The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-05
Departure OF the Survivors
from Norfolk Yesterday.
GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION
Second Officer Cozzens Boldly ContradietS the
Captain and Mate,
INSUFFICIENT LIFE APPARATUS.
by TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. ]

Inflated vessel They were accompanied to the New
York and Baltimore steamers by large and sympathiz
Ing crowds, who chcsred them heartily as the steam
ers lei their respective wharves
QUESTIONABLE ZEAL.
Captain Ankers statement, teegraphed to the
HERALD last night was published here th's evening"
and IL caused considerable comment amounting
almost TO a sensation among Old marine officers and
seamcn OF experience HIS assertion that the Me,rop-
oils was scawortny when she sailed IS regarded here
where the vessel well known, tho
result OF rather praiseworthy devotion TO the
interests OF his employers very slight examlna-
ton OF the fragments Of The Metropolis az strewn on
the Currituck cannot iail TO disclose men OF tho
slightest scientific attainments the least practical
experience the OF the disaster The extreme
horrors OF which wero happily avcrted by the skill OF
her efficient commander and his heroic officers
Tho sternpost aud frame, subjected necessarily to
The jar Of her propeller, were among the
1rst port OF the ship succumb to the strain oc
sasioned by the gale, which speedily followed by
The weaker ing and general giving way Of tho oSo or
,he line OF connection between the long futtoeks
rhs was necessarily succeeded by certain degree OF
displacement OF tho machinery, causing partial
failure OF its power and ded in Fastening the caas-
ropne on Currituck beach. The umbers OF the ship
we're punky too soft to retain hold OF the nails and
tas; enings which caused the wreck 10 break up SO
rapidly. These tho facts which led 10 the loss Of
the steamship Metropolis
OVERLOADED AND BADLY SLOWED
On the other hand IL Is alleged by the officers that
the Metropolis was overloaded when sne leit Phila.
delphia. That when she Was laden 10 her fullest
capacity they required 10 lake on nifty tons more
OF ron and alter that all the stores, Including thirty
casks o water and iul supply OF provisions tor the
entre voyage CON mlss,on OF inquiry consisting
OF Inspector OF HLls j J. Dunbar and J. e. Bowers.
Inspector OF Boilers, was hed a, the custom House
investigate The recent disaster 10 the Metropolis.
Among The witnesses examined were Captain Ankers.
Charles Dckman, FIRST mate D. n. Cozzens second
mate, and j. T. Lowell, CHIEF engineer
TESTIMONY or CAPTAIN AND MATE
Captain Ankers testified 10 effect that The Metropo-
lis at the time she sailed from Philadelphia was
thoroughly sound and seawortny IN every respect.
rue dense weight OF railroad iron Ia her hold not
peing properly slowed gave way, aud by force Ut It's
density working IN her hold opened her seams aid
the vessel TO leak. Under this mass Of iron the
principal leak III the vesse was developed IN her
worked faithfully in stopping tho leak with u
volunteer, Lamed james +. Acorn. Finding the
ship leaking the manner in which she did
consultation Of the officers was Called and II
was decided to keep away Tor tue nearest beach We
could make, and # possible TO reach Hampton Roads
The strong southerly current SCI me TO leeward,
which made me beach the vessel WIN 70
struck. We haa nine boats on board;
the Shipment oil several heavy seas carried
away all Dut one boat IRON the davits. when the
vessel struck had boat, III which SIX passengers
embarked Tor the shore but The heavy surf prevented
hcE from coming back ,,.. ., BE-.
First officer Dickman fully Endorsed the statement
oil Captain Ankers
Second Ofccr Cozzens testified mat tho e-saving
appliances board the Metropolis were inefficient
New York were derect in the discharge Of
their duties 10 permit vesseI 10 leave
IN her condition. Four s. or I'VE OF o., M, ,hs
Old steamer hun sville and did not III the davits,
rendering It almost impossible 10 launch them II
necessity arose. He said The cargo was badly slowed
From the jump the butts Of the railroad
Iron had takeu the skin OF tho ship, opened
her seams and caused her 10 leak thereby forcing
xtern he ne
through which the water poured In volume that
could not he stopped Had not the vessel been
bcached hardly think possible that any one would
have been saved. l have been sailor al man aud
BOY Tor thirty years, principally Al muster OF SHIP
coYfiNs THE DEAD.
Tho steamer Cysn,L GU her trip " CuSrituck Sound
his morning. stoppea AZ the Navy Yard and took
boaru baicn OF collins, to be used IN enclosing, Tor
transportation to Philadelphia, number oil the bodies
buried on Currtuck beach IRON the wreck These
bodies Will arrive here on Thursday afternoon, aud
the remains OF old and greatly esteemed workInen
who alter over twenty years faithful service, per-
ished IN the employ OF q. Il I. Collins. One 81 tue
supervising loremen Of the expedition 10 Brezli, Mr.
HARRISON, returned to Currituck on the Cygnet,
specially charged by Mr. Thomas Collins with The
duty OF identifying and recovering the bodies and Tor
warding them TO The homes OF the distressed families
IN Philadelphia.
SIZZLING THE SCRAPS.
On Saturday afternoon the United States Commis-
sioner recks order OF the owners, sold at pub
lie auction the fragments OF the OF the steamer
as they lay scattered on the beach, and $40 was
realized for the lot. Captain Ankers was present aud
superintended the sale. One hall OF the amount real
lied from the went to the wTeskers on the beach
Tho Metropolis was insured for $780, coo, which is
thought here TO be very ample sum.
TWO MORE BODIES FOUND AND BuRIED-THR
GRAVES OF THE DEAD MARKED.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4, 1873.
The Signal Service observer at The wreck OF tho
Metropolis reports the Chief Signal Officer fifteen
minutes TO nine O'Clock A. NJ. as ioows:-
A woman washed up yesterday and placed in q box
aud buried by the citizens five miles north. Mr..
Thomas Piner lying eight miles south from here,
viii remove the body and bury II near his iii
friends OF the deceased call for IT, is sup
posed to he Mrs. Meyer.
The night patrol of No 4 station, north side re-
ports that body OF young man. OF about Eighteen
years OF age, found aud buried by The citizens
fve miles north OF the station yesterday evening. 1t
rs thought probable that II Is the BODY OF the cabin
boy, Joseph Newton No other particu Jars In regard
TO iden lihcatIon are given.
All the bodies that have been recovered from he
wreck OF the Metropolis have been buried along tho
beach, from the scene OF the wreck TO distance or
ten miles north, this work having been per-
formed by the lie saving crews aud the
n.y. The graves arc simply marked by
two stakes Indicating the head and the loot of the
grave. There are no MARKS Identifying the corpscs
within the graves The Survivors having all lett tho
scepe OF tho wreck on Saturday last there remains
no one now VINO can Identity any OF the dead. The
Chief signal officer sill continues the telegraph oce
NJ the wreck.
The Secretary OF tho Treasury has received a de-
February 4, from Captain j. II. Merry man. OF tho
revenue marine service, whom he had sent
10 the OF the wreck OF tho steamer
Metropolis to Investigate the circumstances con
neced with the disaster, particularly with reference
10 the action OF the lie saving crews. Captain err
ryman states that tho keeper OF station No. givos
the facts relation To the operations of bis station IN
his despatch which was published this morning He
says :--"Too much is expected Of the HE saving men
this coast The stations are so far apart
that quick work Is impossible when wrecks occur
four or five miles away from stations. The men want
in Ia al q
new 10 them. II the boat had been takon instead
OF the mortar apparatus many more might
have been saved, Out the boat could not have
been got therc without horses, perhaps. There was
much excitement and confusion among all hands on
the wreck and on the beach. Under all the circum-
Stances however, the station men deserve credit Tor
what they were able to do.
"rbc Metropolis was rotten and her fragments arc
smaller than those OF even the Maggie and Lucy"
NorE-lhe last mentioned vessel was schooner
which went ashore about year ago on the New Jer-
scy coast and very quickly broke In pieces.
Captain Merr man Will submit full report upon his
return, together Will the evidence taken.