Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-24
MARINE DISASTER.
BURNING OF A SPANISH STEAMSHIP.
Thirp-Three Lives Supposed lOst-SuTer-
ings Of the Survivors, who Cling
to the Floating Debris for
Eighteen Hours.

NEW ORLEANS, October 23.-The
steamer Louise H., from Algiers, has
arrived. The captain reports that on
the night of the 18th he picked up in
the Bahama channel seventeen survi-
vors OF the burned steamer Neuvo
Pajaro Del 0ceano, including Captain
Diaz and two mates. The steamer had
forty-two OF crew and about twenty
passengers on board when the calamity
occurred. The rescued were in terri
BILE state of exhaustion, having been
clinging to the floating debris tor eigh-
teen hours.
Captain Voss reports that about 8
o'clock on the evening OF the 18th, while
passing through Bahama channel he
heard a hail coming up apparently
from sea. He stopped the engines, low
cred boat, and picked up five men
clinging to frail raft. Learning from
the rescued the nature of the disaster
that had occurred, the Louisa II.
cruised in the vicinity till far in the
frrenoon of the 18th, and succeeded in
picking up in all seventeen men. From
Captain Diaz, OF the Pajaro, the fol-
lowing particulars were obtained: The
steamer lett Havana on October 10th
for Neuvitas, with general cargo, in
Guiding a large lot of grain, provisions,
and ammunition for the Spanish army.
Everythint went all right till about 1
O'Clock A. NJ. on Saturday the 18th, when
the vessel was in Bahama Straits, be-
tween Paredon and Labas lights, an
alarm of fire was sounded, when the
captain, passengers and crew, who were
in their beds at the time, aroused to
ascertain the cause OF the alarm. 1t was
found that the vessel had taken fire
amidships, and was then in a sheet OF
flame. General confusion ensued, some
of the passengers and crew running 10
the stern of the vessel and jumping
overheard in their night clothes, with
whatever small objects they could lay
hands on TO serve as life buoys, while
others were trying to lower the boats.
The vessel burnt to the waters edge,
and sunk in less than four hours. There
were on board forty-twO of the crew,
and some seventeen or twenty pas
sengers including six officers and soldiers
of the Spanish army. The Louisa II.
picked up seventeen OF the unfortu-
mates, including the captain, two mates
and one soldier. OF this number, the
captain and five or six of the crew were
badly burnt and otherwise injured.
These parties, when picked up, had been
floating for eighteen hours on pieces OF
planks, and were almost naked. Five
of the ctew, who took to a small boat, are
supposed to have been picked up. One
boat was lowered and some twenty OF
the passengers and crew took to it, but
are supposed to have been lost. Those
who were picked up were in fearful
state from their long exposure to the
sun and water. Their flesh is torn
and chafed from contact with
the rough boards, to which
they Clung, and against which the swell
of the sea caused their unprotected
limbs to grind and rub until great
patches of skin were worn away, while
the salt water and fierce sunshine COM
bined to finish the work. Besides, they
are stiff and sore in every limb, and in
their destitute condition presented on
the whole, pitiable sight, There was
one woman, the stewardess, on the
steamer. One OF the survivors relates
his efforts to save her. He had her at
his side for some hours until he could
no longer hold her up, and she sunk
exhausted. Doubtless many were eaten
by sharks, for the second mate and
companion, who were floating with
a plank to support them, saw the shark
approaching and managed, by climbing
on top to avoid him moment, when
he turned and went away. The PaJaro,
owned by r. Herrara, of Havana, was
formerly an American vessel, known as
Niagara, and run between New York
and Havana. The captain and men
speak in the highest terms OF the officers
and crew of the steamer Louisa H., for
the manner in which they were treated.
The Englishmen furnished clothing for
the naked and attended to those who
were hurt. Thirty.three OF the passen-
gers and crew are still missing.