The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-04-03
Heart Rending Details.


United States, and meanwhile a feeling of most
painful anxiety prevails.
HALIFAX, April 2.-The steamship Delta,
which was dispatched to the scene of the dis
aster to the Atlantic, has not vet returned, and
there is no later information from the wreck
than was contained in the dispatches furnished
last night, The Delta is expected here this af-
ternOon.
HALIFAX, April 2.-Early this morning the
dominion government steamer, Lady Head,
Capt Watson, the Cunard steamer Delta,
capt. Shaw, and the steam tug Goliah, Capt
Jones, left this city for the scene of the wreck
OF the White Star steamer Atlantic. The
Lady Head Mad on board a number of custom
house officers and the Delta several newspaper
reporters. L ne start was made about three
o'clock so that the steamers might reach the
the scene Immediately after daylight. AS the
morning broke the steamers approached Pros
pect Those on board quickly learned the
whereabouts Of the Inflated Atlantic from the
presence around her of large fleet of fishing
schooners and small boats. The locality is one
that mariner would be dispU sed to give q
wide berth to if possible, the shore being
succession of large beds of rock with dangerous
shoals running out for some distance while the
bav is studded with innumerable islands, large
and small all of solid rock with scarcely a sign
of Vegetation, Or soil for anything to grow.
The business of the vessels was to get on
board the passengers and others who had been
saved from the wreck and put on shore, where
with the large number and the small place, not
,ven the large hearted generosity and kindness
Of the fishermen could be expected to make
them comfortable. The Delta and Lady Head
anchor, and the Goliah with life boat went to
re-imbark the shipwrecked people. No time
was lost. The Goliah and the boat soon return
ed filled with men who proceeded to get on
board the Delta, 'and such molly party"
Falstaff's regiment was well att:red and re-
'pectable looking compared to these English,
irish, Scotch Welch and Germans, indeed rep
esentatives of every country in Europe and
the United States were hudded together, talk
ng, laughing crying, praying and thanksgiv-
ing, producing confusion of tongues OF the
most mixed character. The wealthy merchants
If London and New York, the high-toned pro-
tessional gentlemen and the lowest of the for
egn emigrants appeared in strange clothing,
much of which had been given to them by the
good people of Prospect. Some were without
coats. many without hats, others without boots
and all had to mourn the absence of some COM
fort in the clothing line
Here was an arlstocratic looking man striv-
ing 10 make himself at home under delapi-
lated looking OvercOat that probably done duty
in days of yore on the back of more than one
hardly fisherman of the place.. while at the
same time he made desperate efforts t. get on
his benumbed hands pair of lavender kid
gloves He had preference for kid as a rule
no doubt, but at that particular moment he was
gazing enviously on a half frightened to death
Dutchman who sported prodigious pair Of
wool mits which did great credit to the skill
and sense of the fisherman's pretty daughter
who had given them to him. All were warmly
welcomed on board the Delta by Capt. Shaw
and his officers who shared no pains to make
them as comfortable as possible.
The Goliah returned to the shore and was
soon back again with just such crowd as the
previous one
By II o'clock all those who had reached the
shore safely aypnDtinU a n Offipnr and fnnr
men, who had walked to the land brought on
board the Delta and the Lady Head. The for
mer having about $50 and the latter r.
The Loss OfLife.
A calculation was now made by Capt. Will
Hams, which shows that the loss of life, though
immense, was not SO large as had been report
ed. The Atlantic had on board SO cabin pas
sengers, 800 steerage passengers and crew, Of
ficers included of 143 men; total 976 souls
Thsoe known to be safe numbered 43O, leaving
the number lost at 546. This may not be pre-
cisely correct, but is nearly so.
The Statement of Captain Williams.
The following is the state ment: We sailed
part of the passage we had favorable wea1hA-
and easteriy winds. On the 24th, 18th and 26tn
we experienced heavy south west and westerly
gales which brought the ship down to lis miles
a day. On the 31st of March the engineers re-
port showed but about 129 tons of coal on board.
We were then AGO miles east of Sandy Hook,
wind south west, and high westerly swell and
a falling barometer, the ship steaming only =
knots per hour, and considered the risk too
great to push on as we might find ourselves in
event of a gale shut out from any port of sup
ply and so decided to bear up for Halifax. At
l p M, on the 31st, SambrO Island, north 5
degrees east was distant 40 miles. The ships
speed varying from knots per hour to u. The
wind was south during the first part with rain
versed to westward at s p M, with clear
weather. At midnight judged the ship to
have made 122 miles which would place her 4S
miles south of Sambro. 1 then left the deck
and went into the chart room leaving orders
about the lookouts, and let me know if they
saw anything, and call me at 3 p. M, intending
then to put the ships heal off to southwark |
and await daylight
My first intimation of the catastrophe was
the striking OF the ship on Mars Island, re-
swept away all the port boats. The officers |
went to their stations and commenced clearing
away the weather boats. Rockets were fixed |
by the I'd officers. Before the boats could be |
cleared only 10 minutes having elapsed, the |
ship keeled heavily to the port, rendering the |
boats useless. Seeing that no help |
could be got from the boats, L got the passen- |
gers into the rigging and outside the rails, and |
them to go forward where the ship |
was highest and less exposed to the water. |
Owens and Speakman by this time having es-
,ablshed communication with the outlying |
'ock about forty yards distance by line We |
hen got four other lines to the rock along |
which about 200 people passed. Between the |
'ock and the shore was passage 100 yards |
his by which means about fifty got to the land, |
though many were drowned in the attempt. |
At o'clock a. m., the first boat appeared from
The is a I'D but she was too small to be of auy |
Through the exertions of Mr. |
Brady the Sd officer, the islanders were arous- |
ID, and by o'clock m, three large boats |
,aIne to our assistance. By their efforts ali |
hat remained on the side Of the ship aud on |
'he rock were landed in afety and cared for by |
! poor fisherman named Cleavy and his daugh- |
,er. During the day the survivors to the num-
Der of 40 were drafted off to the various hous. |
Is scattered about. The resident magistrate
Edmund Ryon rendering valuable assistance.
{ he chief officer having got up the mzzen rig
ying the sea cut off his retreat. He stood for |
Xix hours by woman who had been placed in
The rigging. The sea was too high to attempt
his rescue.
The wreck remained in the same position as
)efere reported, the bow and masts only above
water and the sea breaking so rough that boats |
,ould no approach with safety she was brok.
N in some places and few packages had wash.
ID out and drifted to sea, but the bulk of the |
largo appeared to be undisturbed.
AT p m. a clergyman, Rev. Mr.. Ancient |
ucceeded in getting him line and getting him
IF. Many o.s the passengers saloon and sstes,y.
ge, died in the rigging of cold. Before the
oats went out placed two ladies in the life
oat but finding the boat useless carried them
0 the main rigging where 1 left them and welt
1T to encourage the others to go forward on the
ide of the ship. At this juncture the boilers
EXPLODED and the boat rolled over to leeward,
he ship this time being on her beam ends.
Finding myself useless there 1 went to take
he ladies forward but found them gone: nor
lid see them afterwards. Many passengers
It this time could not be stimulated to any eff
ort to save themselves but lay in the rigging
md died from fright and exposure. remain
ID on the side encouraging, helping and direct
ng until about fifteen were landed when, find
ng my hands and legs were becoming useless I
eft the ship, two other boats being close to and
Embarked the remainder. On reaching the
hore dispatched Mr. Brady, the third officer,
III to Halifax across the country to telegraph
he news of the disaster and to obtain assist
nee. Mr.. Morrow, the Cunard Line agent.
promptly responded and sent two steamers with
provisions, to convey the survivors to Halifax. |
who're they will be cared for and forwarded to
Sew York the first opportunity, 10 charge of
he first and fourth officers, the third officer
nd four men being left at the island to care for
he dead as they come ashore Capt Sheridan,
diver, has received provisional authority to
he salvage of the cargo and materials. The !
econd officer was lost with No. 3 life-boat
A WyornSc Uuuu-A TnrrSl,va Scaro