing town OF Prospect.
Within month over four hundred corpses have
been laid upon the shore, and rudely buried in and
around the town. II is literal fact that the ceme-
teries contain more dead than the town does liv-
ing, and YET as bodies are being brought up nom
day to day, the number is stlll increasing. OF the
SAC souls which went down In the Atlantic 42s have
been recovered, and nearly all OF them have been
consigned to the rough and rude graves along the
shore where they met their sad fate. Whether or
not the remains or the balance Of the victims viii
be recovered 1t Is impossible to say. Undoubtedly
many of them will be found and IL Is probable also
that some have been washed to sea. 1t Is
claimed that II proper efforts had been
shown on the part OF the White Star
Line Company TO stimulate or encourage the divers
to gather up the corpses Immediately after the
n IN HAY hpn
recovered. 1t is TACT which has been often stated
and never csntradicted, that the steamship CON-
pany has acted shabbily, to say the least, all the
way through. To save the cargo, or whatever they
could OF the remnants OF the sunken vessel, has
been their chief aim. An indignation meeting on
the part OF several relatives and friends Of the VIC
TINS Of the calamity was necessary to arouse the
representatives OF the company here to the slightest
EFFORT towards the recovery OF bodies, and even
this tardy exhibition OF humanity was ordered
from New York after the proceedings Of the indig.
nation meeting had been read In the HERALD.
Twenty dollars piece was ofYered for the remains
OF the steerage and fifty for the cabin passengers.
Before this o1er the divers Of Halifax had been
unable to bring up anything but valuable cargo,
upon which they received salvage Of 40 per cent.
The day following the OFFER they brought up forty
corpses, another day twenty-seven, and other days
the number has variedtfrom half . dozen to dozen
One hundred and two have been recovered altsl
gether up to this time since the oering of special
reward. All OF them were steerage passengers
poor emigrants who came to this side to ind q
home Of plenty. but when almost within sight OF
the land Of promise, OF which they had so many
happy anticipations, they were hurriedly, almost
nnconsciously, launched into eternity.
DIVING AND GRAPHING FOR TIE DEAD.
For about two weeks the Halifax divers have de-
voted themselves exclusively to the recovery OF the
bodies, while the submarine workers OF the New
York wrecking Company have confined them
selves wholly to the recovery OF the cargo. The
Halifax gang consists OF about half a dozen,
and the Lieutenant General is clever
and quick-spoken Britisher named Sheridan.
The chief OF the submarine squadron from
New York is Captain Fred Merryman, and 1t has
been under his supervision that the herald cor.
respondent has several times explored that Dor.
tion OF the sunken vessel beneath the water,s
surface.
HOW THE DIVING Is DONE.
The peris OF diver are fewer than is generally
believed. With ordinary caution while down and
with good tenders above an accident OF a serious
nature Is almost impossible. The most unpleasant
feature OF the whole business is the intense cold,
buteven this Is not noticed after few subterranean
Journeys. The dress is ponderous and heavy, but
this Is necessary for the double purpose OF shedding
water and aiding the diver TO keep below the sur.
face. First OF all two or three pairs OF heavy
woollen stockings are put on, then as many pairs
of heavy pants, and over these there comes rub
Dor suit which 10 water tight and en-.