The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-09-16
The Steamer Vera Cruz Destroyed By
Q Cyclone.
New YORK, September 1.

New YORK, 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, q passenger, one engi-
neer, one oiler and four seamen. Tai
bot, one of the seamen, says:
On Saturday night, about thirty miles OF
shore, we began to ship heavy seas, and water
clear her she was filled again by another sea.
This state of things soon made the fires burn
low, and we could not make steam enough to
heavy drag, forward, and managed for a while
to keep her in the wind. Everything was in q
panic. The life-boats we're cut loose ready for
a" AZ d~n
were put over and manned. They no sooner
got their cargo and were put over than they
Were smashed to atoms against the steamer,
dashed out against the vessels sides. Boat
after boat was dashed to pieces In this manner,
until u few passengers concluded not to leave
the steamer. The Captain and officers lost
their lives in one of the boats.
At5:3O a heavy sea struck the steamer for
ward and crushed her fore and aft. All the
was in the widest confusion. Men and women
were screaming for help on all sides. The
steamer was broken in two, and after q few
surgeS she foundered and went down, carry
ing all on board. l went down with the ship
When arose to the surface l could see now
and then pieces of drift stuff, and sometim cs
one or tw omen. The women made no efforts
to save them selves. mother and daughter
were clasped in each others arms, and came
ashore that way, drowned. From time to time
until four o clock p. IN. l could occasionally
see one or two men as they rode upon the
crest of wave. 1t 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
dos to S
killed me had been struck by them. After
this time saw no one, and came ashore on be
Florida coast about Z 80 a. IN. Monday, having
been about twen y-six hours in the water 1
soon found my Otner companions, as we came
ashore at about the same time, although some
distance apart General A. 1. A; Tar6ert was
was aft with MIR. Owens, who was saved. I
saw the General again dead at Port Orange,
where he came ashore. He was discovered by
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
stunned. His body was buried at Daytona.
One of our number SWAIN from the vessel with
out the aid of iife-prescrver. tie was entire
more or less bruised from the striking and
the buffcting of the seas and tn drift. The
body OF young nun came ashore at Matanzas.
He had on only drawers and u shirt. A few
miles further south the body of IN old gen.
tleman, who appears to be about ifty-eight
years old, was washed ashore, together with
an elderly lady and a young girl anl a child
Rings and other jewelry have been taken
from the bodies to be kept for identification.
Many of the trunks have come ashore and
have been opened. but it Is tn ught that most
Of the personal property can De Produced
There are no means here of preventing Dirati-
cal depredatiols IN cases of this kind No Dor.
ton of the wreck has vet reached he shore
excepting a sofa cover ed 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 a
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 to know that let
tiers have been found and will be re-
tanned until further inquiry is made re-
speeding them.