Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1873-04-08
Another Terrible Marine Dis-
aSter.

steamship Atlantic, OF the White
Star Line, from. Liverpool March
Goth for New York, running short
of coal, made for Halifax. When
about twenty miles from port, off
Cape Prospect, at $50 o'clock this
morning, she ran ashore on Mea-
CHEERS Head. She had on board
over one thousand men, women and
children. Only two hundred and
fifty succeeded in landing. The re-
mainder, including all the women
and children, were lost. The cap
tain and thi d Office were saw, d.
The first officer was drowned. On
the first receipt Of the news of the
disaster Cunard and government
steamer started to the assistance Of
the Atlantic, but the third officer,
who arrived here at $50 this after
noon, says the vessel and cargo are
q total loss.
S ATEMENr OF TIE THIRD OFFICER.
The third officer, Brady, arrived
in this city this evening. He says
that the Atlantic left liverpool on
the Goth of March with upwards of
nine hundred Storage passengers
and about fifty cabin Passengers.
The steamer experienced boistercas
weather during the passage, but all
went well till noon on Monday, the
3lst, when the supply of coal be-
came nearly exhausted and the cap
tain determined to put into Halifax.
The captain and third officer were
on deck till midnight. The posi-
ton was then judged to be Sombro
Light, bea ing N. N. w. thirty-nine
miles. The captain then went into
his chart-room, leaving orders to be
called if there was any change in
the vessels position. They went to
bed about the same time as the cap
tain. The next thing that he re-
members is that he was thrown out
of his bunk and heard the ship
strike several times. He then
rushed on deck, and found the cap
tain and officers there, and the deck
full of passengers.
He got an Ok and commenced to
claer away boat. The captain
and other officers were busy doing
the same thing. Brady got the
boat out and put two women on it.
A number of men attempted to get
into it and about dozen succeed
ed.
Just at this moment the steamer
iCi OfCI vi ucI Dcttiu cilO dllu SIiIh.
Only one boat had been got out,
and that was carried down by the
stream, and all in it were lost
Brady scrambled into the mizzen
rigging, which was above water,
and seeing that he could do nothing
there he went forward and unrolled |
the halliards, being assisted by
Quartermasters Sherman and Owen.
Brady then took o ballard and |
all three swan to the rock, and
then line was hauled ashore and
a number of passengers landed by
it.
A number had got on the rock,
but as the tide was rising their po-
sition was no better than on the
vessel. Just then fishermen on
shore came out in boats and res
cued those on the rock and large
number from the rigging.
Brady remained at the scene till
noon to-day, when all who were
alive on board had been taken from
the wreck except the chief officer,
Mr.. Firth, who was in the rigging
shouting for help. Brady says he
tried to get the crew to the rescue
of Firth, but the sea was so heavy
nobody would volunteer.
Altogether about $50 passengers
were saved, including Capt. Will
Jams; also, the fourth officer, Mr..
Brown, of the engineers and sail
ors.
Not single woman or child was
saved. Most Of them, as well as
hundreds of the men, were drowned
In their births. The steamer struck
about two o'clock this morning.
The weather at the time was dark,
but not thick, and the sea rough.
Steamers are going down tonight
to render what assistance they can.
All the people saved from the wreck
except Brady are still at Prospect,
where the fishermen are giving
them all the attention they possibly
can.