New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-09
LOSS OF LIFE At SEA.

THE STEAMER MONTGOMERY, FROM NEw-YoRK FOE
HAVANA, CUT DOWN OFF CAPE MAY BY THE
STEAMER sEMINoLE-ruIR1EEN LIVES LOST
EIGHTEEN OF TIE OFFICERS AND CREW SAVED.
BOsTON, Jan. S.-The steamer Seminole, Capt. -
Fl. Matthews, of the Boston and Savannah line ar
rived about o'clock this evening. and reports that
at 1870 o'clock on tine morning of the 9TH inst when
40 miles off Cape May, she came in collision during
thick fog with the steamer Montgomery or
and from New-York for Havana. The Seminole
struck the Montgomery just abaft the whee-house.
cutting her down to the water, and sinking ner III
few minutes. The second officer. eight of the
crew, and four Spanish passengers went
down with the Montgomery. The saved
were brought to this port on the Seminole.
Following are the names of the lost Second OH
Ger, Mr.. Aschen; oilers John O'Brien and james
Granger; fireman, John Morgan; stokers. Thomas
Scott and James Deering; cooks Albert a. Smith
and Alexander Smith waiter, Thomas StocKDurh,
and four Spanish passengers, whose names are I'M
known-tOtal lost, ID.
The lookout of the Montgomery says that their
lights were all up and burning. He sighted the
steamer few moments before they struck her, but
by her ri and lights he mistook her for sailing
schooner The wheel of the Montgomery was put TO
the starboard as as she was descried'
thinking they could cross the sailing vessels
under steam and running mt the rate of about nine
knots an hour. The Seminole was Keeling off about
ten knots and it was not long before they met The
cotton-oaded steamer had the advantage as she was
coming bow on. She struck the Montgomery Just
abaft the pilot house. crushing In the bulwarks ana
cutting into her side away below her water-lihe'
The bow also struck the side of the second Of
fcer,s room and il is said that when the forward
house was stove in he was pinioned by the pieces OF
the wreck and went down utterlng pieous cries Tor
assistance SO far did the Seminole enter the
side Of the Montgomery that those con
deck saw at glance there was no
help for her, and they sprang at once
for the deck of the Seminole The captain and mate
were of the number, while two or three who
attempted TO escape in this way fell short of their
mark and leaped into the sea- to meet death almost
instantly The list of those lost tells plainly how
onickly the Montgomery sank. The stOkers, with
two exceptions. had not time TO gain the deck, ana
two oilers and one fireman went down with the
steamer
Nothing is known regarding the death of the four
Spanish passengers. and their names cannot
now be given. Undoubtedly they had not sufficient
time to leave their statcrOoms.
DESCRIPTION OF THE LOST STEAMER AND OF THE
sEMINoLE-srATEMENT BY SURVIVOR.
Bosroy. Jan. S.-The Seminole is 1913
burden, 2lO feet IN length III VI
BEAM and has Accommodations for IL cabin and 10
steerage passengers she purchased OF the Govern
ment being originally slOOp OF war, to take the place
of tie Kensington. and is valued at about $4,000
The Montgomery was a screw steamer. bark-rigged.
built at New-YOrk in 1858, and about lloo TONS
burden She wooden vessel owned by T. ~ r.
Poilon of New-York She cearel from New-YOrk last
Friday and sailed Saturday for Havana, having
cargo OF general merchandise shipped by NewforK mer
chants.
The following statement is made by OF the sur
yiyors The watches were set for the night as usual
and the watch below had turned Shortly after two
bells had been struck, I heard sounds II con
fusion on deck, and "a II an acc-
dent OF some kind had happened or was
impending. My berth was in the forward house.
and as soon as | GwOke I jumped from my bunk ana
pulled on my pantaOons was engaged IL putting on
my boots when the crash came, and the steamer
seemed TO stop as If it had struck a rock. There
was crashing OF timber and slight recoi.
I sprang ont the deck. and. on looking through
the mist discovered that had been run Into
by q bark-riggcd steamer All was confuslpn' IhOse
who we're below rushed deck just they left their
hunks lied at the thought that the steamer had
struck something and was about go down, while to
their number were added several men who had
Jumped from the vessel they had into.
II was but second. IL seemed,
we had a chance TO see what We had struck When
ii her SHE settling by the head and IN another
moment she made lunye forward ana sank beneath
the waves. carrying numbers down with her.
BY their agoniZng cries IL appeared 10 me
flat n large ships company were struggling
for fc but these voices soon hushed There was
unite high running at the time and the SemnOle's
boat forward the starboard hand WAS with difficulty
cleared away, launched and manned and sent 10 and
apy that might be floating any part Of the
wreck. But there was little left 10 marx the
spot where the Inflated steamer bad gone
down The boat returned with only one man.. Presently
a boat belonging the other steamer boarded the semi
mole, and when all hands were aitcrward mustered II
was found that ID of the IS persons VINO had LEFT New
York for Havana the steamer Montgomery were alive
RAILROAD INTERESTS.