The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-12-31
THE STEAMER vIRGINIUs.
A Curious Fate BcfaIls Her on the
=. - Way TO Now York. ~

/ Il
= Way to New York. i-'@'
New YoRK, Dec. 3O.-Wheu the Unite,
States steamer OssipGc was boarded. sooI
alter her arrival here the absence OF th
steamer Virginius, which vessel the form
or was commissioned to bring into port
was explained, and the startling intelli
gence communicated that the VirginiuE
which being all along in leaking Condi'
tion, had when of Cape Fear, in spit
of all the efforts of the crew aboard O
her, settled and gone 10 the bottom. Th
Times further adds that the officer Of tht
deck on tho ossipee said he had .stric
lorders not to communicate with anybod!
/ in felatiOn TO the circumstances Rttendinl
the laundering Of the ViIginius. FL
would not even give the date Of the occur
renee or place where It happened. lie
however, made no attempt 10 deny
the accuracy of the report as II
the laundering oil the ship 3ThC
captain of the revenue cutter Grant
who boarded the 0ssipee Is report
ed as saying that the Captain OF the latte
vessel informed him that the Virginlu!
had been lost OF Cape Fear. Although
no official announcements has been madt
Of the loss OF the Virginius no one doubt
the truth Of the statement. A dispatcl
from Wilmington, North Carolina, report
q sunken vessel, which is supposed TO b
the Xirginius, nine-miles south oi the
main bar. n,& s q
THE sUNKEN vEsLEL Last sREN OFF CApI
RoMAIE.
A Herald special dispatch from VII
mington, N. g., says TINT Captain Wilt
banks Of the steamship TOnawsnda, which
larrived Sunday reports passing the sunk
len vessel nine miles south Of Main Bar
with only her tOp-masts or top-gallant
mssts out Of water. A steam tug subsc-
Quentlyl visited the spot, her officers con
curing In the opinion that the vessel was
undoubtedly q square figged steamship
A pork barrel was floating above the
wreck, and attached TO Il was q twelve
inch hawser, having been evidently used
% q tow rope. Pilots at Bald Head, a,
the mouth oi the river, state that or
Friday last they observed near the spot
where the vessel lies large steamship in
tow, and that she was full rigged ship
The above facts taken in connection with
the telegram that the steamship Georgia
from Charleston, had spoken tue Virgin
lus in tow off Cape Roman on the 24th
inst. at 2 7. NJ. renders II tQlerably car.
tain that the sunken ship Is the world re
nowned Cuban fillibuster vessel Eirginius
A pilot boat from Smithville visited the
spot Sunday evening, and the men who
were on her fully agree in this opinion
Only few feet of the main mast is vlsi-
Bile above the water. II Is thought thai
when she was abandoned pork barrel
was placed as a buoy 10 mark the spo'
where she went down.
THE aRAL OF SECRECY REMOVED AND TITR
FOLLOWING PART CULARs OBTAINED.
New YoRK, Dec, 30.-Lieutenant Com
mander Howell of the Ossipee made the
following statement, to-day. concerning
the loss Of the Vlrginius: The OssipeC
left Tortugas with the Virginius In tow or
the morning OF the 10th inst. They had
fair weather until the afternoon Of SAtur
day following when a, gale sprung up
They continued 10 have bad weather and
the Virginius signsled she was leaking
badly. Capt. Walters therefore immedl-
ately shaped his course for Charleston, s
G., but as they got into smoother water
the Virginius behaved better, and The
water was kept out o! her fire room
On the morning OF Christmas, however
severe weather having continued, the
Virginius was again leaking as badly as
ever, and the vessels put into Frying Pan
Shoals, about ten miles south Of Cape
Fear light, where smoother water could
be obtained. Here the vessels came 70
anchor, Captain Walters hoping that the
Ytrginius would ride out the gale. Before
daylight next morning, Friday, Comman.
der Woodraw signalled with lights that
tho Virginius was leaking rapidly, the
fires out and the pumps stopped, and thai
the crew wished to be taken oil. Boats
were lowered from the OSsipee OF day
light, and by IA. N. all on board OF the
Vlrginius were transferred 70 tho former
vessel. As heavy sea was running the
work Of removing the crew was one oi
much danger and difficulty and therefore
no lives were risked in endesVoring TO
save their personal effects or any other
property on the vessel, The hawser ol
the Virginlus was cut, and buoy at,
tached 10 mark her position In case she
sunk out Of sight. The 0sslpee remained
at anchor during the day and at quarter
past four p. M. the Virginius, which had
been gradually settling, went to the bot
tom. She sank in eight iathoms o.
water and her top masts remained above
the surface. The 0ssipee then resumed
her voyage 10 this port. The naval
officers were very reticent to-day, and the
above statement was not obtained till the
United States District Attorney was com
municated with and removed the seal oI
secrecy. ,e..........,.
THE RELEAsED CAPrIvEs OF THE VIRGIN
IUs.
The released CAptivG5 Ol the Nirginius
remain at the Cuban restaurant In Pine
street, and the scene there this morning
was one Of great enthusiasm. Resolutions
were adopted, giving thanks u Captain
Braine oi the Juniata for his kindness and
expressing sympathy for him In the loss
OF his son. The ex'captivcs also resolved
to attend the funeral Of the child.
REDUCTION OF WAGES.
NEW SoRK, Dec. 30,-An order has
been issued for reduction Of wages oi
engineers and other employees on run,
ming trains on the PennsylvaniA railroad
the reduction TO take effect on Thursday
II is reported that the men will strike.
PITTsBuRGH, CINCINNATI 3 at. LOUIS
ROAD
CINCINNATI, Dec. 3O.-SuperintGndsu'
Ellison OF the Cincinnati Division OF the
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati S ST. Louis Rail
road has secured the services of nine en-
gineera for passenger trains, and needs
four more; he has had hundreds Of appli
cations since the strike. All passenger
trains, except one accommodation. are OF