The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-02-04
THE METROPOLIS DISASTER.
ACCOUNTS OF THE CAPTAIN AND
ENGINEER OFF THE VESSEL.
InefHcIency of the Life-saving Stations
the Cause Of the Great Loss Of Life.

AnetHctenCy Oh the LHe-SaV1ng AEaH0nS
the Cause of the Great Loss Of Life.
NORFOLK, Va, Feb 9.Ths special messenger
sent out from this city to visit the scene of The
wrecked Metropolis, returned last evening,
having bad long, difficult and tedious journey
over strange and almost impossible roads
through the country, but infreauenty raversed
by travellers ut this season. He brings full de-
tails of tho wreck. The accounts brought from
the beach all go to confirm the worst reports
about the trottenness OF tle Metropolis, the
evidence of the engineer showing that the leak.
which began at the stern part of the vessel.
must have arisen from the very defective con,
dition Of the wood work. Once break had
occurred there seemed no possibility OF stop
ping It, the water :, washing. through 1t in
streams while the chief engineer, with Mr.
Gary. stood in water waist deep Intellectually
attempting to reach the leak. So far as they
could Judge the break occurred i n tie stern t.
the propeller post was carried away.
The captain has described the manner of the
minutely with that previously telegraphed. liz
says the Metropolis left the Delaware break
ywater at 93o O'Clock Tuesday morning. the wind
the night the wind freshened, and the vessel
labored heavily At six O'Clock in the evening
the pumps were sounded. and i was discovered
that the vessel was leaking badly As n matter
of precaution the crew were ordered to tighten
her, by throwing overheard about fifty tons of
coal. as the water rose faster than 1t could be
The. vessel was headed for Cape, Virginia
with the intention Of making Hampton Roads
Dy thursday morning. Inc TlbtnR wafer III
length extinguished the fires in the furnaces
and sail was made. At daylight shore was seen
close aboard. and at 6:4o the vessel struck. All
sail was kept on to hold the ships head to the
beach, but as she was full Of water she grounded
heavily, swung around broadsde toward the
shore and her deck was at once exposed to tho
pounding sen, and word WAS passed for all
hands to save themselves
Ali the boats were stove in except one, which
went ashore with several men In it. but could
not return.
life saving station from the time the Me-
The captain says he did all in his power to
save the ship. The leak. he thought, was in the
propeller well or somewhere in her bilge. He
says the vessel was tight and sound as bottle
when loading in Philadelphia He gave the
CT ew credit for doing all in their power to carry
out bis orders end aid In saving the vessel Had
the life saving stations been efficient, few, II
any. lives would have been lost, rs the vessel
was ashore from $50 a. m. until near II o'clock
before she broke UP.
Report of the signal service Observer,
WASHINGTON. Feb. 3-The Signal Service sta
ton at the wreck of the steamer Metropolis re-
ports to tho chief signal officer. at .9:Q7 this
morning, as follows: Have gained all the in
formation possible this morning and during
the night. The life saving service patrolled
OF which were found eleven miles and one
about four miles north of the wreck. They
were buried BY the life saving crew, and the
spot marked. There was nothing on the bodies
to identity them. The excitement has died
away. Ali have left the wreck. The property
has been sold at auction. Everything is quiet.