New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-05

! dashed about by the waves ana now tne
boats were capsized as soon as they were
lowered. An interesting account is given by Mr..
| Owen. The news received at the company's
Office in this city was meagre and unsatlsfac-
tory. There were twenty-eigbt passengers on
board. and the crew and officers numbered
| fOrty-nine. The names of only seven persons
! known to be saved have been received by the
owners of the vessel but the dispatches indl-
cate that more may have escaped.
The reports from Florida indicate that
the disasters to shipping were extensive.
TIE STORY OF THE WRECK.
HOW IHE CITY or VERA CRUZ FOUGHT WITH THE
TEMPEST AND AT LENGTH BECAME A TOTAL
wREcK-scENEs OF observation-disclosures FROM
THE FLORIDA COAST or THE wREcKAGr.
At last definite news mas been received confirming
beyond doubt tho report OF the loss OF the City of
Vera C.uz. Special telegrams have been received
by TnE TRIBUNE giving particulars Of
the calamity with stories of survivors.
OF the passengers, numbering twenty
eight, and the crew, numbering forty-ninc
sevcnty-seyen in all the names of only
seven persons who have been saved have
been received. The steamer sailed from
this port Wednesday, August 25 bound for
Havana and thence for Vera Cruz. Up to Saturday
the VOYAGE was uneyentlul. For several days.
however, the wind had been blowing
from tho northelst-an unusual thing
at this tme OF the year-and on
Saturday leaden-colored clouds began to appear in
the horizon, aud there other indications of a
coming storm. Late in the afternoon the wind
began to blow gale. and still no
alarm was felt. At this time the Vera
Cruz was between eighty and ninety miles from
g. L,I> h.,
Augustine, Fla She was headed south, of course.
and was running comparatively near the land in
order to avoid the current of the Gulf Stream.
Up to this time no danger had been felt as to the
ability OF the vessel to weather the gale She was
an unusually strong wooden steamer. and
had passed through storms
on her trips to and from Havana
Moreover she was in the hands of old and expert
enced officers in whom the greatest confidence was
placed and 10 one conceived of the terrors of the
night that was before them.
AS the gale increased in fury, piling the angry
waves higher and higher the officers and
crew began to realize that the storm would
be one OF terrible severity. An unusual
fall in the barometer during the preceding
twenty-four hours had also made them appre
hensive. Everything was done to prepare the yes
sci for the cyclone which. it evident about
the gale. The waves lashed the sides of
the ship furously; and the thought that
the control of her might be lost banched the checks
Of the stoutest The darkness of the night in
creased the terror which had seized
the passengers 1t impossible to
hear the orders Of the officers. The
wind shrieied through the rigging, blowing
the sails to pieces. The overpowerng,
and shook the huge vessel like a leaf. Again aud
again they swept the men from their feet,
and angrlly churned the into foam
that could be only dimly seen. To add to the hor-
rors of the night dense tog and cnveoped
the ship, giving everything a deathli<e, clammy
touch. Stronger yet blew tho hurricane until
the waves seemed about to swallow up
the doomed vessel. One after another the boats
were shattered to spnters torn from their fast
enings and carried Oft into the darkness Huge
waves battered Oft pieces Of the bulwarSs and the
wind howled through the rigging like thousand
demons
Finally, at about midnight drag was thrown
ont TO keep the steamer before the wind, and for
time this served its purpose. Bnt soon the hurri-
cane became wilder and the great waves apparently
as high as the masts. began to break over the
steamer. tearing off pieces Of the hurricane deck
and tossing the steamer about IN the trough of the
sea like a cocke-shell. At last the deck was swept
to pieces Tho drag ceased to keep the
steamer before the cvclono that was raging
fiercely The hacbes were torn from their iron
fastenings and were swept overheard. As the biows
rolled resistlessly the length of the ship the
poured in food into the hold. All hope was lost.
Soon the engines stopped. The water had put out
the fires and the ship at the mercy Of the
winds and waves The terrible CRY was raised that
ibe vessel would founder soon. But there
was no relief. The donkcy-ongue would not
work An attempt made TO relieve the steamer
by throwing some of the cargo overheard. Bat sew
eral of the men were swept from tho deck into tho
seething sea- and this was Abandoned Hravely
and manfully the officers and crew worked for
the safety of themselves and their passengers. but
ono by one they were carried away and lost
Cheered by the light In tho east, and hoping that
with daybreak the storm would lull, the men
that were LETT on board did all that conld
he dome TO save the ship. Finally between 3 and
a H. Captain Van Sice was swept from his post,
ard it was evident that the vessel would founder In
q short time. LIfc-preservers and I'm fact every
thing that would float, seized, and the crew
and passengers awaited the terrible fate that
seemed to stare them in the face. The vessel had
been driven in a northwest direction. and was even
vet score and half miles from the Florida coast.
There was little hope of reaching the land, even
if one could manage TO live in the awful sea. At
last the end came. Shortly before 8 a m. the ship
gave fearful lurch and plunged into the sea, car
rying many with it.
The scenes In the water after the steamer went
l.I