The Portland daily press., 1878-02-01
TERRIBLE WRECK
Steamship Lost on North
Carolina Coast.
I Two Hundred Lives
Lost.
~
Only Fifty Persons
Saved.
The Life Saving Station Renders
No Assistance.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3l.-The signal service
observer at Kitty Hawk, N. c., reports to the
chief signal office at $50 p. m. as follows:
The steamship Metropolis is stranded on Cur
rituck beach, three miles from Cnrrituck light
house, and is total loss. There were 24S passen-
gers on board. Fifty swan ashore. No sssis-
tance from the life saving station. The
chief signal officer has ordered one of the opera
tors at Kitty Hawk station to go at once on
horseback to the scene Of tho wreck and open
telegraph station there and forward all infor-
nation as rapidly as can be obtained. The
wreck is about 20 miles north Of Kitty Hawk
station.
SECOND DESPATCH.
The messenger who brought the news of the
wreck of the Metropolis to the operator at Kit
ty Hawk did not visit the wreck, but as far as
can be ascertained at present it appears there
are persons still on board. Further particulars
will be obtained as soon as the operator reaches
the scene of the wreck, whittier he started at
7.30 p. N and should reach there by midnight.
The Secretary of the Navy has directed Adj
miral Trenchard to send steam launch
through the canal to the scene of the wreck.
Tue signal service sergeant at Norfolk reports
that the steamer Croatian and the coast wreck
ing steamer Rescue have also started.
New YORK, Jan. 31.-The Metropolis. which
sailed from Philadelphia for Brazil on Tuesday,
is the second steamer despatched by contractors
for abe Madeira and Mamora Railroad, and
took 200 laborers. 800 tons of railroad iron and
special mails for Brazil.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 31.-The Metropolis
was in charge of Capt Ankers. Paul j. White,
formerly chief engineer of the Lehigh Naviga-
ton Co., and James T. Moore, we'll known
engineer, were in charge of her cargo, the rail-
road stores, &c. The wife and little boy of
Mr.. Collins, one of the contractors, were also
among the passengers.
(THlRD DEsPATcH)
NORFOLK, an. 31.-At $50 o'clock this eve
ming, the steamship Metropolis from Philadel-
pha for Para, Brazil, went ashore on Curri-
tuck Beach, three mi eS south of the lighthouse
during the prevalence Of furious southeast
gale. Great confusion prevailed prevailed on
board. Owing to the fury of the gale and the
roaring OF the surf the orders of the officers
could not be heard. About 30 of the passengers
and crew were washed ashore. About 200 are
believed to be lost From some of the. sailors
who arrived at one of the signal stations it APP
pears the vessel had encountered heavy gales
from the southeast during the last "A hours,
and when she struck she was heading about
southeast. The vessel swung brosdside to the
surf, which made complete break over her
and washed many of the people overheard into
the sea- An agent of the press has gone to the
scene by the tug Croatian through the canal
The signal line reports that no assistance
was sent to the steamer from the life saving
stations in the vicinity, another evidence of the
necessity of having practical and efficient per-
sons for such dangerous service. The Secreta-
~ of the Navy has ordered assistance to ba
sent from the navy yard to the scene while it
is impracticable from the fact that there is no
government vessel available here capable of
doing service. Revenue Cutter Colfax, Capt
Irish, is here and will no doubt sail in the
morning if the gale will permit for the scene of
the disaster
New YORK, Feb. 1.-The Sun says des-
patch from Kitty Hawk life saving station
came to Albert De Agnior, civil engineer ia
this city, Thursday evening at 10 o'clock, say
ing that the steamship Metropolis had foun-
dered a short distance off that life saving sta
ton and fifty-two lives had been saved.
Further than the fact that q terrible storm was
raging the despatch did not say. Mr.. Agrair
says that besides the captain and crew there
were $50 souls on board, of whom $50 were
"ravies" as day laborers on railroads are tech
nically named, and fifty or more engineers, as
sistants and clerks.
Mr.. Agnair, who is the son of Chevalier De
Agnair, for 81 years consul general of Brazil,
intended to sail on the Metropolis but was pre-
vented by circumstances. The bulk of the
railroad laborers on the Metropolis are resi-
dents of this city or Philadelphia, mostly
Americans of German or Irish descent and
were obtained by the advertising sheet.