The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-04-08
Terrible Catastrophe. Over 5OolLives Lost.

The steamship Atlantic, of the White
Star line, from Liverpool March goth, for
New York, running short of coal made for
Halifax. When about 90 miles from port,
off Cape Prospect, at 2.3O O'Clock this
morning, she ran ashore ON Meagher's
Head. She had ON board over one thou
sand men, women and children, only 450
of whom succeeded in landing, the remain
der, including all the women and children,
were lost. The Captain and third officer
were saved, the first officer was drowned.
On the first receipt of the news Of the dis
aster here, the Cunard and Government
steamer started to the assistance of the
Atlantic, but the third officer who arrived
here at $50 this afternoon says tho vessel
and cargo are a total loss
The Captains statement regarding the
affair is as follows: On the 31st of March
the engineers reports showed about one
hundred and twenty tons of coal on
board. We were then AGO miles east of
Sandy Hook with wind southwest and high
westerly swell and falling barometer, the
ship steaming eight knots per hour. con-
sidered the risk too great to push on as we
might find ourselves in the event of gale,
shut out from any port of supply, and so
decided to bear up for Halifax. At 1 p. m.
on the 31st Sambro Island was distant ITO
miles, the ships speed varying from eight
to twelve knots per hour. Wind south
with rain, which veered to westward at 2
p. M, with clear weather. AT midnight l
judged the ship to have made 1873 miles.
which would place her As miles south of
Sambro, and l then left the deck and went
into the chart room, leaving orders about
the lookout and to let me know if they saw
anything and call me at 3, O'Clock a. M, in
tending then to put the ships head to the
southwark and await daylight My first
intimation of the catastrophe, was the
striking of the ship on Marrs Island and
remaining there fast. The sea Immediately
swept away all the port boats The officers
went to their stations and commenced clear
ing away the weather boats. Rockets were
fired by the second officer Before the
boats could be cleared, only ten minutes
having elapsed, the ship keeled heavily to
port, rendering the starboard boats useless.
Seeing that no help could be got from
boats got the passengers into the rigging
and outside the rails and encouraged them
to go forward where the ship was highest
and less exposed to the water. The third
officer, Mr.. Brady, Quartermaster Owens
and Speakman, by this time having estab-
lished communication with the outlying
rock about forty yards distant by means of
line, got four other lines TO the rock, along
which about 200 people passed between the
rock and the shore. The passage was 100
yards in width, and a rope was successfully
passed across this, by which means about
fifty got to land, though many were drown
ed in the attempt. AT q. IN. the first
boat appeared from the island, but was toe
small to be of any assistance. Through
the exertions of Mr.. Brady the islanders
i, were aroused, and by 6 a. m. three larger
boats came to their assistance. BY theil
efforts all that remained on the side of the
ship and on the rock were landed in safety
and cared for by a poor fisherman, named
Clancy, and his daughter. During the day
the survivors, TO the number of 429 were
drafted off to the various houses scattered
about, the resident magistrate, Edmund
Ryan, rendering valuable assistance.
The chief officer having got up into the
mizzen rigging, the sea cut off his escape
He stood for six hours by the women who
had been placed in the rigging. The sea
was too high to attempt his rescue, At
p. m, a clergyman, Rev. M. Ancient, sue
ceeded in getting him line and getting
him Off Many of the passengers of the
saloon and steerage died in the rigging
from the cold, among tho number was the
purser Of the ship.
Before the boats went out / placed tive
ladies in life-boat, but finding the boal
useless, carried them to the main rigging
and left them, and went aft TO encourage
others to get forward on the side of the
ship. At this juncture the boilers exploded
and the boat rolled over to leeward. The
ship then was lying on her beam ends
Finding myself useless there, went tC
take the ladies forward, but found then
gone, nor did see them afterwards. Many
passengers at this time could not be stinu
lated to any effort to save themselves, but
lay in the rigging and died from fright ant
exposure.
A HnnnkY Female.