The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-02-08
The Hero Of the Metropolis Wreck.
HOW BRAVE TIM. o'BRIEN SAVED FIFTY OF
HIS FELLOW VOYAGERs Fkok
wATERY GRAvR.

NORFOLK, VA, February 4.-Survivors
Of tue Metropolis wreck spent yesterday
very comfortably in quarters provided for
made recipients of every attention, aud
boots, shoes, hats, shirts and almost every
article of clo'bing were literally donated
to them by sympathizing merchants and
citizens Thos. Collins, of Philadelphia,
one of the contl actors who engaged the
men to 60 to Brazil, arrived this morning to
make necessary arrangements to take the
survivors back to Philadelphia, but it is
not decided whether they would embark
by Philadelphia steamer or one OF the
Old Dominion line to New York. Capt.
Ankers arrived here last evening. He in
sists that the vessel was seaworthy. One
OF the chief instances OF heroism was tn at
manifested by Mrs. Anne Huet, who, be-
ing assisted from dangerous position on
the main deck to one comparatively secure
in the starboard fore-rigging, remained
there until the closing scene, spectator of
the principal horrors, yet calmly awaiting
whatever fate heaven might have for her.
Her experience was of kind seldom en-
countered by her sex. Prominent among
the heroes of the Metropolis stands the
humble aad uupretending looking Irish
man, Timothy O. Brien. BY his own exer-
tions he rescued from the breakers nearly
fifty persons. This is the second wreck
from which he has escaped with his life,
the first being that of the steamer Golden
Gate, which was lost off Acapulco, on the
Pacific coast, in 1858. Soon after the Me-
troplis struck on Thursday morning and
began TO break up there was q general
rush for the rigging. OBrien secured a
position high on the mainmas, but when it
became apparent that the only chance for
life was to swim ashore, he boldly jumped
from the rigging over the heads of the
others, and struck out for the beach, which
he reached safely. Realizing the peril of
bis fellow passengers, O'Brien fastened over
to the Currituck club house, thee quar-
ters of a mile distant, procured a pair of
overalls and some dry matches, returned,
and built several fires. The sea was full
of strugg ling victims, who one by one were
sinking when O'Brien at ten O'Clock plung-
ed boldly out to the rescue. One by one b 70
brought the nearly exhausted and half
dead victims ashore, and placed them in
the hands of others at the fires. He never
halted until five o'clock in the evening,
when the last survivor had reached shore.
In seven hours o. Brien saved nearly fifty
people, many of whom would have per-
ished but for his great GOODNESS and manly
aid. The last and crowning act of this
great feature of humanity was the rescue
Of Mrs. Anne Huet, the only surviving fe-
male Of the wreck. She was struggling
feebly with the breakers supported by a
life preserver, but evidently exhausted and
about to sink. O'Biien saw the awful po-
stion, and calling to n young man named
John Doherty to help him, started for
the dying woman. Twice the treacherous
waves snatched her from his grasp. AT
last he caught her and with Doherty's as.
sstance brought her ashore unconscious.
She was alive and was at once subjected
to the remedy of being rolled upon barrel
to get the salt water out of her and then
placed upon bed tick beside one of
O'Brien's fires. Ia about thirty inmates
she revived to find her husband beside her.
He had been washed ashore about 40 yards
below on the beach, and when dragged out
his first exclamation was, "ls my wife
drowned ?" He WAS told that she Was
saved, and overjoyed was carried TO her
side, where he remained until she opened
her eyes to realize that both had escaped a
watery grave.