Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1880-09-14
FLOODING THE CABIN.

to the saloon and staterooms, setting all
adritt. BY midnight the passengers
| were generally sitting upon or lying on
the floor of the saloon cOnversing with
and assisting each other, yet good cheer
was the rule, and many were the eX-
changes of wit and humor between them
all. The servants as they passed around
them added to the good feeling. Major
General Torbcr, United States Army,
had been washed out of his staterOom
(No. 81 which was the first on the port
bow, early Saturday evening. He then
came to me in the saloon room No. 27.
GALLANT ToRBERT.
He had been thrown against n table in
the afternoon and had cut his right cheek
which troubled him considerably, rs it
bled freely, but he was in his best and
liindest humor, speaking II cheering
word here, assisting q man there, and
attending to the women and children ey-
erywhere. lie lay on the saloon floor
part Of the night, but was flooded out,
and then came and laid with me, bring
Ing his waterproof, which we threw over
us to protect MS from the water dripping
in from the top and sides. At one
O'Clock p. NJ. the engine room was dry.
The drag was put on but it reversed and
was useless. 1t was not gotten ready
until this time and was too small for SER
vice. even if in proper order. AttWo r.
NJ. the ship took heavy sea and the
water put The fires out, Immediately
stopping the engines.
PASSING THE DUCKETs.
The donkey engine then started and
was going when the ship sank. The
purcer came hurricdly below, calling for
| General Torbert, and said that the cap
tain had sent him TO tell the passengers
to come and assist the crew or the ves-
sci would 80 down. We Immediately
got up. went to the deck and to the
floor Of tie engine room, where assist
ed to pass the buckets toran hour. Cap
tain Van Sce was in line near the top
passing water while | was there. 1t
was no use. The sea was continually
breaking over the vessel and coming
down in large quantities between decks.
The donkey engine was working but not
to any purpose. After this went to
the saloon and told General Torbert that
we were going to pieces and fast filling,
and nothing remained but for us to get
the life preserVers on the women. Gen
cral IOrbcrt's face hurt him 50 that he
did not go to pass buckets.
no EXCITEMENT.
There was no such thing us excite
mcnt on board--cyen the children were
quiet and reasonable. Each assisted the
other in arranging life prescYcrs, and
Gen. Torbcrt was like sunbeam, laugh
ing and joking while he assisted them.
The storm at this time was most terrific,
Such waves, wind and rain can never be
described. The ship listed TO her beam
ends at every wave, and II was just pos
sibe to crawl from one place TO another.
| The storm was so thick that we could
not see one hundred yards ahead, and
the roar of the wind and beating Of the
brain was like the rattle Of muskGtry.
Gen. Torbert and myself were lying in
my berth talking and quietly awaiting
the worst, when, at twelve minutes past
four A. NJ, sea broke into the engine
room and through thc saloon, making Il
crash like battery of artillery and siiik-
ing terror for an instant into every one,
dashing saloon passengers, tables, doors
and the loose furniture together aud IN
TO water knee deep.
AN ARGUMENT ABOUT LIFE
The General came TO me Immediately
after this with Master Wallcndgc, about
nine years old, and said, "Romco, you
aud must take this little boy ana care
for him between u.s." | allowed that he
had but fifteen minutes to live, aud ar
gucd that II would be mercy TO let the
| little fellow go down with the ship, but
the General kindly insisted, and said, 81
cannot leave this little fellow behind :
YOU and must save him. Take him
until | come back The next minute
the sen came into the saloon more ter
rincaly than ever, filling II waist deep
In water and smashing the most Of thc
mort side. The little fellow aud myself
were rolled over among the chairs ana
mblps aud lost him, but he was picked
up and brought 10 his father ! called
10 General 'furbcrt 10 come to the deck
with me. He said, 81 win go aft aud
meet you aboye.' ] never paw General
'rorbcrt again alive.
rAssEHGEus BIDDING EACH o1urR FARE.
WELL.
The passengers now crowded into the
social hall, which was At the top Of the
saloon steps. Here they said farewell
to cnCh other, We adjusted their llit
prcscrycrs and extended sympathy one
TO nnolhcr. Never before, perhaps.
was there n set Of passengers 80 quiet
and tmexcited under circumstances cd
appalling. Mr.. Alexander Wollcndg,
brought his little boy tome and said
; "Mr. owen, will give you $1,000 ii
pold II YOU will take my sou aud gct lln
10 land" said no, | did not cNpcct {,
live five minutes after The ship went
b down. told him It would be- u mercy
4 TO himself and son 10 80 down ~ quicl
ma posslhlc. told him could see moth
inc 10 hope for IN storm llko thls.
snld "Tet IA look no II As " our charc
: terra on the worlds stage were about end
e. ed"
, dmL's nEQursr
b Miss Sadie Fay asked me IN bcrsNcct
, est manner TO take cNle of her. but ! sal,
tn her aud lO the others that there Wn
: nothing 10 be- done but 20 stick 10 thi
, shin until we were washed from her. an,
4 then TO cling 10 the fragments Ns long n
possible, and this plan was curilcd on
by every passenger The captain wa
seen lust before the sea smashed ih ll'
puu side of the upper decks, at tWcly'
G minutes past four A. NJ, but whether hl
. poi excited and jumped overheard o
! WAS swept away is not known TO amy o
, ne.
ktLtnB IN Tiir ittE-DoAh
: Mr.. Paris. nut officer, the sccont
+ mate, and one or two others of The crew
( took to the stntbuard bow boat hud wer'
/ killed before the boat could be got free
a Mr.. Miller nnd bis engineers stood by