Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-04-11
THE LOST ATLANTIC.
INFERESTING PARTICULAIkS OF
THE DISASTER.
e Statement. OF Mr.. 3. w. yick.1

The New York World, of April 9th,
has the following interesting particu-
lars of Mr.. Vick's reception in New
York, and his statement concerning
the Atlantic Disaster
The first of those shipwrecked in the
Atlantic to arrive ip this city reached
| here yesterday at five o'clock, from
| Boston, namely, Samuel W. Wick
and S. Comacho, the former, of
! North Carolina, the latter of New York,
cabin passengers, and Thomas Dunn,
steward of the Atlantic, in whose
charge they had been placed. Both
the passengers were somewhat feeble
and i'll. Comacho, who had his feet
badly frozen during the seven hours of
| ciinging to the rigging i'll IL bitter
/ wind, rode with them bandaged and
| living upon the seat i'll front of him.
/ Under Mr.. Dunn's, charge the two had
made the trip as far as Boston with the
,,other saloon passengers and the steer
age passengers; but at that city, wish
ing to come through rs quickly ne
might be. exchanged the steamboat
tickets provided for them-by the White
/ Star Company for passage on the New
York and New Haven road, paying the
difference; and as they were far from
strong, requested Mr.. Dunn to accom-
pany them The writer accompanied
the little party during the latter part
of its ride from Boston. Mr.. Comacho,
Irthough his frozen feet continually
panied him., was in apparent good
spirits and almost Jolly as the train
drew near the terminus, in the pros
pect of an immediate meeting with his
wife and friends, to whom he had tele-
-graphed his coming. The party sat in
tho smoking car during the afternoon,
and met the scrutiny of ii thousand
sy1npathizing eyes. The brakemen told
the news to every newcomer, and all
rushed to get sight of the saved men
. even before securing their seats. When
the train had reached the Forty
street depot Mr. Corlacho had hardly
got upon his feet when two gentlemen
hurried aboard and IL turn were en-
brsced By him, \ rapid fjow of Italian
followed with congratulations and
teiacIlations unnumbered. Then rose
difficulty. Mr: Wick could walk, and
went in search of two carriages, one to
take him to his hotel, tile other to
carry his companion home Supported
on each side, the latter with difficulty left
the car and could como further. Finally n
q chair was brought, and seated on this
he was lifted by two men and carried.
:, laughing, from the depot. A crowd
, surrounded the carriage as he entered
Il it with his friends, and his story passed
rapidly from lip to lip, bringing out
expressions OF sympathy everywhere.
/ Every one was anxious to help carry
!, bundles and packages, and the throng
was almost in a ''hurrah" as the hack
drove of. Mr.. Wick was met nv his
wife and w., children AZ the depot.
|, Mr. =. ". Fi"t, while reciting his
story OF :ne accident, the scenes and
sufferniSs Of the passengers when the
ship was Striking, appeared to stu.ider,
!. and VIZ silent at intervals as though
trying 10 bring 10 mind what he and
the others had experienced Having
spoken Of the crowded condition Of the
steerage. he commenced his story by
saying: On the 2Sth we proceeded 50
by ali on board that the ship was rum
ming short of eoal an,; that there was
not Sufficient tn carry her L. New
York. Though many of the passsn-
GER had implicit faith in tie captain.
they still wished To- mention the fact o!
the scarcity of coal to him. and to find
out what he intended t" do 20 repleu;sh
the supply. The 23;!l passe, and 23S
miles we're made by the steamer Tie
lack IT coal, however, troubled the
passengers. anu Oh the morning -. the
3uta they requested th,. ,.anta;n to
enter some port and coal np. This, he
said, he intended to do. AMI all on
board wor,' satisfied with the arrange
ment 'rho vessel on that-dav travelled
264 miles. and on the 31st lfo. As
| 500 - the course was altered fGr
Halifax there was the best of feeling
on board, and all hands EXPRESSED their
entire satisfacti III with the orange
nent. That NIGHT We sat ND until a
lat hour, and talked and jokeI over
tie narrow ESQ .nes we had from the
Sc "a weather. Wile! we lla;! heard
tfe"s Were but 127 tons Of coal III thc
| bl'!Ikers to carry us to New York We
fe:I very much disappointed that the
Live pool agent; Of the line would
allow such thing to happen. But. as
| L ~;Gsi before, We had nothing IT, COM
| plain OIL. Tho officers of the vessel
/ were Very courteous every available
! comfort WIS supplied AID we deemed
! It then. though We were short of coal,
uni!l tn condemn or blame any peraon
/ for Il matter which the 1ext day could
! be remnuied. [ with few friends re-
! NAMED talking until six bells had
struck eleven o'clock, when [ went
| upon the deck ard found that the yes
sci was sailing splendidlv, and making.
| as far'as [ could Judge, about thirteen
| knots an hour. After short CONVEX.
sation with the officer of the deck about
minor matters, | retired, and slept
| sourdiy until three o'clock in the
| morning. when ] was flung on. ot nv
bed head first. At first [ could not
! ina CINE the cause. Before I had time
to collect my scattered senses, how
ever, [ heard the cry of danger from
| above, and without waiting to inquire
about the details rushed for the upper
deck. As [ was about to ascend the
stairs the stewart begged OF IRE to r1ln
baci, and put some clothes on, ~ The
weather was bitter cold, and the waves
We're rushing over the deck. / took
his advice, and quickly putting o.,
few articles Of clothing rushed 10 the
deck again. when almost instantly. the
ves7e; gave iurch and fell on its side.
1t would be- Impossible for m. f., tell
You. what my feelings were 1T the mo-
mcIit, but 80 be candid I had given ND
all j.of'e am, had prayed u tfod to for !
give my sIDh. However [ uas en-
deaynrin9 t. make the best effort TO |
save, nv life, AMI rs I looked down the |
cabin stairway I saw Mr.. Fisher and !,
his wife making for the upper deck. /
The water was then tillnfgup the state |
rooms on both sides, and it seemed |
impossible fur any human isaine below !
to escape death. Mrs. Fisher called |
upon her husband to save himself, but !
lie refused unless she was also saved: /
and thus both of them lost precious |
tine size paralyzed with fear and |
almost frrzen, he too faithful to leave
her t. u IRISH and satisfied to die with |
her i moment ended that, for an
immeus., wave dashed over the hui
wark. and the tw" disappeared from
sight forever. This wave. too, ended
the s,tiferines Of those below, for when
it had passed away scarcely Il sound
could b. heard either in the cabin or
stee-age. Though I was in great
4 ~,