Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-09-10
THE WRECK OF THE VERA CRlZ.
4 Survivors, story.


NEw YORK, Sept. 4.-The reports pub
lished yesterday concerning the loss of the
steamship City of Vera Cruz are sadly veri-
fled Thus far only l3 of the 20 people who
left this port on board the lll-fated ship are
accounted for, and the details of the terrible
hurricane in which the Vera Cruz went
down leave small hopes of any more being
heard from The details of the fatal hour
when the ship was given over to the fury of
the storm are not enough TO form judgment
on the calamity, but the fact that only three
of the passengers arc accounted for in the
list Of 13 survivors Is significant. The Her
AIDS st. Augustine despatch says the Inflated
steamer foundered at half past five o'clock
Sunday morning, in the midst OF
hurricane, having labored painfully
for some hours in heavy sea.
HORRIBLE sCENEs-THE LOSS OF LIFE.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Sept. 5.-The steamer
Water Lily, from st. Augustine, has arrived
having on board A. r. Owen and four
other survivors of the City of Vera Cruz.
Owen is a civil engineer of considerable note
and Il resident of Chester, Pa. From Owens
statement it appears the stevedore work was
not well done, and even before the gale grew
furious the ship had decided list. The
officers aud men comprised fifty-one persons.
and there were thirty-one cabin passengers,
making eighty-two souls on board, Eleven
OF those on board only are known to have
been saved The Vera Cruz left New York
at four o'clock on Wednesday, the 25th ult.
The cold wave of Wednesday with rain con-
tinued with brisk wind from the northeast,
Thursday and Friday, but it Gained down at
midnight. The ship lurched all the way
and at meals it was difficult to keep dishes
on the tables The weather was cloudy,
with frequent rain. At one o'clock
Saturday afternoon, the captain was
heard to remark to Harris, the first officer,
Il notice the barometer is falling rapidly:
we are going to have hurricane" Orders
were given to throw overheard the barrels of
oil on deck. The real blsst of the cyclone
struck lis OF the port bow about twenty five
minutes to two Saturday afternoon and
listed the ship on ils beam ends. During the
evening three sky lights in the main saloon
were carried away and the waves poured
considerable water into the saloon and state
rooms, setting all adrift. BY midnight the
passengers were generally sitting upon or
lying on the floor Of the saloon conversing
with and assisting each other Yet good
cheer was the rule and many were the ex
all General Torbert had been washed out
of his state room early Saturday evening.
He laid on the saloon floor part of the
night. hut WAS flooded ont. At one O'Clock
p. III. the engine room was dry. A drag
was put on, but was useless, being too
small for service, even if in proper order.
At two O'Clock the ship took Il heavy sea
and the water put the fires out, Immediately
STOPPING THE ENGINES.
The donkey engine then started and was
going when the ship sank The purser came
hurriedly below and said the captain had
sent 10 tell the passengers to come and assist
the crew or the vessel would go down. We
Immediately got up. | went to the deck
and to the floor of the engine room and as
sisted to pass buckets for an hour Captain
Van Size was in the line near the top, pass
ing water. But there was no use. The sea
was continually breaking over the vessel and
coming down in large quantities between
decks. After this nothing remained but to
get life prescrvcrs upon the women. There
was no excitement on board even the chill
dren were iuici. anu reasonable. each as
sistt,i .irt--~..rr air',ls=s.pg Lee, pieserverS-
The storm ut this time was most terrific.
The ship listed 10 her beam ends at every
wave. The storm was 50 thick We could not
see Il hundred yards ahead. The war of the
wind and the beating Of rain was like the
rattle OF muskctry. At IL minutes past Il.
m. the sea broke into the engine room and
through the saloon, making crash like Il
battery of artillery, striking terror for an in
stant into every one, dashing saloon passen-
gers, tables, doors, and loose furniture to-
gcthcr with the water knee deep. The pas
sengcrs now crowded into the hall at the top
Of the saloon steps and