Louisiana capitolian., 1880-09-09
The Wrecked Steamer.
A VIVID ACCOUNT or TIiK HURRICANE

New York, Sept. 5.--A special from
St. Augustine, Fla, reports tho arrival
tholv from Halifax river of seven men,
survivors of the wreck of the Vera Cruz.
One is o. X. Owen, n passenger. The
others aro an engineer, oiler and four
scamen. Talbot, ono of the scamcn,
gives tho following account Of tho dis
;lStcr:
"About thirty miles off shore we be-
gan to ship heavy seas, and water was
found in the hold. As fast as we could
clear her she filled again by another
sea. This state of things soon made tlI"
fires burn low, and wo could not make
steam enough to keep hor head to the
wind. Wo then put ont II heavy drag
forward, and managed for while to
keep her to tho wind.
"Evcrything was in panic. Boats
cut loose ready for action and all hands
supplied with life preservers. At day
light Sunday, boats were lowered and
manned. They no sooner got their
cargo than they were overturned and
smashed to atoms against tho steamer,
all hands being swept away or their
lives dashed out against the ships side.
Boat after boat was dashed to pieces in
the same manner, until only few Of
the passengers would venture to leave
the steamer. The captain and officers
lost their lives in one Of the boats. At
half-past five in the morning IL heavy
sea struck the steamer forward and
crushed her fore and aft.
"All the fires and lights were put out,
and everything WAS in perfect be'llam !;
people screaming and slrieking for holp
on all sides. Tho steamer was broken
in two, and after % few surgos she foun-
lcred and went down, carrying with her
all who we're Oh board. When l arose
to the surface could sec now and then
pieces of drift stuff, and sometimes ono
or two men. The women made no ef-
fort to save themselves, and were drown
o,l in my sight. A mother and daughter
were clasped to each others arms. Du
ring the gale they camo ashore that way
drowned. From that time till O'clock
| in the afternoon could sec occasionally
one or two men as they roso upon tho
crest of the waves.
1t was useless to try to hold on to
anything as the sea would tear it from
our grasp and drive MS two or three
fatl,oms under the surface, and when
rcgaining it you would have to grasp
something else. was compelled to
dive or dodge away from pieces of drift
stuff, which would have killed me if
were hit by them. After o'clock saw
no one. came ashore on the Florida
coast about 1880 o'clock Monday morn-
ing having been about tN enty.six hours
in the water.
81 soon found my other companions,
as we all came ashore about tho same
time, although some distance apart.
Gen. Torbert was aboard. The last time
saw him alive he was aft with Mr..
Owen, who was saved with us. l saw
him again dead at Port Orange, where
be came ashore inscnslble. A boy found
him and dragged him up as far as he
could and ran for assistance. When they
got back he was dead. Bruises on his
head indicate that he wasstruck by drift
stuff and stunned. His body was buried
on q farm at Dayton.
Gone of our number swmn from the
wreck without the aid of IL life pre-
server. We are all more or less bruised
from the striking and buffetting Of the
! saas and drift who'd. il will crafty the