The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-11-03
THE BROOKLYN DISASTER.

STATEMENT OF oNE OF THE PASSENGERS
RACING WITH THE CUBA THE CAUSE OF THE
DIsAsTER-THE SCENE FOLLOWING THE EX-
PLosIoN.
A correspondent of the Chicago Inter
Ocean, who was passenger on the Brook
Ign, gives the following account of the dis
aster as witnessed by him: About IL O'Clock
in the morning the Brooklyn came to halt
on Lake Erie on account of fog which
hung quite thickiy over the water
At about noon the fog had cleared
resume our course. We then saw the
Cuba ahead of us, being under way and
about mile distant. After dinner, while 1
was sitting in the cabin engaged in reading
paper, my roommate came hurriedly in and
told me to come out and see the race.
Cuba but don't think they can do it."
took my hat and followed him to the bow of
the vessel. Then / beheld the Cuba but
short distance ahead of us. Both vessels
were running at nigh speed. After viewing
for short time what we took for granted as
being the race--from the appearance of the
captain and others standing on the vessels
bow-all seemingly interested in watching
the Cuba, we, out OF feeling OF curiosity,
went down to the engine room to see
whether the machinery was working with
any more perceptible velocity than is usual
the room we rere Immediately convinced
that it was, from observations of
the machinery, and also by its I'M
usual jsrring. We looked at the
gauges, and, upon noticing the position of
the indicators, took particular notice of
tor or the larger gauge pointed to the right
or the inquire l00 the other registered over
80, L am quite sure. While looking in
enrougn tne WINDOW Of the epgine-room the
our faces. Shortly after this we went up to
where we were previously standing and re-
sumed our view of the Cuba. There
was no very great difference in
the distance the two vessels than
at our previous observation. At one
time, shortly before the explosion, the Cuba
passed a vessel going in the same direction
which she was going. Shortly after, the
Brooklyn passed her also. As it did So the
captain of our vessel waved his hand to the
men on her deck, and pointed to the Cuba.
! also heard him say to the bystanders: "We
shall be up with her soon now," or some
thing to that effect. 1t being quite cool
stepped back into the companion way lead
ing below. There 1 stood for few minutes
when
| THERE CAME QUICK, RUMBLING SOUND,
which sounded like the reverberation of
10000 thEnderbolts combined, followed
simultaneously by terrible shock, and an
awful hail OF the fragments of the Inflated
vessel. was jammed with great force upon
| the deck, and 1 found upon attempting to
rise that it was with the greatest difficulty
that could breathe. / succeeded, however,
/ In short time in getting upon nv feet
when-horrible scene that saw! NY COM
panlons around me were moving in con-
| fusion; some of them with arms hanging
limp and mangled by their sides;
\ others with their faces covered with
blood, the crimson streams still gushing
from the wounds, while they were moaning
and wailing in their great pain. The water
around us was covered by fragments of the
vessel, und barrels of apples were promis-
cuously scattered among them, many of
| them being bursted, and the fruit lying
thlckly upon the water. l looked back
over what was left of the vessel; the cabin
| was gone, and from the places where the
state rooms were so shortly before, the
mattresses were floating out on the water.
I thought of the three ladies', and the little
| giil whom / had listened TO
before this, telling what she was
going to do when she got to Detroit.
who were all unsuspecting the terrible fate
which shacowed them, when they were,
! without amoment's warning, hurried into
that undiscovered country from whose
bourne no traveller returns. But there was
no time for sorrow; we were fast descend
ing towards the green, treacberous water,
and we looked for some means of escape
should we be obliged to abandon our pres
ent position. On looking up saw the aft
part of the vessel give sudden lurch to one
side, and as fit were pipe-stem, the mid
die OF the boat was twisted asunder, the aft
part floating down the river. The cries of
the captain and others soon brought aid to
the surviving, though if the vessel had not
reached the bottom, / doubt whether it
would have been In time to save those who
were the most seriously wounded. The YES
sci sank so that the water ran over the rail-