Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-04-19

ne WIS loI u long time n captain IN the
Guion line. For upwards of a year he
has been in the White Star service, first
as chief officer of the Celtic, and latter
ly, for two voyages, as captain of the
Atlantic. He met with an accident a
short time ago which disabled him to a
certain extent, and recently he has been
compelled to use a stick and abstain /
from great exertion. Notwithstanding |
this, however, he so conducted himself |
at the trying time as to win the highest |
concentrations from the passengers.
THE CHIEF ENGINEERS REPORT.
John Foxley, chief engineer, says:
The vessel struck on the rock at 3:15
A. NJ. on the LIST ult., and commenced TO
heel over to the port side, the sea break
ing over the ship and the vessel filling
rapidly. All the female passengers,
who were asleep at the time the ship
struck, were prevented from coming on
deck by the seas washing over the ship
and filling her. Some of the passengers
got into the life boats. The davit falls
were cut away to allow the boats to float
clear of the davits, in the expectation
of getting clear of the vessel by that
means, but sea broke on board and
washed greater portion of the passen-
gers who were in the boats out into the
sea. The boats were stove, and those
who ventured in them persisted. The
third officer, Mr.. Brady, and two quar-
termasters swan ashore with a small
line, which enabled a great number of
the passengers and crew to get on shore.
got on the rock soon afterward. and
also Robert Herring, second, John
Hodgsdon, third, William Patterson,
fourth, Samuel Davis, sixth, and Rob
ert McFaTlan, seventh engineers, and
we and others of the crew and passen-
gers assisted many from the vessel to
the rock.
A great number of the passengers
were drowned while going from the YES
sci by the rope to the rock. The cold
was so intense that some of them being
benumbed were unable to hold on to the
rope and they let go and we were unable
to render them any assistance. The
rock that we were on was covered with
seaweed, which made it very dangerous
to stand upon, and the edges of the
rock were round. All on the rock with
ourselves, being soaking wet and cold,
were unable to render any assistance to
those who were in the greatest of peril.
A number of them were washed off the
wreck and drowned, and a number who
were trying to get from the rock to the
island by line were also washed from
it and drowned. We could see people
falling from the ships side and rigging.
Three boats which were carried across
the island rendered assistance in carry
ing the passengers and crew from the
vessel and rock to the shore. Several
persons who became completely ex-
hausted lay down on the rock and died.
Some Of the passengers became mani
acs. They were foaming from the
mouth and talking like children. We
were very kindly received and treated
by the people on shore. Mr.. Ryan,
magistrate, and Mr.. James Coveley,
fisherman, rendered us every assistance.
The chief officer, Mr. Firth, who, it is
supposed, was drowned, was seen cling
ing to the rigging, but no assistance
could be rendered him. At II o'clock
the same morning the ship was break
ing up, and the cargo was washing
ashore. Many corpses were washed
within reach. We started at o'clock
yesterday afternoon for Halifax, and
arrived there at II o'clock, where we
were well cared for. The fifth engi-
neer, Thomas Grant Urquhart, belong
ing to Dumfries, Scotland, was drowned.
A sTEERAGE PASSENGERS STORY.
VIM. Hogan of Waterford tells the
! fn1lnuinn. T loo1- J. =,
l heard the sailor on duty call out, Calls
well, three o'clock" After hearing the
sailor saying, "All's we'll" went to the
forward steerage and gotinto bed. About
five or ten minutes afterward [ heard
they Waterman cry out, Breakers ahead!
and almost instantly heard a tremend.
Gus crash, and the air rushed in and
blew out the lights. 1t was my impress.
siont hatthe boiler had bursted. / called
up some of the boys that were sleeping
near me, and told them to rush on deck,
that the boiler had exploded. Some OF
them refused to go, and said that il
mattered little. Thinking the steamer
was out at sea that it was just as well
to meet death below as on deck. But
and Pat Leahy, my chum, determined
to save our lives if possible, and as al
was confusion below 1 cannot tell how
we got on deck. The orders were given
as is common thing in steamships,
with sailors, that the matches should be
closed, and no one be permitted to as.
cend the deck. Thinking that our lives
were in imminent danger we forced the
matches up. AS soon as we were or
b 10 1 r I, I
and saw the rock, as [ supposed, about
three hundred yards distant. Thought
at first it was an iceberg we had struck
but Immediately afterwards the ship
began to heave or plunge, and after
three or four plunges settled and the
water seemed to be rushing in. Believ
ing that our safety depended on ou1
being on the side of the vessel neares
to land, I rushed to that side an(
caught hold of the rigging. Then the
ship began to turn over gradually OF
her side. I got on the side of the shil
and caught hold of rope. L then hearC
dismal wall, which was fearful to lister
to. 1t proceeded from the steeragt
passengers below, who were then smoth
ering 1t did not last more than tive
minutes, when all was still as death
The captain then shouted out that thu
: last chance was to get on the rigging
and several of them did so. AfterwarC
) 1 heard the first officer shout out tina
the only chance to those who could swim
was to jump overheard and endeavor t.
reach the rock. One old man held Oh
to life tenaciously, but he seemed t,
! ! have lost his presence of mind. Ihelp
! ! ed him to get nearer to the boat whel
: some of the passengers were beint
| TT IL I.