The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1873-04-12

| Inc StetlllSnlp Atl;lntlc was run upon
| the rocks, some ten days ago, while
! steering for the port ofualifilN. Several
| hundred immigrants We're on board and
a number of cabin passengers. Several
women and children were among the
number. Particulars ofthe disaster are
furnished i'll the following recitals.
The following is the statement of
Captain Williams:
We started from Liverpool March 20.
During the first part of the passage had
favorable weather and easterly winds.
On the twenty-fourth, twenty-tiith and
twenty-siNth experienced heavy south
west and west gales, which brought
the ship down to us miles Il day. On
the thirty-tirst of March the engineers
report showed about 1877 tons of coal on
board.
We We're then i6o miles east of Sandy
Hook, with the wind southwest, and
high west swell and falling barometer,
and the ship steaming only eight knots
per hour; considered the risk too great
to push on, as we might find ourselves,
in event Of gale, shut out from any
port Of supply, and so decided to bear
up for Halifax. At l y. NJ, on the
thirty-tirst, Sambro island was distant
40 miles, the ships speed varying from
ten to twelve knots per hour; wind
south, with rain, which veered to west
at Z. NJ, with clear weather; at mid
night judged the ship to have made
l % miles, which would place her forty
eight miles south of Sambro; ! then
left the deck and went i'll the chart
room, leaving orders about look out and
let me know if they saw anything and
call me at 3 y. NJ, Intending then to
put the ships head to the south and
await daylight. My first intimation of
the catastrophe was the striking of the
ship on NIarr island and remaining
there fast.
The sea Immediately swept away all
the port boats. Tho officers went to
their stations and commenced clearing
away the weather boats. Rockets were
fired by the second officer. Before they
could be cleared, only ten minutes
having elapsed, the ship !>cclcd heavy
to port, rendering the starboard boats
useless. Seeing that no help could be
got from the boats, | got the passengers
into the rigging and outside rails, and
encouraged them to go forward where
the ship was highest and less exposed
to water.
The third officer, Mr.. Brady, Quar-
termastcrs Owens and Spcal>man, by
this time having established cOmmuni-
cation with the outlying rock about
forty yards distant, by means of Il line,
they got four other lines to the rock,
along which about two hundred per-
sons passed. Between the rock and tho
shore there WAS 4 passage one hundred
yards wide. a rope was successfully
passed across this, by which means
about fifty got to land, though many
drowned in the attempt.
At > \. NJ. the first hQ,t appeared
from the island, but she was too small
to be ofany use. Through tho cNcrtions
orNlr. Brady the Islanders wcrc aroused,
and by 6 n. NJ, three large boats camc
to our assistance, and by their efforts
all that remained on the side of the
ship and on the rock were landed in |
safety and cared for by Il poor fisher !
man named Cl;nsy and his daughter.
During the day the survivors,, to the |
number of i29, were driftcd Off to Vari- |
GUS houses scattered about, the resident |
magistrate, Osnlound Ryan, rendering !
valuable assistance.
The chief officer got up the uiZzcn |
rigging, but the sea cut Off his retreat |
He stood for six hours by Il woman |
who had been placed in the rigging, !
the sea being too high to attempt his |
rescue.
At 3 2. NJ, however, a clergyman,
Rev. Mr.. Ancient, succeeded in getting !
him a line, by which he was released. !
Many of the passengers, saloon and |
steerage, died in the rigging from cold. !
Among them was the purScr Of the
ship.
Before the boats Went out, placed .
two ladies in 4 lifc-boat, but finding
the boat useless, 1 carried them to the
main rigging, where left them and
went aft to encourage the others to 80 .
forward on the side of the ship. At
this time the boilers exploded and the
boat rolled over to lecWara, the ship az
this time being on her beam ends.
Finding myself useless there, | went .
to take the ladies forward, but found .
them gone, nor did ! see them after
ward. Many passengers at this time .
could not be stimulated to any efforts
to save themselves, but lay in the rig ,
ging and died from fright and exposure. 7
| remained on the side encouraging, .
helping and directing until about fifteen I.
were landed, when, finding that my
hands and legs We're becoming useless,
| left the shin,