The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-09-16
The Fate Of the Steamer Vera Cruz
Statement Of a Survivor.
NEW YORK, September

NEW DIRK september 4
A telegram to the New York Times
from St. Augustine, Fla, to-day says
that seven survivors of the steamship
City of Vera Cruz reached that place
last night from Halifax River, where
they were all washed ashore. They
were: Owens, a passenger, one engl-
neer, one oiler and four seamen. Tai
bot, one of the seamen, says:
On Saturday night, about thirty miles on
shore, we began to ship heavy seas, ana water
was found in our hold. As fast as we could
clear her she was filled again by another sea-
This state of tn ngs soon made the hre5 burn
low, and we could not make steam enough 10
make head on the wind. we then put OUT
heavy drag, forward, and managed for while
to keep her in the wind. Everyth was IN
panic The life-boats were cut loose ready Tor
action, and all hands were supplied with ME
preservers. At daylight Monday the boats
were put over and manned. They no sooner
got their cargo aud were put over than they
were smashed TO atoms against the steamer,
all hands being swept away, or their lives
dashed out against tie vesSeIs SIDES Boat
after boat was dashed TO pieces in this manner,
until a few passengers concluded not to leave
the steamer. The Captain and ofncers lost
their lives in one of the boats.
At 5 so heavy sea struck the steamer for-
ward and crushed her fore and aft. All the
| fires and lights were put out, and everything
was I'm the widest confusion. Men and women
were screaming for help on all sides. Inc
steamer was broken in two, and after rev
| surges she foundered and went down. carry
| ing all on board. l went down with the ship
| When arose to the surface could see now
and then pieces of drift stuff, and sometim es
! one or tw omen. The women made no efforts
| to save themselves A mother and daughter
| were clasped In each others arms, and came
| ashore that way, drowned. From time 10 time
until four o clock p. m. L could occasionally
| see one or two men as they rode upon the
| crest of a wave. IL was useless to try to hold
| on to anything, as the sea would tear it from
| the grasp and drive one two or three fathoms
| under the surface. was compelled to dive or
dodge from pieces of drift, which would have
| killed me had been struck by them. After
| this time saw no one, and came ashore on the
| Florida coast about 1880 a. IN. Monday, having
| been about twenIy-six hours in the water
! soon found my other companions, as we came
ashore at about the same time, although some
| aboard. The last l saw of him alive he
was aft with Mr.. Owens, who was saved. l
saw the General again dead at Port Orange,
where ne came ashore. He was discovered by
/ a boy, who dragged him up on the beach as far
| as he could, and then ran for assistance. He
was not then dead: When he returned with
help he was dead The bruises on his head
| indicate that he was struck by drift stuff and
stunned. His body was buried at DaytOna.
| One of our number SWAN from the vessel with
| out the aid of hfe-preserver. lie was entire
ly nude and came ashore first We are all
more or less bruised from the striking and
4 the buffetng of the seas and the drift. The
body of young man came ashore at MatanZas.
| He had on only drawers and shirt. A few
I miles further south the body of an old gen.
4 tleman, who appears to be about tifty-eight
years old, was washed ashore, together with
4 an elderly lady and young girl and a child.
/ Rings and other jewelry have been taken
L from the bodies to DO kept for identification.
4 Many of the trunks have come ashore and
4 have been opened, but it is tn ought that most
Il Of the personal property can De produced.
4 There are no means here of preventing Dirati-
4 cal depredatOns in cases of this kind. No por-
4 ton of the wreck has yot reached the shore
excepting sofa covered with red plush.
LATER.
We have heard of three more men
being saved further south. We expect
to hear from them or see them to-day.
There are seven or eight wrecks within
a coast line of fifty miles. There is
wreck lying off MantanzaS, about one
and half miles at sea, bottom up, and
anchored The brig Caroline Eddy is
ashore at Mantanzas. All hands were
saved.
1t will crafty friends of the drowned
passengers and crew 70 know that let
ters have been found and will be re-
tanned until further inquiry is made re-
specting them