Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-09-16
The Loss of the Steamer Vera Cruz.
NEW YORK. September

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 ali washed ashore. They
were: Owens, a passenger, one engi-
neer, one oiler and four seamen. Tai
bot, one of the seamen, says:
On Saturday night, about thirty miles Off
shore, we began 10 ship heavy seas, and water
was found in our hold AS fast as we could
clear her she was filed again by another sea.
This state OF things soon made tho fires burn
make head on the wind. We then put out a
heavy drag, forward, and managed FOR while
to keep her in the wind. Ever, thing was In
panic. The lite-boats were cut loose ready for
action. and all hands were supplied with life
preservers. AT daylight Monday the. boats
we're put over and manned. Tncy no sooner
got their cargo aud put over than they
were smashed to atoms against the steamer,
oil hands being swept away, or their lives
dashed out against the vessels sides. Boat
after at was dashed to pieces in this manner,
until few PASSENGERS coneluled not not to leave
their lives in ono OF the boats.
At5::0 a heavy struck the steamer for
ward and crushed her fore and aft. All the
fires and ifgntt wore put out, and everything
was in the widest confusion. Men and women
were screaming for help on all Sides The
steamer was broken in two, and after a few
surge. she foundered and went down carry
ing all on board went down with the ship
When I arose to the surface 1 could see now
and then pieces Of drift stuff, and sometm es
one or tw omen. The women made no efforts
to save them selves. A mother and daughter
ashore that way, drowned. From time to time
until four oclOcIs p. IN. [ 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 1t from
the grasp and drive one two or three fathoms
under the surface. was compelled to dive or
dOdge from wnud
killed me had been struck by them. Alter
this time saw no one, and came ashore on the
Florida coast about 1880 a. u Monday, having
been about twenty-Six hours in the water.
soon found my otner companions, as we came
distance apart. General A. L. A. Tar6ert was
aboard. The last l saw of him alive he
was 1T With Mr. Owens, who was saved.
where ne came ashore. He was discovered by
a boy, who dragged him up on tho beach as far
as he could. and then ran for assistance He
not then dead. When he returned with
help he dead. The bruises on his head
indicate that he was struck by drift stuff and
stunned. His body was buried at DaytOna.
Ono of our number swan from the vessel with.
out the aid OF a life-preserver. He was entire
more less bruised from the striking and
the bufreting Of the seas and the drift. The
body of q young man came ashore at Matanzas.
He had on only drawers and shirt. A few
miles further south tho body Of an old gen.
tfeman, who appears to be about tifty-efght
years old, was washed ashore, together with
an elderly lady and young girl and q 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 thought that most
Of the personal property can be produced
There are no means here of preventing pratt
cal dcprcdations in cases of this kind. No Dor.
ton of the wreck has yet 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 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-
specting them.