Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-09-08
THE VERA CRUZ.

following graphic details of the disaster:
The steamer Water Lily brought hereto
day, from, ST.. Augustine, A K. Owen
and t. Silva, passengers of the City of
Vera Cruz; Charles Smith, second assist
ant engineer; Thos Drumgole, fourth
assistant engineer; Chas. Brandenberg,
quartermaster, John Rely, John Green
field and Mason Talbot. They and two
other seamen, whose names are not
known, are, it is to be feared, the only
survivors of the shipwreck. q
Mr.. Owen tells the following story:
At p M. last Saturday 1 heard Cap
tain Van Slice say to First Officer Harris:
"I have just noticed that the barometer
is falling rapidly. We are going to have
hurricane. Orders were given to cut
up and throw overheard some cars for a
Mexican railroad and some barrels of
oil and acids, constituting the deck load.
The cyclone struck us on the port bow
few minutes later. It was accompanied
by terrible rain, and lifted the ship
almost on her beam ends. It was i'm
possible to get about without support.
All movable articles were thrown from
port to starboard. The wind was north
east, and the vessel was steering south
by east during the evening. The win
dows of the main saloon were carried
away; the waves broke over the ship,
filing the saloon and state rooms. At
midnight the passengers we're lying OF
sitting on the floor talking with or assist
ing each other. Many had been severely
cut and bruised against the furniture.
Good cheer prevailed, and all were quiet
and composed. The servants were kind
and attentive. Gen. Tobert had
been washed out of state room
No. 5 early in the evening, and
his right cheek was badly bruised.
At A. NJ Sunday the engine-room was
still dry. A drag was put out, but it re-
versed, and was useless. 1t had not
been gotten ready till then, and was too
small to render service. At A. M. the
ship took a heavy sea, the water putting
out the fires and stopping the engine.
| The donkey engine was started at the
pumps, and was working when the
steamer sank The purser came below,
calling for Gen. TOrbert, and said that
the captain wanted the assistance of the
passengers or the vessel would sink.
Immediately got up and went to the deck
and the engine-room and asslstedln bail
ing for one hour, Capt. Van Size also
passing buckets. The sea was constant
Iy breaking over the vessel, coming be-
tween the decks in large quantities, the
donkey engine going to no purpose.
Finally we abandoned all hope of saving
the vessel There was no excite
ment on board, and each man
assisted his neighbor in arrang-
ing life preservers. Gen. Torbert
n nj II
assisting everybody. The storm was
most terrific, such waves and wind as
can not be described. The ship was
listed over on her beams by every wave.
It was only possible to crawl from one
point to another. The storm was so
thick we couldn't see a hundred yards;
and it was impossible to face the wind
and rain. At 4. u A. NJ. the sea broke in
to the engine room, making crash like
battery of artillery and dashing passen-
gers and furniture into one mass. Gen.
Torbert came to me with Master W. At
teridge, 8 years old, and said: you
take the boy and care for him. 1 said,
eve will all be dead in fifteen minutes.
It's a mercy to the little fellow to let
him go down with the ship. Don't take
him out in this storm" The general as
sented, saying: eve can't leave the
dear little fellow behind You must save
him. Take him till L come back" A
minute later the sea came through the
saloon more terrifcally than ever, filling
it waist deep, the water smashing in the
port side. The boy and I were
rolled over with a heap of furni-
ture and trunks. Ipicked him up and took
him to his father, in Social hall. The pas
sengers crowded Social hall, at she top
of the stairs, said their farewells, adj
justed their ife-preservers, and ex-
pressed words of sympathy. They took
my advice, and remained on the ship
till she went down. The captain was
seen just before 4:12 A. NJ, when the sea
smashed the port side of the upper deck.
Whether he left the ship or was washed
overheard, do not know. Harris, the
first mate, and one or two seamen took
the boat at the starboard bow, but were
killed before the boat could be lowered.
Miller, the first engineer, and his assist
ants stuck to the ship till she sank. 1.
! O'Neil, the quartermaster, and seaman
whose name [ do not know, stood at the
wheel till the vessel sank, about A. M.
The ship broke in ha1f, filing the sea
with wreckage of all descriptions. No
idea can be formed of the appearance of
that immense quantity of freight dash
ing together, with men, women, children
and horses swimming or sinking through
the surging mass, and with the waves
fifty feet high, not in swells or ridges,
but in peaks, breaking like surf toward
each other. When we rose on one,
it was not to go down ON the other
side, but to be whirled over the top and
sent rolling orfying through the ar to the
opposite wave, and 80 backward and for
ward. This lasted two OF three hours.
Then the waves began to come in swell
ling ridges, and We rolled or fell down
on the opposite side. Gen. Torbert was
picked up by Chas. Smith, the second
assistant engineer, fifteen minutes after
the ship sank. He was then weak and
required assistance to get on fragments
of the wreck. When these fragments
turned over a few minutes later, Gen.
IN r