Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1880-09-22
4 THRILLING EXPERIENCE.


Of the passengers on the ill-fat-
ed steamer Vera Cruz, which was
recently caught in a cyclone, near
the cost of Florida, and foundered,
thus relates his experiences
81 was cabin passenger on
board the steamer City Of Vera
Cruz, occupying a statcroom on the
port side Of the ship. Everything
went all right until Saturday after
noon, when a pretty stiff breeze
sprang up, increasing every min
ute. At o'clock the wind was so
high that the ship worked very
much, and nothing seemed 70 re-
main in its place. Water came into
my room, and was compelled to
take the mattress into the saloon,
where | found all the other passen-
gers, and lie down. Miss Fay was
living next to me, and we were
talking as though nothing unusual
was going on. The storm increas-
cd, and the skylight was carried
away BY the sea. This let IN I'M
mense quantities of water, wetting
every one. BY this time every
thing was in confusion. Chairs,
tables, and other articles OF iurni-
ture were dancing across tho sa-
loon, so that it became dangerous
70 stay there, and the vessel made
a terrible lungc, which threw
Gen. Torbert across the saloon.
he struck against the side and cut
a cash in his head. lie leaned up
on chair until it was dressed.
Miss Fay was very calm, as were
most of the ladies. Mrs. Welsh
was very much excited on account
of her little girl, Mr.. Welsh was
constantly going around to the
ladies and consoling and comfort
ing them. He also passed brandy
around 10 warm those who were
wet and cold. AZ about midnight
the purser came up and said all
hands must 60 and help bail out
the ship. All responded who had
no wives or others to look after
| carried a life preserver with me,
and took my post at the gangway
with the mate and first waiter. !
braced myself with Que hand while
empting buckets that were passed
up with the other. The Captain
passed me six or seven times going
down below to see how the water
gained. He seemed cool and was
busy all the time. The ship listed
so much to the 5tarboard that |
was apprehensive Of her capsizing.
| asked the purser il there was
anv danger Of that, and he said
no; that she was heavily laden,
aud would stand all right. We
bailed until 3 p. NJ. on Sunday,
when a terrible crash was heard
and the steamer seemed TO be Ell
quilted by the sea. She was com
pletclv covered with water. was
dashed out against the railing aud
could not realize my situation for
some seconds. The lights were all
put out, and we were in darkness
/ did not see the Captain after this,
and ] think he was washed over
board with others who were on
deck. At this time all the passen-
gers rushed out Of the saloon TO
the upper deck cabin. They al!
had life-perservers on aud looked
as calm as could bo expected. /
went in and held the door, looking
out. While there a sailor came
UP, and saw that his lsg was
broken. He begged for d lite-per-
server, but addressed no one IN
particular. | went down TO the
saloon and brou-h. up one, but
before | gave il % him an old gen.
man who had q little boy begged
me 10 give it to the boy, who had
none. His appeal could not re-
fuse, SO gave it 20 him. ! saw the
sailor no more on board. When |
was in the saloon getting the life
perserver, ] saw the stewardess sit
ting away aft crying, while the
chairs and other furniture in the
water were knocking all around
her think she stayed there aud
went down with the ship. About
fifteen minutes before the ship
went down her mainmast fell, near
" striking me on the head. Had
il fell two feet more forward, it
would have killed me and some
of the others in the cabin, The
only man could see on the deck
at this time was the first engineer.
He was trying 20 toss over a safe
for himself to Jump into. The ship
was sinking fast, and J made up
my mind to leave uer. ] did not
want to be carried down by the
whirlpool caused by the vessel
sinking, and stepped over the
fallen mast, waited for a good wave,
and spraug out into the sea. /
could not get away from the ship
for some time, as the waves kept
taking me back TO her Many
passengers followed me, and soon
the waves seemed alive with men
and women. struck out vigor-
ously, and when thought was