Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-04-10

Spcakman, the Quartermaster, SWAN towards
me with line from the rock, and | hove NV
line and caught him andpulled him ashore. As
soon a. had done so, we hauled in the line
which he had from the rock and made fast the
end OF my line to 1t rs to make il stronger
Soon as got the line made fast told those that
were on the rock TO come on shore one by one
a. would save them. The first man saved in
this way do not know. hut the second one WAS
Mr.. Brady, the third officer. | saved in this
manner 20 as near a. | remember. In some in
stances, as the line was some distance overhead
and the persons too exhausted. had to reach
down aud pull them up; some had Ia 20 into
the water for. which Was out Of my dspth by
line fastened around my waist. In this manner
the two old men would drag me and the man |
rescued ashore. | remained there from O'Clock
till Q, when | fell down through exhaustion.
One OF the stewards and somebody else came
and relieved me and was carried away TO a
house. where was kindly cared for
oUhRrERMAsTER RANL,NCE's STATEMENT.
Quartermaster Chas. Raylancc saws; About
500 hove the log and the ship was going 1t
the rate Of IL knots per hour. | went into the
after wheel house and was looking through one
of the windows, when fancied saw breakers
on the starboard side. | then ran forward 20
the lookout man on the bridge, and asked him
If he did not think that those were breakers on
the siarboard side. He reported 20 the second
officer, who telegraphed 10 the engineers room
TO reverse the engines full speed astcru. But
the snip had already struck.
THE CREW or THE ATLANTIC.
The crew was one Of the hardest that was
ever gathered in any vessel. They wcrr pick
ed up about the Liverpool wharycs and docks.
and II was with the greatest difficulty that they
were kept under during the voyage
The siore-hccper states that one of them made
an attempt To snatch his watch and chain one
night. but was foilcC. On another occasion dur
Ing the storm Of the 2J;h, he states that some Of
the crew attempted Ia break into the spirit
ROOM and II was for while feared that for"
would have TO be used 10 prevent them. When
the boats came from the shur, Ia rescue The
survivors, the sailors repeatedly pushed pas
sengcrs outside Knocked them down and
jumped into the boats.
HOW ONE CHILD WAS SAVED
\ little fellow, the only child saved from The
wreck. rushed upon deck with the stream Of
passengers, when the first alarm Wa given.
His parents and other members Of the family
Were still below, and evidently persisted when
thu ship filled and fell over on her side. IIu>t-
led about among that struggling mass Of excl
ted humanity. the pitcou~ screams Of the poor
little fellow went 10 the hardest heart liz
leapcd upon the back Of one Of the men, IN the
hope Of saving himself. but In tina, fearful crisis
where everybody was intent on saving them
selves. few paid attention Ia the walls of the
boy. and the man upon whose back h. WAS
cnging. as II for dear life made several inefir,-
tual attempts Ia shake the boy of. The cries
Oh litt pNN AZ last attracted the attention tf itit
captain, who, pcrcriying thu tenacious manner
in which he was struggling for life. called out To-
the men who were surrounding thu lines that
lctl Ia the rock, 10 rndcaVor If pn>~ibl" To save
the boy, and the little fellow was Immediately
passed over the heals of the struggling mas
and placed in the boat. Men who We're exert
Ing themselves Ia save their own and others
lives almost wcpt for joy A. they saw tie lai
safely landed on shore.
SAP INCIDENTS.
All the passengers speak in the highest terms
of the gallant conduct of the third officer aud
the ir-t engineer IN particular, who remained
on thr wreck for hnur>, assisting the passengers
10 rrarh the rock. Two lady cabin passengers
came on deck IN the excitement, and were stand
ing near the whcclhou.c. They hr>itAtcd a
moment. n If panic-strickcu, and returned into
the companon-way. a il booking for something.
Presently they camr out and cndravnrrd 10
reach the ward part OF the ship, whcrr the
passengers were sent ashore on the lines. AZ
thi> moment q huge wave swept over the ships
quarter. the men cllnglng Z" thr rigging heard
tive hrArt-rcndIng >hri"k~. AMI when they lnuk X
81 again tn women lad disappeared. These
ar, only few If the incidents OF that terrible
wreck. Young men - well - Old became par
alSzcd. and A. they chung 10 The rigging and tn
thu sides Of thu vessel they seemed bcr,ft Of all
reason. When spoken to by thr others Ia make
som" effort 10 reach Ia" boat and save I'll, M
selves. they would roll their ry,- ia their bead.
AMI starr Nacantly at the speaker. onc cabin
passenger. a Young man, came up with oniy
vest on. lie chung To the ships side Il, long q,
b" wa able. and finally rolled od into thu -ca,
frozen to death.
some Of thu incidents of the disaster, re-
lated ~ The survivor, arr narrowing ~ one
umc during the weary watch before dawn the
for, boom hruhv loose from 1t. i.t~tgnIng~. and
swinging around. instantly crushed Ia death
about twenty persons who were gathered on
the house on deck. Several passengers are r.
parted To have been drowned by life huoy>
which not being properly managed. they over
turned ami drowned thu uniuTtunat.~ h' fore
assistance could b. rendered. some uI them
not having them properly on thu lower i,art ~
th'ir bodies were floatcd up with their h,ad-
down. In this manner many were browne h..-
| for" reaching the rock
ono Young man with no clothing on. save a
shiri anl vest. with two life buoy, fastened
around n body lcaped into the water. and en-
daaNored 70 reach the rock. The passengers
who gave thu statement, -Ay thry cnlrit,urrd
l" persuade him from the attempt but b. per-
sisted When they were at last rescued and
landed on the shore, the body of this person
who persisted in the attempt 10 swim a,horr,
was The ilr>t they saw, and the liz, huoy- were
still around him.
some Of the passengers were considerably
bruised about the body and lower limbs. uuc
man hal both leg broken and other, w.r,.
- >orc from being knocked against thc rock,
that they were scarcely able To- stand.
WHAT THE CAPTAIN SAYS on THE DISASTER
Captain Williams" said the reporter To
What cause do You a,cribc the Disaster Il
can hardly say replied the captain, ''unlc>. il
was because we had oyerrun our distance. |
Thought We We're gong about eleven knots. but
the si'eed must have been greater than that. or
we could never have got far out Of our
course. The captain wa~ serious and compo.-
ed yet ut intervals. when some particularly
narrowing incident was mentioned he broke
down and seemed oycrw helmrd with sorrow
"a al Il. hmm
were saved every woman should perish. III
had been able 10 save even one woman could
bear the disaster; but to lose all it, terrible"
he seemed 10 realize fully that h. would BE-
held 10 strict account for the disaster, and that
whether he was blsmeless or cupabe he would
by many BE- held responsible. Cspt William,
Is a stout built Englishman, Of about ~ years
OF age, who has followed the for many
years. lie met with an accident short time
ago which partially disabled him. and recently
he has been compelled to use a stick and alb
stain from great eXertion. Notwithstanding
this he conducted himself at the irving time
as 10 win the highest concentrations from pas
sengers.
WHO'S To BLAME:
Ii is generally felt to hold Captain Williams
As guilty of grave dereliction OF duty in leav-
ing the steamer in her critical situation in heavy
weather, on dangerous coast. to the command
OF his subordinates, and retiring TO his own |
cabin.
An old sea captain says: The harbor Of Hall |
fax, Is one OF the finest in the world. its en- |
trance being wide and the water very deep, |
and free from bars or INSTRUCTIONS of any kiud |
So bold are the shores and 80 deep the water |
that IN the thickest fog IA steamer can safely |
proceed from the mouth to the city a distance |
oi twenty miles. without once sighting land |
until reaching the wharf. But good as the har- |
Dor Is, in rough or foggy weather its approach |
Is perilous in the exit eme. owing TO the inhos-
pitable roek-bound coast and the lack of suf-
fcient lights and other guides and warnings for
the mariner.
In the opinion of our captain the great and |
fatal error was in bearing for Sambro light
Into this mistake many vessels fall, and in
times past the Cunard steamers have often
found themselves amoung the treacherous
rocks. There is such 'lons water on the
coast from Cape Sambro 10 the westward, and
the depth is SO variable that it is impossible by
sounding TO tell where a vessel is. The safest
course would have been to have laid by"
through fhe night.
Noble seif.sacrifce
A ROStOn pappr saws Ona Gallon, loau. |