The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-11-20
The Shilling Il the Steamer Champion.
PHILADELPHIA. November .. :

PHuAADELPHIANO NOVEMBER 4 =
At the bottom of the sea, forty miles
out from the capes of the Delaware,
lies the steamer Champion, having been
sent there at three o'clock ON Friday
morning by a collision with the sailing
ship Lady Octavia, which caused the
loss of thirty-fotlr lives: The Lady &C.
tavia was bound from Rio Janeiro to
New York, and the Champion from
New York to Charleston. It was
moonlight when they collided, and
the officer in charge of the Octavia
saw the Champion ten minutes be.
fore they struck. The Champion
went down in four minutes from the
time of the collision, and only twenty
four out of the fifty-eight souls that she
had on board were saved. These were
taken aboard the Octavia, which then
put back toward the breakwater: Her
bow was much shattered, and she owed
her escape from fate like that of the
Champion to water-tight compartment
at that end of the vessel, and to the fact
that she was much newer and stronger
ship than the other.
Captain Lockwood, of the Champion,
in answer to interrogatories, gave the
following account of the disaster:
fogey, but this cleared away before we were
ten hours out. On the morning of the col
ilsiOn left my room about 3:06 and returned
to the pilot-house for few seconds I had
nard!y got back to my room again when
heard some one sing out, sail ahead and hard
by. jumped into the pilOt-house, rang the
bell to stop the steamer, and then to back at
down upon US, and that the collision was inev-
liable. She was steering east-northeast. We
s Tsre going F The
We were going Under steam and had
Just set the fore topsail. She struck us
right on the bows ut the cathead, on
us, staving in our whole bows. l was afraid
that my vessel would sink in almost an in
slant, and at once ordered the first mate to go
Champion was making, but, before he had
time to return, found that my ship was fast
sinking; then ordered the second mate to
IN sSn sa to
also ordered him to have the life-craft cut
adrift, that it might be rendered useful if the
steamer steam r,v went down. ss was afraid she
was to warn the lady passengers w Of
their great danger: T. rushed into the
cabin, and cried aloud, Ladies, the ship
spare: never mind your clothing; come out ut
once. believe there were but three ladies
mere, out or this l am not certain. None of
eeiyed Vas loud streaming and hoiierins se they
could have come out very easily If they
wished, but 1 suppose they became panic
stricken e ken T.. NY duties called me away, and
was still in hopes that the women had Obeyed
my summons, but unfortunately 1 found out
afterward they had not. believe they were
ali lost. There has been but one female saved,
and that Is the stewardcss, Catherine Cross.
when the ship went down, was standing by
the main rigging, and near me stood a mum.
Der OF the crew. said, Boys, save your.
Of them
determination to stand by me. After few
seconds said, Throw the life-raft overheard.
Xvi viii come afterwards. Jump for your livesI
was the last to leave the vessel and went
down with her. I soon came to the surface
again. This may seem strange. but it is never
tneleSS fact. l kept near the surface of
the water, and so, suppose, did not expert
ence the suction of the vessel while she was
going down. When came to the top of the
which was pulled by those already there.
have been commander of the Champion
Tor the past thirteen years. Mr.. Leonard,
took place. He ran forward the moment the
crash occurred, and that was the last saw of
him. He was tried and experienced seaman,
and had sailed with me for over fourteen
The Champion carried about five life-boats
and lifc-raft. understand that four passen-
gers and two seamen were picked up by a bark
that came along some time after the collision.
The Lady Octayia. the ship that ran into us,
saved nine lives. We saved the rest on the
iife.raft, except. of course, those who were
PICKED up by the unknown bark.
The night was beautiful starlight one,
with a little moonlight, We were about thirty
miles FROM lan5 from Cape Hcnlopen, which
northeast of Bank lightsEp. We were in
about fourteen fathoms of water at the time.
The last l saw of the Champion, or at least her
OF water: l would rather not just at present
say anything about who was to blame for the
collision, but l think the ship could have
avoided it,
First-Mate Ferguson, who had the
deck of the Octavia at the time of the
collision, says:
The steamer took sheer, and showed me
her red light for a few seconds, and immcdi-
my vision, and green came in view. ThenI
saw that the collision was inevitable. sung
out at the top of my voice, and l heard a
Der OF people were running along it. 1 heard
the order given on board the steamship of
.Hard-a7, and that was all l could
or it don %as .na@
vessel abaft the stem on tho port
side, smashing her bows, and cutting her
three feet under the water, almost instantly
filling the fore compartment. Only the water.
tight bulkhead prevented the ship from fo,n-
dering. went forward on the forecastle head,
and saw a ship under our bow backing astern,
and a confused mass of casks and wood float.
ing about us. gave the order to lower boat
in the davfts to save life, and told the rest of
done. Before the boat reached the steamer it
sank out of sight. The boat picked up nine
people, returned, and saved eleven more. Two
the Inflated vessel were also saved, and two
others were saved by clambering into our