Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-10-31
AN OCEAN HORROR.
Steamer Burned in Mid Ocean ana Many
Passengers Perish.
The Miraculous Escape of Few who
Tell the Awful Story of the
Suffering.

Tell the Awful Story or the
Suffering.
New Orleans advices under date of
Oct. Oath state that the steamer
Louise H" from Ayers, Africa, ar
rived. The captain reports that Oh the
night Of the Is. he picked up in Bahama
channel, IL survivors of the burned
steamer Nuevo psjaro del oceano,
including Capt. Disz and two mates.
The steamer had a crew of AZ and
about 20 passengers on board. The
rescued were in terrible state of ex-
haustion, having been clinging to the
floating debris. Capt. Voss reports
that about o'clock on the evening of
the 18th, while passing through the
Bahama channel, he heard hail COM
ing up apparently from the sea. He
stopped the engines, lowered boat
and picked up five men, clinging to a
frail raft. Learning from the rescued
the nature Of the disaster that had oc-
CURED, the Louise H." cruised
in the vicinity uatil far in the forenoon
of the 10Th, and succeeded in picking
up in all II men.
From Capt. Diaz, of the Pagaro,
THE FOLLOWING PARTICULARS
are obtained: The steamer left Havana
Oct. 16, for Neuveitas, with q general
cargo, including large lot of grain,
provisions and ammunition fol the
Spanish army. Everything was all right
until 4 O'Clock Saturday morning, Oct.
18Th, when the vessel was in Bahama
Straits, between Paredon and Lobas
Lights, when an alarm of fire was
sounded. When the captain, passen-
gers and crew, who were in bed at the
time, were aroused to ascertain the
cause Of the alarm, it was found the ves-
sci had taken fire amidships, and was
then in sheet of flames. General con-
fusion ensued, some of the passengers
and crew running to the stern of the
vessel and jumping overheard in their
night clothes with whatever small OBJ
jects they could lay hands on to serve
rs life buoys; while others were trying
to lower the boats. The vessed burned
to the waters edge and sunk in less
than four hours. There were on
board AZ of the crew, and some
II or 20 passengers, including about
six officers and soldiers of the Spanish
army. The Louise III. picked up II OF
the unfortunates. including the captain
and two mates and one soldier. OF this
number the captain and 5 or 6 Of the
crew were badly burned and otherwise
injured. These parties, when picked up,
had been
EIOATING EoR 1S uo1rRs
on pieces of planks, and were almost
naked. Five fthe crew took to small
boat and are supposed to have been
picked up. One boat was lowered. ard
some 20, passengers and crew, took to it
but are supposed to have been lost.
Those who were picked up were in a
fearful state from their long exposure
to wind and water. Their flesh
is torn ana chafed from contact
with the rough boards to which they
chung and against which the swell of the
sea caused theft unprotected limbs to
grind and rub until great patches of
skin were worn away, while the salt
water and fierce sunshine combined to
finish the work. Besides they are stiff
and sore in every limb, and in their
destitute condition present on the
whole n pitiable sight. There was one
woman, the stewardess, on the Pojaro.
One of the survivors relates his efforts
to save her. He had her at his side
for some hours, until he could no long
er hold her up, and she sank exhaust
ed. Doubtless
MANY WERE EATEN BY SHARKS
for the second mate and companion,
who were floating with plank to sup
port them, saw shark approaching,
and managed by climbing on top to
avoid MIN moment, when he turned
and went away.
The Pajaro was owned by Herrera, of
Havana, was formerly an American
vessel known Us the Niagara, and ran
between New York and Havana. The
captain and men speak in the highest
terms of the officers and crew of the
steamer Louise H. for the manner in
which they were treated. Englishmen
furnished clothes for the naked and at
tended to those who were hurt. Thir
ty-three of the passengers and crew are
still missing.