Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-09-04
SWALLOWED UP BY THE SEA,

SWALLOWED UP BY THE SEA.
Supposed Loss Of the Steamer City of
Vera Cruz. Plying Between New York
aud Havana, with all on Board-Her
Mail Comes Ashore on 'he Florida
Coast.
New YoRE, September 3.-A special
dispatch from ST. Augustine, Florida,
SAYS:
There is very little doubt but that the
steamer City OF Vera Cruz, OF the Mexi-
can line, which sailed from New York
ON the 25th OF August for Havana and
Vera Cruz, went down in the violent
hurricane which has already strewn our
coast with wrecks. The terrible discOy-
cry was made yesterday, when portions
of the mail carried by the ill-fated vessel
were washed ashore some miles south OF
this city. One mail bag contained letters
Tor Cuba and Mexico, which had been
posted in Paris, France, August 18th,
and another .ot was found with envel-
Opes bearing post mark New York, Aug
ust 25th This NJ once Indicated that
the
Lost Vessel was Hail Steamer
bound for a Southern port and the sur
mise was that il must have been the
CITY OF Vera Cruz, as she lett New York
on the day last named. 4 closer exam
ination showed several bills OF lading Of
the steamer Vera Cruz.
Saturday evening, large steamer,
supposed to have been the Vera Cruz,
passed the brig Caroline Eddy, then
about sixty miles from the coast OF -.
Augustine This brig was soon after
Struck by the Hurricane and Wrecked,
drifting on the beach near the place
where the lost letters were found. At
the time the steamer was sighted she
wss headed south. The wind was then
blowing very hard anu gale was rising.
The CITY OF Vera Cruz must have been
struck 0v the hurricane and probably
ioundered Saturday night or Sunday
morning.
Every hour brings news OF some more
/ startling discovery in regard to the sup
posed wreck. The bodies OF a lady and
I lille child have been found on the shore,
Cast Up by the Waves.
They were buried by party OF
wreckers in the sands near the place
where they were found. This makes
already five bodies recovered, the three
others being the COrpses OF unknown
men. Two, from their dress, are
thought to have been passengers, and
the other evidenrlya sailor. The shore
for over iorty miles south OF this place
is strewn with the cargo OF the steamer.
A trunk was found marked Herman
dez" This corresponds with the name
OF lady on the passenger list oil the
City of Vera Cruz, as appears in the
New York Papers of Last Thursday.
The mails, or at least all that could be
recovered of them, were brought here
Yesterday and will be forwarded TO their
destination. Two sailing vessels in adj
dition to the brig Eddy, have come
ashore since the gale, near here. The
signs are that the hurricane has been
very fatal to the shipping.
How the Lost Vessel was Identified.
The Superintendent of Foreign Mails
at Washington, Yesterday, telegraphed
TO Postmaster James, OF this city, as foi-
lows:
The postmaster OF It. Augustine, Fla,
having telegraphed TO the Postmaster
General to-day, as follows: "a lot OF
foreign mail was washed ashore and de-
liyered to me. Shall loose the package
and dry the letters? What disposition
shall make of the same? The letters are
for France via New York to Havana, that
officer has been instructed by wire, after
driving the letters washed ashore, to
make M the bundles as nearly as possl-
bic To their original condition and Tor
ward them To the pOStoilice at New Ork.
The Times Got Copy ofthis Dispatch,
made an investigation and settled be-
yOnd a doubt that the recovered mail IS
mart of that sent from this city in the
steamer CITY of Vera Cruz That vessel
took an unusually large consignment
of French mails OF this description,
there being no less than nine
bacs altogether, while the Niagara, the
steamer, which left the day following,
took none whatever. Ii is suggested
that in the event of an accident to the
CITY of Vera Cruz, or II the steamer be-
ga ne unmanageable i'll the storm, the
crew and passengers
Might Have Taken to the Boats,
bringing the mails with them, and have
afterward thrown the mails overheard
10 tighten them. The postoilice author
tiles here say the mail washed ashore
was post-marked New York, August
18th, and Paris, August 18th, indicates
that the mail arrived here by the Bala,
via, from Liverpool, and was dispatched
by the City of Vera Cruz.
At the office of the Alexandra line, up
to noon to-day, no further Information
as to the reported loss OF the City Vera
Cruz has been received, though an an
swer 10 the dispatch to st. Augustine,
Florida, asking for details
Is Momentarily Expected.
The owners do not believe the steamer
is lost. but think she has encountered
burricine, during which the mail and
baggage went overheard. They pro-
nounce her one of the strongest steam
ers in the world. She was on the dry
dock previous to her last trip. The yes
sol is worth two hundred thousand dol
lars and is insured in London and
America. Many relatives and friends
of the passengers and crew are at the
office awaiting information. Captain +.
Harris. who commanded the steamer on
her previous voyage, is on board. The
chief engineer is namei Miller and the
purstr, Burke.
Anon, the passengers Of the Vera