The New York herald., 1879-11-09
DETAILS OF THE DISASTER.
Arrival Of the Ship Lady 0ctavia
at Philadelphia
LISTS OF THE SAVED AND LOST.
interesting Statements from the Officers
of the Lost Steamship


The steamship Champion. Captain r. W. Lock-
wood, of the New York and Charleston line. which
sailed fsp her pier in this city at Ave O'Clock on
ThursdaY s6soning, was in collision with the iron
ship Lstv Octavia, Captain Kames Johnston. near
the entrases to Delaware Bay. at three O'Clock on
Friday morning. The Champion sank immediately.
and Of her passsn oeyss and thirty missing
and supposed tsihelost. The Lady Octavia yes
tsrday towed mn ke Delaware to Philadelphia. where
she now lea The officers and crew of the Cham.
pion came on to New York and leave this morning
for Charleston on the George W. Clyde.
TIE TEN HOURS VOYAGE.
The voyage from New York. up to the moment Of
tho disaster. wholly without incident. Tho
steamer passed Sandy Hook soon after dark. The
night reasonably clear and starlit. Supper being
over most Of tho passengers retired their state
rooms. which were on deck. There were board.
in the cabin. Mr.. j. L. Marvin. of Columbia. s. c.;
G. steGsny. W. W. Clark. William Poets. William
Siska Joseph Mitchell. Mrs. Andrews and her daugh
ter. Miss Mary Mikell. of Charleston. and II. Hux-
stable and wife, of Boston. Booked In the steerage
were G. Patten p Patten. ]. r. Foster colored man.
N. Broad. Kate Thrackey. Rosa Barber, and J. b.
Horan. There was also an infant in arms in the
steeraRe. but whose child it cannot be ascer-
tanned. Shortly after sailing Mr.. Broad and Mr..
Horsn. seeing how uncomfortable the steerage qnar
ters found the purser and took bsrths in the
cabin. By this act the former saved his life in all
probability. for only one steerage passenger. j. B.
Foster. colored man. who sat up all night.
afterward saved. The Captain, after seeing the
vessel safely past the Jersey coast. lay down with
his clothes at three O'Clock Six minutes
later he made aware that a sailing
vessel was ahead. close at hand. He went to the
wheehouse. stopped the engine and thon backed the
steamer; but before the Champions headway could
be stopped the two vessels collided. They met bows
on. not in the side as at first reported.
NEARLY AVOIDED.
So narrowly was collision escaped that quarter
Of point. either way. would have cleared the yes
sells with loss OF boats and some OF the Octavia's
spars. The whole stern of the Champion was torn
out, while the Lady Octavia, which was an
1ron ful-rigged ship. escaped without serious dam
age. Her port bow was slightly stove, but she
did not leak and was safely brought to Philadelphia
Tor repairs. before stated. The lady passengers
were all lost. The hour Of the accident and the
sudden sinking of the steamer prevented the for
eble OF tho afrighted and thoroughly terror
stricken passengers. Four men alone of the pas
sengsrs escaped. and were transferred to the
British bark Petit Zodiac. Captain steever. bound
from Sharpness on September 80 to Philadspha.
with two Of the sailors who were injured. The
bark has not yet arrived at her destination.
SEARCHING FOR THE SAVED.
The excitement at Philadelphia yesterday was very
great when the extent of the disaster was learned
At the Maritime Exchange it was reported that the
Lady Octavia had anchored at Newcastle and several
enterprisng journalists started by train and
tug for that point. The HERALD correspondent at
Philadelphia had received private information that
the Lady Octavia already nearing the city. and
taking with him Deputy Harbor Master Sam
uel Il. Macdonald. procured n tup The adv
Octavia boarded in the middle of
the stream of the foot Of Chestnut street.
The Captain Of the Champion exceedingly
anxious to go to New York as soon possible, and
the HxRAID correspondent suggested that he land at
the foot OF Green street and take the Bound Brook
line to New York. This seemed the better of the
rival lines. because the correspondent knew that
several other newspaper men waiting at the
Pennsylvania Railway Depot to ntercept the officers
should they come through by rail from Newcastle.
ASHORE
The Captain thought the idea good one, and the
motley crowd of hslf-dressed were landed
at the place suggested. The wharf was cov-
cred with lumber. and the Captain. .
man Of fine presence and courteous manner.
led the way to the street. The poor stewardess Mrs.
Catherine Gross. was without q covering for her
head. and with only single calico garment on her
body. The kindness with which she was treated by
the rough and ragged seamen touching in the
extreme. At every difficult climb over the lumber
she was assisted by half dozen willing hands.
When this Slough Of Despond" passed and the
nrst store was encountered. Captain Lockwood
stopped and bought her shawl to keep her warm.
TIE NEW ANApAsrs.
The March Of the Eighteen up Greene street from
the river to the Reading Railway Depot was u pano-
rama such ~ the dwellers along the route do not
often 1t q moving picture of misery. tenn
pcred by content. Side by side with regret for the
destruction of thor entire effects the recolec
tion that many Of thoir messmstes had lost their
lives As the eighteen and the writer walked mp the
street the list Of the called over and the
ominous word "missing" heard in solemn echo
TO the grsvo answer OF Captain Lockwood.
uttered In unison by the members of the
- they stumbled along through the muddness Of
this populous aud by no means savory neighbor-
hood. As il generally the case in Philadelphia. tho
tram cars Green street ran In the wrong direc-
tion. there was no other way but to walk to tho
corner OF Ninth and Green.
ROLL.
Blocks are blocks In the CITY Of Brothcrly Love,
and the tramp involved "go-as please" of more
than one mile. Along the route. with the crowd of
camp followers augmented at each parasang the list
Of the saved and .'missing" was carefully
with just enough time to get the train. Eighteen
tickets for New York." said Captain Lockwood ut
the booking Office. The gates were passed and tho
upward journey toward Gotham continued. A few
moments Of anxicty-just sufficient to see that no
rival newspaper reporter at hand--and the train
moved out on its express run to Jersey city Time,
LAO.
CAPTAIN LocKwooDs NARRATIVE.
The HERALD correspondent took scat by Captain
I,ockwood's side. The captain showed himself
man OF iron nerve, for. although he was suffering
kecnly from injury to his spine received
when he thrown into the water, he interested
himself in the welfare OF everyone Of his party,
and saw that they all comfortably seated be-
foro no settled himself for the ride. AS the train
dashed through Germantown he began his statement
to the HERALD correspondent :--"Chef officer Leon
ard being on watch left tho deck at thrco
o'clock, and Ave six minutes after heard q sail
reported ahead. jumped into the pilot house,