Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1873-04-05
TERRInLE DISASTER.
LOSS OF A WHITE STAR STEAMER
Seven Hundred Lives Lost.
&tL THE woMss AND culLpHEs DnowsEp

| &LL THE woMss AND CHILDREN DRowsEp
HALIFAX, N. s., April L. This after
! tbon report was circulated that steamer
had been wrecked on the coast, aud seve-
raj lives lost. 1t was at first regarded as
a cruel April fool hoax. but tonight the
Cunard agent here received news that it
was all true, and only little of the truth
had been told, the fact being that the White
Star steamer Atldntic, Captain Williams,
! from Liverpool for New York, while com.
ing to this port for coal, struck on Mea-
gher's Rock, near Prospect, twenty-five
miles west of Halifax, aud became total
wreck. Ofabout one thousand souls on
board upward ofseven hundred were drown
ed. Third officer Brady arrived here to-
night, and says the Atlantic left Liverpool
on March 20, with upwards of nine hun
drcd steerage ana about iiitty cabin passen-
gers. .....
THE SUPPLY OF COAL EXHAUSTED.
She experienced rough weather during
the passage, but all went well until noon
on Monday, March 81, when her supply
of coal became exhausted. The captain
determined to put into Halifax, and the
captain and third officer were on deck un-
til midnight. Her position was then .iudg-
ed to be Sambro light bearing N. N. w.
| thirty nine miles. .r
Thccaptain went into his chart room,
leaving orders to be called if there was any
change in the ships position. Brady went
to bed about the satae time as the captain.
THE SHIP STRIKES THE SHORE.
The next thing he remembers is that he
was thrown out ofhis bunk, and felt The
ship strike several times. He then rushed
on deck and found the captain and officers
there, and the deck full of passengers.
He got an axe and commenced to clear
| away the boats. The captain and other
officers were busy doing the same thing.
Brady got his boat out, and put two wo-
men in it. A number Of men attempted to
get into it, and about a dozen succeeded.
Just at that moment the steamer fell over
on her beam ends and sank.
TERRIBLE SCENES.
Only one boat had Scen got out and that
was carried down by the steamer, and all
in it lost. Brady scrambled into the miz-
zen rigging, which was above the water,
| and seeing he could do nothing there, went
| forward and unwove the halyards, being
assisted by Quurtetmasters Spcakman and
Owen.
| He then took the halyards and all three
! swan to the rock. The line was hauled
ashore and number Of passengers landed
| by il. A number had got on it, but as the
tide was rising, their situatio was no bet
| ter than on the vessel.
RESCUED BY FISHERMEN.
Just then fishermen Oh shore came out
| in boats and rescued those on the rock and
a large number from the rigging. Brady
remained at the scene until noon to-day,
when all who were alive on board had been
saved, except Chief Officer Mr.. Firth, who
was in the rigging shouting for help.
Brady rays he tried to get crew to &C
to Firh's rescue, but the sea was so heavy
that nobody would volunteer. Altogether
about 25e persons were saved, including
Captain Williams, also Fourth Officer
| Brown, the doctor and several of the en-
gineers and sailors
NOT a WOMAN OR CHILD SAVED.
Not q single woman or child was saved
Most of them, as well as hundreds of men
were drowned in their bcrths. The ship
struck about two A. NJ, the weather al
the time being dark but not thick, with 6
rough sea.
Steamers are going down tonight tC
render what assistance they possibly can
All the people saved from the wreck, eX
cept Brady, are still at Prospect, where the
fishermen are giving them all possible ut
tention.
NEW YORK, April 1.-Among :hc cabit
passengers lost on the Atlant,c, the only
ones known are William II. Merritt and
! wife of New York, Miss Merritt his sister