The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1874-01-08


heavy sea was running, the work of
removing the crew was one of much
danger and difficulty, and, therefore, no
lives were risked in endesvoring to save
their personal effects or any other pro
perty on the Virginius. The hawser OF
the Vigriuius was cut, and a buoy attach
ed to mark her position, in case she sunk
out of sight The Ossipee remained at
anchor during the day, and at quarter
past o'colek p NJ, the Virginius, which
had been gradually settling, went to the
bottom.
OFFICIAL REPORT OF TIE OFFICER IN
COMMAND OF TIE VIRGINIUs.
New York, Dec 30-The following
is the official report of Lieutenant D. G.
Woodrow, who was in command of the
Virginus at the time of her sinking:
u. S. STEAMER OssIPEE, third rate.
AT sea, lat 81 lS n, long, -. 45 w,
Becemb Der 81, 1878.
SIR: have to report that took com
mand of the steamer Virginius on the
evening of December II off the Dry Tor
tugas, relieving Lieutenant Mark En-
sign George A. Calowmen, aud Second
Assistant Engineer n. Ii. Lambiden, to
gether with three machinists, two boiler
makers, six seamen, six ordinary ssamen,
eight seamen, and fourteen landsmen
composed her complement. Second AS
sstant Engineer Kirby and Midshipman
Underwood j. Tyler subsequently joined
the ship. | found about seventy tons Of
coal in the ship and over twenty tons Of
dirt and ashes in her fire rooms. The
bilsc was very dirty. She was leaking in
the forward compartment, and had water
in all her compartments. During the
evening We received stores on board and
a working party from the Ossipee, who
coaled the ship all night from the schoe
ner VI. A. Hand. The crew Of the Vir-
ginius were exhausted by constant work
from the time Of leaving Bahia Honda.
The next morning | stopped coaling, and
put all hands at wsrk pumping and bail
ing out the ship, the water having gained
two feet during the night. At s a. M,
the water was up to her CRATE bars in both
fire rooms. The forward compartment
had depth of four feet, and the after
ompartment ten feet six inches of water.
During the day | received assistance from
the Ossipee, in the way of working par
ties, to help clear the ship of water, re-
pack the s,uffng boxes, and overhaul the
pipes about the engine.
One party repaired the breaks in the
forecastle aud caboose. Captain Whiting
was on board during the day and ex
aulined the leak around her fore foot with
Chief Engineer King and myself. The
leak was the only one Of any consequence
that could find in the ship. At p. N.
the water was so much reduced that
was able to start fires in the forward boil
ers, and at s. l 5 in the after boilers. AS
soon as steam was reported, [ commenced
backing the engine to clear the ship Of
water by her bilge pumps. At 30 a
m Captain Whiting expressed himself
satisfied that she was in fit condition to
go north and left the ship. Shortly after
We we went to sea in tow of the Ossipee.
During the day and evening, as the
sea was mparatively smooth, we managed
to keep the water down with the main en-
CINE pumps As we proceeded north and
| the sea rose, the working OF the ship
gradually loosened the rivets of one of her
plates, and the old patch on her bow be-
came loose and she leaked SO badly that
had to plug up her timber holes in the
forward bulkhead to keep the fire ooms
! clear During the forenoon Of the 22d
| threw overheard her port bower anchor,
ard all the heavy weights in her fore
hold, consisting of old iron, rigging chain,
cables, etc, and shifted the coal from the
forchold aft in order to Tighten her for
ward
On the afternoon Of the 23d we had
! from eight to ten feet of water in the for
ward COM mpartment, aud so much water in
the frerooms as to endanger putting out
the fires, and [ signallcd not to 90 fur
ther north, that there was dock at
| Charleston, knowing that it would be dan
gerous to risk the carrying away of her
forward bulk head, aud having no reliance
on any of her pumps, which had been
constantly breaking down and becoming
choked ever since starting besides this,
my men were worn out, their hunks
drenchcd, and they had no place to sleep.
Her booms were then working so much
that the hunks in the forecastle came
adrift from the ships side. At 3 a. m. on
December "a, the crown sheet OF the
middle furauce afterwards caved in, and
hauled fire from that boiler. Shortly af-
ter, blisters were reported in the forward
boiler At daylight signalled the con-
dition oftber boilers and water, and you sent
Chief Engineer King on board. He in
spected the boilers, and | understood that,
in his opinion, they were not safe, and |
gave orders not to carry more than i've
pounds Of steam, unless in extreme neces
sity. With this low pressure one OF the
furnaces gave out in the afternoon, ha9-
ing blister on enc Of her crown sheets
three feet long.
From this time until we made fast to
you again on December 25, we had about
,n,ount Of wafar In Tho shin