The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-12-09
Tuesday, December 0, 1878.
A Terrible Catastrophe.


lowing particulars:
im The Vile de Havre was cut down in mid
ocean on Saturday morning, November 90,
by the sailing ship Loch Earn, from Glas-
glow. The news reached Cardiff, Wales,
by ship Trimountain, which brought 81
passengers, 6 officers and 81 of the crew.
On the night of the 21st it was windy
and heavy sea on, but bright and star
light. The captain went below at mid
night leaving the second officer of the ill
fated steamer in charge. Two hours later
the collision occurred. With terrific
blow the Loch Earn struck her amidships.
Men, women and children, seized with ter
ror rushed on deck in their night clothes,
and all was confusion. l p.f
The Loch Earns bow had cut fissure
in the deck 10 feet in depth, and the iron
plating Of her side was crushed for dis
tance of 80 feet. Many passengers were
too much terrified to try to save themselves,
many prayed, and many laid down with
the calmness of utter despair. Some hear
ing the water pouring into the ship never
quilted their state rooms. Whole families
thus went down together.
The means of escape were crippled by
two boats being crushed by the mainmast
and mizzenmast, both of which fell over in
five minutes after the collision, killing and
manning many persons. The two boats
were launched, the whale boat under COM
mand of the first lieutenant, and the cap
tain's gig manned by sailors. The Loch
Earn after getting clear, sailed mile, then
hove to and sent four boats to the wreck,
which sunk twelve minutes after the cOllis-
ion.
The whale boat saved load of passen-
gers, who were put on board the Ioch Earn.
The boat then returned to the wreck and
saved a second load, including the captain,
who remained by the Vile de Havre till
she sank. The boats found passengers and
crew floating on the waves, holding on to
planks, buoys, spars, and whatever could
be seized as the wreck went down. Many
of the women saved were floating in water
for two hours or more before they were
picked up.
One of the officers of the steamer swan
to the Loch Earn. The captain of the
Hayre is reported to have been quite ex-
hausted by his three days and nights of un-
interrupted duty. The officer in command
when the collision took place was lost The
boats remained about the spot until there
was no longer any hope of saving more
people.
Among the survivors was one lady whose
husband and four children perished. Three
young ladies lost their father and mother.
One young man lost father, mother and
sister, and another gentleman lost his sis
ter. He was taking her to France for her
health. The suferings of those rescued
were intense, the cold being very severe.
Many persons were nearly insensible and
would have perished in a few minutes
more.
The Lock Earn was much damaged by
the collision and hoisted signals of distress.
The Trimountain sighted her and resposd-
ed at 8 o'clock in the morning. The pas
sengers we're transferred to the Tri-
mountain. The French authorities will in
quire into the cause and responsibility for
the collision. The Purser Of the steamer
says she was struck on the starboard side,
and the mainmast and rigging were car
ried away.
The long boat was not crushed on deck,
but after being lowered the mizzen- mast
falling upon 1t killed nearly all the occu-
pants. The main-mast fell after the miz-
zen-mast, toppling over on the deck, kill
ing many persons. In few minutes the
ship began to sink amid great disorder and
frantic terror. The scene was awful be-
yond description. The water rushed into
the hold with increased velocity.
undressed myself, and with a compan-
ion jumped overheard and swan towards
the Loeb Earn, then half a mile distant.
AS left heard the ship cracking, and
looking back saw her go down with one
plunge forward.
For moment the shrieks were terrible /;
then all was silence it was the silence of
death. The captain remained on the bridge
of the vessel during the whole time and
went down with the ship; he was picked up
an hour afterwards. All the officers were
rescued in a similar manner, except the
first lieutenant, who was in charge Of the
whale boat.
Captain Urquhart, Of the Trimountsin,
says the survivors attribute no blame to
tho officers Of the Lock Earn for the ca
tastrcphe, but say they did everything pos