Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-02-13

The Nsrshaees Hsrrsr:
New YORK. Feb. s. The details of the
terrible disaster to the ship Northheet are
published in the London papers, from
which 1t appears that at half-past ten ut
night the captain aud officers were alarm
ed by cry from the officer of the watch
"A steamer is right into u.s." The captain
and pilot rushed on deck, but before they
got there the steamer had run into the YES
sci, striking her amidships and cutting her
below the water mark. The carpenter
reported her nearly half-full OF water.
The pumps were started promptly and
the crew worked hard at them for some
minutes. but when 1t was found the water
was rapidly gaining. a panic seemed to
seize both the crew and passengers. and
the officers could not keep the latter in
check. \ crowd of men and women had
rushed up from their berths, many only
half clothed. The passengers had mostly
retired. but n few were undressing.
The noise of the collision is lkcned BY
one of them to peal OF thunder, and such
was the violence of the shock that those
standing were knocked down. II appears
that the steamer rebOunded and came II
second time in collision with the Northheet.
Water began to pour in and in very
short time the passengers. quarter, We're
swamped. The women were slower to
rush on deck than the men, and many
were not in condition to 20 until the
water rose threateningly around them.
No one on board the steamer was heard
to speak, although the loud aud eager
shouts from the Northfleet must have
made her crew aware of the terrible dan
ger that existed. She backed for TWO or
three minutes, and then steaming rapidly
away, was soon out of sight.
For half all hour the scene on the decks
of the Northiicet was appalling. Women
shrieked, men cursed, swore anl fought
their way toward the boats, whilst the
captain and first mate roared out COM
mands to the men to keep back and allow
the women to get 10 the side of the vessel.
but apparently without success. Rockets
were fred and blue lights burned. A gun
was loaded, but through an accident The
piece could not be discharged
Signals of distress were seen by several
vessels, but appear to have been regarded
as signals for pilot. Meanwhile the
scene on deck battles description. The
captain, finding the men determined 10
leave the vessel, went below aud armed
himself with revolver and ascending the
poop deck declared his determination to
shoot the first man who tried To leave the
vessel before the women were saved.
The first boat launched was lowered by
number of the passengers by cutting the
ropes. There being no ladder nj hand the
only way OF getting into il was by leapng
or dropping some twelve or fifteen feet.
As there was terrible rush toward the
boat the scene was one Of distressing con-
fusion, and mau and boy fell into the
water and were drowned The officers
did all they could to force the men who
, first got into the boat to leave IL that the
women might be saved but to no purpose.
even firing with blank cartridges. About
thirty persons having got into it, the boat
put of. Not one of the crew were in it.
Another lifeboat was launched. A man
got into il and was order d To leave. He
refused. and the captain shot him in the
calf. Then captain Knowles placed his
wife in the boat and said 10 the boaiswain,
who already got In, Heres charge for
you. Bos'n; take care of her and the rest,
and God bless you" Wringin. his wife's
hand he babe her Good bye" saving, Il
shall never see you again.
IL Is impossible 10 describe the panic that
ragged all this time. Heartrcndiny scene,
were witnessed on all sides. One of the
passengers seeing the Captains wife in the
boat. threw his own wife in. tossed her ba-
by To her and entered the boat himself A
laNNif u INTO the BOAT bN her
father, who tried to save the rest OF his
family, but the maddened crowd pressing
toward the side OF the vessel prevented the
rescue OF his wife and two other children,
and they went down with the Inflated ,es-
sci. The engineer made frantic eff irts TO
save his wife and children. He was jam
med between the cook house and the gun
vale and received dreadful injuries and
though afterwards rescued. is IN precari-
Gus state.
Only twn of tho sav.n boat. shoa RI wore
launched, owing. no doubt, to the panic,
and one was seriously injured, as the tack
les were cut and the boat fell into the sea
When the second boat had got OFF it seem.
ed TO become question OF moments. The
quarterback was still crowded BY men.
women and children. crying. swearing and
praying. The captain and pilot were to-
gether. and the latter was heard saying
If you want to save yourselves, make for
the topmast. to which many OF the poor
victims rushed.
In quarter OF an hour a tug picked up
the second boat with thirty occupants, and
then steamed around the spot. About
three-Quarters of an hour after being struck
the Northneet went down head first. with
awful suddenness, with three hundred and
ttcenty-sSrsR souls board. At that mo-
inent tne Er,t Doat was lb yarSe and the
second boat only 20 or 80 yards from the
vessel. The crew OF the first boat. after
landing the women. iowed around the
scene of the wreck and saved five men try
ing TO swim TO the shore.
\ luggcr took on the occupants of the
second boat. "a passengers, and pilot
cutter rescued the pilot and 10 men, who
having gone down with the vessel, rose 10
the surface and chung 10 the MAIN topmast
rigging. The vessel lies in eleven fathoms
OF water.
The survivors say that the captain dis
played the greatest heroism. lie retained
his presence of mind from the first To the
last, strove hard to put All end to the pan
lie. and did his duty bravely to the end
He was at the last moment going across
the deck in the hope of enabling some of
the crowd rushing around the boats OH that
side 10 get away from the ship.
The survivors say that other boats got
adrift when the ship sunk, and expressed
the belief that If the passengers had allow
ed them TO be lowered they probably could
have saved ut least 100 more lives. I'm
fortunately the women could not climb the
masts although we did all in our power to
help them. Consequently all the women
and children. with the exception of the
captains wife aud another and two chill
dreu. were drowned
Great Britain.