Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-04-03

The Atlantic Disaster.
New York, April --Harrowing details Of
the awful scenes attending the iu.s OF the
steamship Atlantic continue to be received.
AL the WOMAN who were asleep When the ship
struck were drowned in their bcrhs, The
heavy SEA which CONSTANTLY poured over the
vessel aud filled hcr preventing them from
reaching the deck. Some w1mea who show
cd remarkable presence of mind ami apprccla-
ton OF the awful situation only rtachcd the
deck to be washed into the sea aud uio"nsI.
Soon after SIX, men on shore wrote on Il TIA X
board "c!ieer up, boats are coming to your as
sistance' The announcement was responded
to by hearty cheers from the ship. After an
half hour of awful SUSPENSE man were seen OF
the Island carrying toat over the rocks aud
5000 it was launched, aud tork oft three boat
loads from outiaying rocks W !,llc rcSculnE these
men Captain Williams aud the passengers call
ed loudly to the crew OF the boat to come
to the sap aud take them of first rs they were
in the most imminent danger, tn! Captain
saying Il will give five hundred dollars for
every boat-luad rescued.
The boat afc wards maic for tn, vessel anu
took off two boat loads. lua hall all hour later,
another boat came aud rescued many Of those
clugug to the rigging Third officer Brady
who had succeed III reaching the shore over
line carried trcn the vessel uy hiuiS II, rga,,i
zcd a crew aud materially aid. d in tn: Work OF
rescue,
John Fox'ry, Chief Eng ineer says: Tie yes
sci struck gu the rock at quarter past three
a. III. on the LIST lust, aud comncnced to
keel over on the port SIDE, the SEA breaking
over the ship and the vessel hiling RAPIDLY.
All the female passengers, who were asleep at
the time the ship struck were prevented from
,1,.,.l- h,,S npp he. n
aud filing her. Some Of the passengers s"t III
the hte-brats, the davt-falls being cut away to
allow the boats to Fl Jat clear Ut the davitS III
expectancy OF getting clear OF the vessel by thai
means, but the sea broke on board aud washed
| the greater portion OF the passengers who were
in the boats, and the boats were stove, and
those who vcnurcd in them persisted. The
Third Officer, Mr.. Brady, and the Quarter
master swan ashore with Il small! llHc, which
enabled great number OF the passengers and
crew to get on shore. | got on the rock soou
afterwards and also Robert ilerriug, Second
Engineer, john uodgsou, Sd, VIM Patterson,
4th Samuel Davis, 9th, aud Robert AlctarlIn,
18th Engineer aud We aud others OF the crew
and passengers assisted other persons to pro-
coed from the vessel to the rock.
A great many of the people were drowned
while coming from the vessel by the rope to
the rock The cold was SO lEtcr5c that some
Of them being benumbed, were unable TO hold
on to tue rope. and they lit go AND We were uu-
abled to render them any assistance The rock
that we were on was covered with sea weed,
which made it very dangerous to stand upon
and its edges were rounded All on the rock
being soaking wet and cold were washed off
the rock aud drowned and a number who
were trying to yet from the rock to The island
by the !iue were also washed from 1T and drown
ed. We could perceive people failing from the
ships side rigeiugs Three boats which were
carried across the island rendered assistance III
conveying the passengers aud crew from Tie
vessel and rock to shore. Several persons who
became completely exhausted laid down on the
rock and died Some Of the passengers be-
came mauiacs foamcd at the mouth and tot
tered about Ike children, We We're very
kindly received and treated b. the people on
shore.
At / O'Clock the same morning, the ship
was breaking up aud the cargo washing ashore.
Corpses were also washed within reach.
We started at = clock yesterday y. m. Tor
Halifax, aud arrived in town at eleven o'clock
D. ~, When we were we'll cared for.
Fifth Engineer Thomas Grant Urguchart,
belonging to Quantities., Scotland, Is among the
drowned. Incidents OF u most hcar-rcnIlng
character occurred.
4 Ittlc fellow, the only child saved from the
wreck. rushed up on deck with the stream OF
passengers when the first alarm was given, his
parents and other members Of HIS family being
, stil below-they persisted when the ship flied
and fell over oG her side. Hustled along with
that struggling mass Of excited humanity, the
niteous screams of the poor little fellow went
to the stoutest heart. He lcaped upon the
hack of one of the men in hope of being saved
nv him, but the man shook off the walllng boy.
His cries at last attracted the captain, WHO,
nerceiviug the tenacious manner lii which ne
tvas struggling for life, called out to the men
who wore surrounding the lines that led to the
rock to eudcavor, ii possible, to save the boy.
The moor little fellow was Immediately passed
over the heads of the struggling mass OF be-
ines uni placed in the boat. The kindly men
who We're struggling to save lltc aim ]st Wept Ter
sympathy as they pu! the lad on shore sale III
BODY. though sadly afflicted by his parents loss
MIR Foxley, who remalued on the rock iorSevef
hours assisting the passengers TO lanu iloul
the ship, says it was extremely narrowing ~
behold the sutferings Of the uuior'1ha'S cic.
aturcs, even after they were reScuCo' -iahS
of them became insane, trolhed AZ 'hc Lnou.',
and topplcd off the rock into the water anu
1870 dr,,wnod Others we're 81 chilled aud
7 exhausted with cold that they laid down anu
died, Some died after they had been taken ~
the mainland. All the passengers speak itl 'ne
highest terms of the gallant conduct ol tne
third officer, MIR. Brady and first engineer IL 10
particular, who remained on the WEEK s .oa ,I'
hours assisting passengers to reach the rock K
Two lady cabin passengers came on uech ~
the excitement and stood near the wheel mouse;
They hesitatcd moment asi panic stnck u anu
, returned into the companion way as II l'oAlnS
, for something Presently they came out anu
endeayored to reach the forward part OF the