The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-09-10


commander. Gen. Torbert was attached to the
Army Of the West, and was strong friend of
Gen. Grant. 5
A Passengers Thrilling Story.
4 MI, A. Z. Owen, one Of the surviving pas
segers Of the Inflated steamer Vera Cruz, tells
the following story Of the disaster
At I p m. last Saturday, I heard Capt. 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 Mexican railroad and some barrels Of
oils and acids, constituting the deck load. The
clycone struck us on the port bow few min
utes. later. 1t was accompanied by terrible
raln and lifted the ship almost on her beam
ends. 1t was almost impossible to get about
witt out support. All movable articles were
thrown from port starboard The wind was
northeast, and the vessel was steering south
by east during the evening. The windows of
the main saloon were carried away the
waves broke over the ship, filing the saloon and
istate-rooms. At midnight the passengers we're
lying or sitting on the floor talking with or as
sisting each other. Many of them had been
severely cut and bruised against the furniture.
Good cheer prevailed, and all were quiet and
composed. The servants were kind and at
tentiye. Gen. Torbert had been washed out of
stateroom No. 5 early in the evening, and his
right cheek was badly bruised. AT | a. m. Sum
day the engine-room was still dry drag was
put out, but it reversed. and was useless. It
had not beeng gotten ready till then, and was too
small to render service. At 2 a. m. the ship took
a heavy sea, the water putting out the fires and
stopping the engine. q 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. imme-
diately got up and went to the deck, and the
engne-room and assisted in baiing for one
hour, Capt. Van Slce also passing buckets The
sea was constantly breaking over the vessel
coming between the decks in large quantities,
the donkey engine going to no purpose. Finally
we abandoned all hope of saving the vessel
1here was no excitement on board. and each
man assisted his neighbor in arranging
llfe-preseryers Gen. Torbert was per.
fect sunbeam, encouraging and assisting
everybody. The storm was most terrific, such
waves and wind as cannot be described. The
snip was listed over on her beams by every
wave. 1t was only possible to crawl from one
point to another. The storm was so thick we
couldn't see 100 yards and it was impossible
to face the wind and rain. At 412 a. M,
the sea broke into the engine room.
making crash like a battery of artillery and
dashing passengers and furniture INTO one mass.
The passengers crowded Social Hail. at the top
OF the stairs, said their farewells, adjusted
their Ife-preservers, and expressed 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. M. when the sea
Whether he left the ship or was washed over
board, L do not know. Harris, the first mate
and one or two seamen took the boat at the
starhoard bow, but were killed before the boat
could be lowered Miller, the first
engineer, and his assistants stuck to the
ship till she sank. O'Neil, the quartermaster
and seaman whose name do not know
stood at the wheel till the vessel sank, about 6
am The ship broke in half, filling the sea 1
with wreckage Of all descriptions oidea can
pc formed OF the appearance of that immense
quantity of freight dashing together, with men,
women, children and horses swimming or sink
ing 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
thetop and sent rolling or flying through the
air to the opposite wave, and SO backward and
forward. This lasted two or three hours. Then
thewaves began to come III swelling ridges, and
we rolled or fell down on the opposite side.
The wind was SO terrific that planks were
lifted by it. dropping among the living and dy-
ing people. All were bleeding from wounds,
and half were dead and dying in fifteen min
utes. The scene was appalling. and Thomas
Dumgoole, fourth assistant engineer, got on
piece of the dining -saloon, twenty-five by ten
feet across. We were in the water twenty-five
hours. We both went blind at night from the
salt water in our eyes. When we struck the
breakers at a. m. Monday our craft went to
pieces. We were whrled through the breakers
to the beach, twelve miles north of Mosquito
inlet. | think we had drifted fifty miles.
E Gen. Torbert came ashore near New Britain,
six miles above me. His body was discovered
in the surf at 5 o'clock on Monday morning. He
still had on his life-preserver. When Mr. Pitts
caught him his heart was still beating and
warm, fresh blood was running from wound
over his right eye. Everything was done to re-
store him, without avail. He was probably
hurt among the breakers, being struck by
plank to which he was clinging. / brought the
body to Halifax river and buried it in palmet-
to grove.