The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-18
"FROZEN TO DEATH"

south side OF Long Island, there lives an old man,
Captain Gopher Smith. who is tho only survivor of
the boats who went the rescue of the passen
gers OF the Inflated Mexico lost on Hampstead
Beach January 2. 1887 Freeport is fishing village.
most OF its industry being confined to the oyster
trade. To a great extent its inhabitants COM
posed of the Smith family. and unusual Us the name
OF Gopher is two Captain Gopher Smiths sought
before the right one found The wreck Of the
Mexico is one of the most narrowing tales of the
ever told by wrecker. and the story Is still pre-
Sc we'd all along the Long Island coast OF
ceptional interest and horror As the only survivor
OF those who went to tho rescue OF the ship Gopher
Smith was sought by HERALD writer on Saturday.
and the old man. who Is now in his seventy fourth
Year. gave wonderfully vivid picture of the disas
ter. Finding him at his homo late in the evening,
the reporter invited to seat on the porch of
the Smith farmhouse Before beginning his narra-
ii Captain Smith introduced his daughter. Mrs.
Phillips she. full of pride tho part her father
taken in a gallant attempt at saving human life
ought out for inspection photograph of old
oodcut Of the scene The woodcut, too. pro-
q iced. and beneath it the following inscrip-
tion:--
Dreadful WIRE, wreck Of the Mexico Hsmpsead Beach
The picture was drawn on tho spot by H. Sic
bert"
Ibid You ever hear OF him ?" tho old man asked.
The reporter answered in the negative
Neither did l." he said "but he was young
nan who came down from New York. and it is cor
rect in every particular"
''You may not think much Of it. Mrs. Phillips in
terposed. speaking to the reporter but We prize it
very highly"
RESCUE!
The names of the Of the lifeboat were next
produced. 1t will be observed that among the in
habitants of Freeport to-day the Smiths predomi-
mated The follows: Captain Raynor
Il. Smith. Gopher Smith. Samuel Raynor willett
Smith. James Smith, Oliver r. Smith. Oliver G.
Smith. Gopher and Oliver II. Smith brothers.
as were also James and Oliver G. Smith. the two
former being sons OF Raynor II. Smith and the two
latter their cousins. Samuel Raynor was also
relative though a distant one.
My father the captain and the mate you
may say Gopher Smith said. beginning his nara
i've. 1--WE fishermen and carried on the farm
lere we'll"
There oysters then?' the reporter said
interrogatively.
There were oysters and no life stations on the
beach. Everything different from what 1t is
but the custom OF the people living near
the beach to cast their eyes along the every
morning to see ii any thing ashore. The Mexico
was nrst seen in the morning. Word came to me
u horse: There was great rush to SEQ the wreck
The "ecollections of that morning seemed to come
back to the old mans mind with wonderful distinct
TREMENDOUS cold" he repeated. dwelling on each
syllable with strong emphasis. ut cold that
some OF our men troze their cheeks Us big dol
.hr."
''were you the first to reach tho beacha"
"Oh. no; warn't the first boat by several"
The ship lay about two hundred yards from shore
Oh her beam ends. bow The very high,
and. in addition to the cold. terrible north wind
WAS dashing the spray over the vessel and her pas
,engers For miles along the shore the beach was
almost impossible account of the ice. that it
with great difficulty that the fishermen were
able to carry their boats to the surf. At first the
Smiths were not able to got near enough to distin-
guish her.
IL thought she was a brig" Gopher Smith said
''but looked Cried Hello! her is gone
overheard then saw she was bark-ship."
Some of the men who had got nearer to the vessel
now returned to where the Smiths with their
bout. and OF them said ut is wonderful sight.
she has cut away all her masts but her main mast
Another exclaimed, addressing tn, elder Smith,
snow. Raynor. you've got the best boat; let's take
her there"
They went to work with q will and dragged the
boat the ice to the SURF but it nearly
before this accomplished
1T then betwixt eleven and twelve o'clock"
Gopher smith says. There the ship lay. the
dashing over her. No man had boarded her;
man had come from her; there was news from
her. She appeared to be full of people. but 1t
seemed impossible to get to her We built u fire and
stayed there and looked at tho ship; stayed and
talked and looked at her. Every man had something
to say, but nobody made an attempt to 60 to her."
DETERMINED 10
The afternoon spent in this way until the sun
only about two hours high. Then GOPHER
Smith became impatient and went to his father dc.
termined either 10 do something ut once nothing
ut all.
Father, If you gcing to that ship" he said.
NOW is the time. II you don't 90 now am going
home. for am sure you will not 10 after dark
Lets make the trial." replied Raynor Smith.
'Now, then, we want volunteer crew-no moro
talking. more arguing. but every man willing"
Were many men willing to gor' the reporter
asae s interrapung the now OF the old mans talk
That warnt the crew that wont with to the
beach,"
The boat launched and succeeded in reaching
the ship.
"wnen got there" Gopher continued there
rything to do and could do nothing
The Old man gasped and seemed to live again
that terrible hour
you must find words to describe it, Mr. Re-
porter" hc said. recovering. al can't
''lour own words. ss you have Just uttered them
the best possible description. tho reporter an
swcred. go on"
"rhe only place where we could live was across her
bows under the bowspit Forty were halloong
Come along sidc! but we told them we could not
get thore--that they must come the bowsprit
and drop down. We'll catch you,' said to them;
but 1t was u long time before any of them would
come. The first to venture darkey. As no
hanging to the bowsprit, cried Let 10 and
down he came Tho next man missed the boat and
went overheard We got him, but lost our hold and
away went. One OF then said, Go
ashore; don't stop, but 90 ashore There u man
over the bow who had powerful voice and just then
no cried Como back. como along sdc! Who is he
my father asked, aud finding he was the captain said.
Lets get him.. When he showed himself tho
bow OF the ship ho had boy under his arm. He
was pretty slow and pretty clumsy but he managed
TO get down, and knocked my father down as he
feli."
Eight mon in all were saved. one hundred aud
sixteen people remained the ship
Were they drownodY the reporter asked.
"rhey frozo to DEATH" said the old man mourn
fully.
Tho bodies were washed ashore and about sixty of
them were buried ut RocAaway Centre, whore u
handsome monument has been raised over their
mains.
THE LONG BRANCH PIER.