The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-05-20

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Isles, and Immediately went 10 zpieces.
There were on board the Schiller at the
time of the disaster, 25s passengers 100 of
numbered about 40 A large proportion
pf the passengers and, crew were, lost,
probably about $50 lives in all. A fearful
sea was raging at the time of the disaster,
notwithstanding which several boats put
out from the shere as soon as Ossible. aud
Succeeded In rescJling a few who wyTe
swimming with tue tide or had reached a
temporary foothold en- the rocks.
DESCRIPTION OF THE LOST VESSEL.
The dimensions of the Schiller were:
Length, 375 feet beam. 40 feet; depth OF
hold, 80 feet; 3.6C0 tons burden, and
5000 indicated horsepower. She was
classed at Lloyd's 100 A l." She was
fulIbrig rugged, had eight large life
boats, and thse iron decks. Her engine
could run the vessel Ito - mics an he II.
She is said to have been built according
to the requirements of the Lloyd Marine
Insurance, and TO possess every known
appliance for safety, She was valued at
100000, and was tQsQral for her full
value
THE CREW AND GARrt.
The crew consisted OF l24 men, includ-
ng officers. She carried six kegs cor
raining 100000 gold shipped by T. =
Ballen & Co., bankers, Of New ork, to
+. S. Ballen & Co., erd $50 mail bags con-
tanning entire continental mail. together
with large Australian mail. Her cargo
consisted of general merchandise, in
Guiding 500 bales of cotton, % zee barrels
of rosin, 5000 bushels OF corn, and a large
! consignment of leaf tobacco.
PARftcufARs or THE DIsAsTEK.
The, following particulars OF the disaster
have been received: A heavy fog had
prevented observations on t0ard the
Schiller for several days. In consequence
OF the fog, the engines were put at half
speed end sail reduced at O'Clock Fri1Ay
night, At 10 O'Clock the ssiie night the
ship struck the letse. A great panic pre-
vaileds Captain Thomas is highly praised
FOR his conduct during to terrible scenes
which followed, Two beats We're iilled
with men, who Ee,uSed TO come out. The
1 captlln fred his revolver over their
heads TO drive them out, and then fired
at them, but without effect. Afterwards
the ship was washed with her broad
side to the sea and ell On board THESE
boats persisted. The taekle at the stcrns
was released toe, soon, leaving the boats
! snsne,6ed by the bows, 1Fhtee Boats
then got away: one iifeboat, was so
badly injpreti that she sunk, and eleven
! of the people on board were rescued
by the other boats. The fog lifted an
hOttr after the steamer. struck and the
lights were plainly visible. Two of the
! boats on the steiner were crushed by the
falling of hinnel. Rockets and guns
were Erred from the steamer until the
] ~ hnnnr,,n Nhn ha.t
crowded with peoples WIS sAtepG away at
2 a. m. The c ,jtdin gathered some of the
| survivors on the bridge. All were
gradually swept away BY the fioOd-tide,
: which took the doctor and captain last.
The rigging which remained above weter
was crowded with passengers and the
crew all night. The mainmast fell at
7;30 a. M, and being of iron, sunk With
all who had taken refuge on 1t. The fore
mast gave way soon aftetWard. The life
| boats and wreck stuff saved the lives OF
| SOME who drifted miles away. One man
! was rescued after being In the water for
! ten hours. Two boats from S.. Agnes
| arrived a short time before the nasts fell.
They were unable 10 approach the ,teamer
on account Of the shoals, bit picked up
strugglers in the water. The passeug RS
say that Capt. Thomas left the bridge at
! a. II. 10 assist those on deck. and when he
reached the deck he was swept away by
heavy sea. All concur in saying that he
exercised the greatest care and was not
abed for five nights previous to the disas-
ter. The sea began to break over the YES
! sci half an hour after she struck. and the
! tide rose twenty-five feet before daybreak.
Only one woman wa saved. The survi-
vOrs who were landed at Treco escaped in
the Schillef's own boats.
! STATEMENT OF THE SECOND OFFICER.
The following is by cable to the New
| York Herald:
! The Herald correspondents succeeded in
interviewing Mr.. POLICEMAN, the Second
Officer Of the Schiller, and Henry Stein
and Mr.. Frahm, first class passengers.
From this narrative we gather that the
voyage was moderately good until May 4.
! The last three days it was impossible to
take observations. The ship was out of
! her course halfa mile at the time of the
catastrophe. Captain Thomas was on
deck night and day for four entire DAYS.
| At O'Clock on the evening of the 9Th
taken in, the engines put on half speed,
and the fog bells used. Bishop's
| light was unseen, though only
a half mile distant. At 10 .o'clO k
we struck on the reef, and after four
bumps the steamer settled down. There
was a violent sea, and the tide was rising.
The darkness was intense. Most of the
male passengers were awake, and there
was the usual rush for the boats, but
nearly all of the boats were STAYED. One
boat, with few sailors, left the ship, who
cowardly refused to aid Two boats were
saved. The captain endeavOred TO compel
obedience by firing a revolver over their
heads. During two hours six cannon shot
were fired, when the powder dampened
Distress signals and blue lights were un-
answered. At midnight the fog lifted
when the waves were sweeping the decks
and carrying away many victims. At
o clock the deck-hOuSe. in which
were the women and children, was
swept away. The cries and shrieks of the
victims were heartrending; then followed a
| CHASTITY silence. The smoke-stack fell.
crushing some of the boats, and the Others
were carried away. The seamen followed
the captain to the forward bridge. Each
succeeding wave took fresh victims. Some
persons sought refuge on the main-Inast
and some on the forC-mast. At 3 clock,
the captain and three of the officers Were
on the bridge. The captain descended for
moment TO render assistance, and wa.
swept away. Thus persisted a brave
man, says Mr.. Stein. At this time about
ten persons were clinging to the tiggiug
of the main-mast and thirty to the fore
mast. The ship bad careened. her yards
were touching the water, and the tide
was rising. At 4 O'Clock the fog lifted.
The survivors shouted, but their cries
were unavailing. ATT O'Clock the main
mast, and at a quarter to eight the fore
mast, both Of iron, fell. An order was
given that the first boat should take the
women and children. This boat was cap.
| sized.
POLICEMAN says seven boats were launch
ed, and only two lived. The others
were slowed and swamped Immediately.
The cries for help lasted until 3 o clock.
| Thn Lost Ul,icn hnnrl NNnS thnt Of