The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1873-02-22
ApPalli ng Scenes On Board 4
Steamer. @ &'4

ul1uuUc6s DuU WHICH, III Wu6 IOuuI
the water was rapidly gaining, q
panic seemed to seize both crew
and passengers, and the officers
could not keep them in check. A
crowd of men and women had rush
ed up from the births, many only
hall clothed. The passengers had
mostly retired, but few were nm
dressing. The noise Of the coils
ion was ikened by some of them to
a peal of thunder, and such was
tn g violence of the shock that those
standing were Knocked down,
It appears the steamer rebound
ed and came second time in col
ision with the NorthAeet. The
water began to pour in, and in a
very short time the passengers
quarters were swamped. The wo-
men were slower to rush on deck
than the men, and many were not
in condition to go till the water
rose threatingly around them. None
on board the steamer was heard to
speak, although loud and eager
shouts from the Northfeet must
have made her crew aware of the
terrible danger that existed, She
backed for two or three minutes,
and then steaming away was soon
out of sight. he @
For half an hour the scene on
the deck c,f the Northfeet was ap-
palling. Men, cursing and swear
ing, fought their way towards the
boats, whilst the Captain and first
mate roared out commands to the
men to keep back and allow the
women to get to the side of the
of the vessel, but apparently
without success. Rockets were
fred and blue lights burned. A
! gun was loaded, but the screw of
the ramrod became detached from
the handle, and the piece could not
be discharged. Signals of distress
were seen by several vessels, but
appear to have lbeen regarded as
signals for q pilot, for no assistance
was rendered. 1854
Meanwhile the scene ON deck
battles description. The Captain
finding the men were determined
to leave the vessel went below, arm
ed himself with revolver and as
cending the poop declared his de-
termination to shoot the first man
who tried to leave the vessel before
the woman were saved. The first
boat launched was lowered by a
number of passengers by cutting
the ropes. There being no ladder
at hand the only way of getting
into it was by leaping or dropping
some twelve or fifteen feet. As there
was terrible rush toward the boat
the scene was one of distressing
confusion, and q man and boy fell
into the water and were drowned
The officers did all they could te
force the men who first got into
| the boat to leave it, that the women
might be saved, but to no purpose
Even the firing with Q blank car
fridge, it is supposed at first, was
unavailing. About thirty persons
having got into it the boat put off
tnot one of the crew was hurt. An
| other ife-boat Was launched; d mar
got into it and was ordered tx
leave. He refused, and the Captain
Eshot him in the calf. Then Captain
Knowls placed his wife in the boat
and said to the boatswain, who ha6
already got in, "Here is a charg,
for you Bosen; take care of her ant
the rest, and God bless You. Wiring
ing his Wife's hand he bade he
goodbye, saying, II shall never se'
you again" 80 9 5aa e -
It is impossible to describe tn
panic that ragged all this time Their
were heartrending shrieks on al
sides. A passenger seeing the CAP
tain's wife in the boat, threw hi
own wife in and tossed her baby t,
her and entered the boat himself
A little girl was thrown into tn
boat by her father, who tried to sav
the rest of his family, but the seett
ing, maddened crowd pressing tc
ward the side of the vessel preven,
ed, and with his wife and two othe
children he went down with the i'll
fstcd vessel. The engineer mad
frantic efforts to save his wife an,
children, but was jamed betweel
the cook-house and gunwale an,
received such dreadful injuries tina
though afterward rescued, he wa
In precarious state. Only tw
of the seven boats aboard wer
launched, owing, no doubt. to th
panic, and one was seriously II
jured, as the tackle gave out an
the boat fell into the sea.
When the second boat had 20
of, it seemed to become questio
Of moments. The quarter dec
was crowded by men, women an
children, some crying, swearing an
praying. The Captain and the p
. lot were together, and the latte
was heard saying: If you want I
save yourselves make for. the to
mast, to which many poor peopl
1hshed.
In . quarter Of an hour q tn
picked up the second boat, wit
thirty occupants, and then steame
for some time around the spe
} where, about three quarters Of a
hour after being strrck, the NortE
feet went down, head first, wit
bag 1lo 81 Iuifasd
e8g ssge sfia a0 lss q
zlI9 aaaE 3 Tsh8s lais
2 ftasfsfe asa aa% .e4a