The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-08-14
FROM THE WRECK.

York-Their Thrilling Experiences.
The Rev. j. H. Warfield, of Boston,
and Daniel Clark and wife, of Buffalo.
three of the survivors of the wrecked
steamer State of Virginia. arrived in
this city on Friday, by rail from Hall
fax. The last two named give a graphic
account of their experiences.
When asked to relate her experience
Mrs. Clark said: "When the State OF
Virginia struck in the fog on that Sat-
urday night there was no panic on
board; even the ladies expressed their
belief that the ship would soon float.
There were many of us in tears, as we
all realized the danger of attempting
to land through the surf. On Sunday
morning, about ten o'clock. there were
fourteen of us, all women and children,
who were lowered into one of the surf
boats which came alongside from the
| island. When coming toward the break
ers the men in charge of the boat turned
it and attempted to bring it to land
! storm foremost. Then a great billOw
struck us, and it seemed as if the boat
was going up in the air on an end.
The surf was rolling mountains high.
Then the boat turned right over, and
we all went into the water together. !
was so dazed by the suddenness of the
catastrophe that l was only partially
conscious. l really cannot now de-
scribe my peculiar feelings. l went
under the boat, and, while in that
position, l managed to get hold of a
life-preserver. When 1 came up it
was on the opposite side of the boat,
and managed to get hold of the keel.
The next wave righted the boat, and
Immediately another huge billow
struck it and swept me clean over.
Then | was carried by the waves again
toward the life-boat, when a man got
into it and stretched out one of his
hands. Mrs. Moulin, of New York,
who was struggling in the water be-
side me, seized hold of the mans
other hand. He dragged us into the
boat, but in an instant we were again
hurled out by the breakers. l saw my
companions about me struggling in
the water, but did not see them drown.
"Just before we reached the break
ers l saw boat behind us in which was
my husband. have not the slightest
idea how reached the land, nor have
l any conception of the manner in
which l got a life-preserver on me
while under the keel of the surf-boat.
When was able to collect my thoughts
l gazed around me. E1y clothing had
been nearly all stripped from my per-
son by the waves. Then l saw the
bodies of Mrs. Walker, of Elmira, and
Miss Coleman, of Albany, on the beach,
where they had been cast up by the
breakers. Both were quite dead. When
| was getting into the boat on leaving
the ship one poor woman who was
drowned, and whose name 1 did not
know, asked me for a pin. l gave it
to her and she pinned her money to
the waist of her dress. When we were
preparing TO get into the first boat
Capt. Noodles daughter, a most in
teresting young lady of twenty years
or Whereabouts, was urged by her faith
er to enter. She chung to his neck,
and, kissing him, refused to be parted.
He urged her to go into the boat and
save herself. Finally she reluctantly
gave her consent. Then the boat was
lowered, butimmediately Miss Noodles
feelings overcame her, and she begged
piteOusly to be allowed to remain and
share her fathers fate. She was pulled
again on board, and so her life was
saved. We were rowed away. After
reaching land 1 was unconscious for a
long time. was so much overcome
by fright and suffered so much from
my injuries that could scarcely real
ize what had taken place. 1t seemed
all like a dream to me. l supposed
that the boat following us was also
swamped. l knew my husband was in
it, and was more than overjoyed when
came across him twenty six hours
afterward. When Mrs. Widestrand,
who was in our boat, was thrown up
on the beach she had, as she supposed,
her son John in her arms. In a frenzy
OF excitement, on struggling through
the surf to the beach, she exclaimed, Il
have him, l have him. at the same time
clinging tenaciously to the strap of his lit
tie ulster. To her horrc she then discov-
cred that the buttons had become un-
fastened, and that in her struggles the
child had slipped out of his coat. Her
grief, when she discovered that he had
fallen from her grasp and been drowned
before her eyes, when she thought him
saved, was uncomfortable. We did all
we could in our sorry plight to comfort
the heart broken woman
Mr.. Clark seemed to have the events
which occurred Immediately after the
ship struck wildly portrayed i'll his
memory. "a few minutes before the
ship struck" said he, "Captain Noodle
had given orders to alter the vessels
course. He evidently knew he was ap-
preaching land. When we struck the
shock was slight. None of us felt much
alarm, as the Captain thought we
would float off with the midnight tide.
The fog was very dense, and all this
time the engines were being reversed;
hut we were wedged in the sand and
seemed to settle into it further and
1urtner. 1t was time of supreme sus-
pense TOT oaf. was IN the second boat
following the one that was capsized.
l cannot convey to you my feelings of
anguish when saw that boat full of
passengers, my wife among the num-
Der, hurled into the SETTLING waves.
The officer in charge of our boat, when
ne saw. the catastrophe, gave orders to
return. When we again got on the
deck of the ship there was intense ex-
element. l cannot begin to faithfully
portrayit. We sympathized with those
who had lost friends, and all of us en-
braced each other as if we were BROTH
ers and sisters, and thanked God that
we had been spared. was half crazy
in my anxiety to know the fate of nv
wife.
"On Monday, about eleven o'clock
in the morning, we were all landed on
the lee side of the island. Seven boat
loads, including the baggage and pro-
visions, were transferred from the shin.
Captain Noodle, his daughter and N.Y.
self went to the lighthouse. On the
way we metthe lighthouse-keeper. who
told us to put the baggage back into
the boat and 60 down the shore to
Governor MacDonald's house, which
was about nine miles away. In NV
excitement and anxiety walked the
whole distance, scarcely knowing why
did SO. On the way 1 met Mrs. Por-
teous, of New York, who was in the
capsized boat. To my great Joy she
told me that my wife was safe. Shortly