The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-02-04
THE METROPOLIS.
Scene at the Wreck.

NORFOLK, February 2.-The Associ-
ated Press correspondent has returned
from the wreck of the steamer Metropo-
lis, and reports the situation as follows :
The 68 bodies recovered have been
buried, and records made to secure future
identification. The beach from n dis
tance Of fifty yards to one mile north of
the wreck is strewn with the debris of the
ship and cargo. The ship was evidently
completely broken up. Her starbosrd
bIlge from the fore to the main chains
drifted on shore somewhat compact, and
contained dozen or twenty of the rails
that formed part OF her cargo. The
wreck Itself is stationary where the ship
grounded. The boilers and part o, the
engine are above the breakers. Confined
to the bottom in some way, swsying in
the surf, was part of the port bow and
the ragged ends of the stern and quarter,
There are no doubts entertained of the
recovery OF all the iron slowed in the
lower hold, as tho ship was drove well
up on the beach, and the wreck now
lies in about six fee: at mean low water.
The management on board was admira-
bic under the very adverse circumstances
attending the disaster. The nearest life
saving station TO the wreck was over iour
miles distant, and its wrecking apparatus
failed to reach the scene until 2:3O P. ~,
fully five and halt hours after
the ship was besched, and the
Metropolis did not have the
necessary mortar and lines for the pur-
pose of establishing communication
with the shore, in this case, otherwise
perfectly feasible.
DR.. w. II. Sawtell, of the United
States Marine hospital service, having
been dispatched to the scene of the disas-
ter with medical stores, arrived a. Van
slack's landing this morning, and took
charge of the sick and injured survivors,
all OF whom with the well, arrived to-
night at IL o'clock on board the Cygnet.
They were met by a committee of the
citizens needed by the Mayor, and were
well provided for, every arrangement
for their comfort having been made.
DR.. Sawtell says most OF the patients are
not in dangerous condition, and a
majority OF them will be able to pro
ceed home at once. They SUI
fer mostly from diseases, Incident
to exposure. There was large
South American mail, consisting princi.
pally of business letters, which had &C
cumulsted since the sailing OF the last
regular mail steamer. The purser's
room containing the mail WAS washed
ashore and the mail bsgs were found
along the beach. 1t is understood that
the registered letters receipted for by the
purser contained about $4,000 10
money, drafts, etc. 5. L. Shipp, assist
ant postmaster st Norfolk. went to the
wreck to look sitter the interests OF this
department, and Of the eleven bags con-
tanning mail matter washed ashore, he
succeeded in recovering two, one lntac!
and the other being used ss 3 tobacco bag
By one OF the survivors. OF the contents
nothing could he found, nor could any
thing be found of the other bsgs or con-
tents. Parties on the beach say The bags
we've cut open and rifsd, and the letters
after being opened were s!rewR along
the beach.
Statement of au Eye-N hness.
James z. Alcorn, temporarily attached
to the Metropolis, and formerly sn officer
in the United States navy and journsIi t
in Boston, makes the following state
ment: On Wednesday night, about 3
o'clock, was called by the mate TO ssslst
the carpenter in stopping leak around
the rudder trunk; found the stern post
loose, and so reported; remained At the
post using all possible eIertion to stop
The leak or prevent an increase until
about $50 A. n, when l was
called on deck, aud found the ship q
p:r iL wreck; one Of the port bos:s
hanging over the side by her bow tackle
TO the davit; smoke stack gone sud the
ship heading for the beschi reached the
iorecutter and in obedience 20 the order
from the captain commenced 70 stsrt the
water in the casks stored forward TO light
en- the ship; was aided in 90 doing By the
carpenter snd one of the qusrterms teri,
who was afterwards drownedi the mste
suggested that ssil should be msde By
setting the fUresail, and on getting his
! consent, Immediately went sloft, and