The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-09-10
A Passenger. Thrilling story.

Mr.. A. X. Owen, one of the surviving pas
sengers of the Inflated steamer Vera Cruz, tells
the following story of the disaster:
AT / p. m last Saturday, heard Capt Van
Size say to First Officer Harris: 81 have just
noticed that the barometer Is falling rapidly.
We are going to have q 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
rain, and lifted the ship almost on her beam
ends. 1t was almost impossible TO get about
without 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, filling the saloon and
stste-rooms. At midnight the passengers were
lying or sitting on the floor talking with or as
histing 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
tentive. Gen. Torbert had been washed out Of
stateroom No. 5 early in the evening, and his
right cheek was badly bruised. AT a. m. Sun
day the engine-room was still dry. A drag was
put ont, but it reversed. and was useless. IL
had not been 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. 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 mp and went to the deck, and the
engine-room and assisted in bailing for one
hour, Capt. Van Size also passing buckets. The
sea was constantly breaking over the vessel,
coming between the decks in large quantities,
the donkey engine going 10 no purpose. Finally
we abandoned all hope Of saving the vessel.
There was no excitement on board. and each
man assisted his neighbor in arranging
life-preservers. Gen. Torbert was per-
feet sunbeam, encouraging and assisting
everybody. The storm was most terrific, such
waves and wind 80 cannot be described. The
ship was listed over on her beams by every
wave. 1t was only possible to crawl from one
point 10 another. The storm was so thick we
couldn't sec 100 yards and it was impossible
TO face the wind and rain. AT 4:l2 a. H.,
the sea broke into the engine room,
making crash like battery of artillery and
dashing passengers and furniture into one mass.
The passengers crowded Social Hall, at the top
of the stairs said their farewells, adjusted
their lifc-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:l2 n. M. when the sea
smashed the port slce of the upper deck.
Wholher ho lett the ship or was washed over
board, do not know. Harris, the first mate.
and one or two scamen took the boat at the
starboard bow. but were killed before the boat
could be lowered. Miller, the first
engineer, and his assistants stuck TO the
ship till she sank. ONeil, he quartermaster,
and seaman whose name | do not know
stood at the wheel till the vessel sank, about
u. m. The ship broke III half, filling the sea
with wreckagc of all descriptions. No idea can
be 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, breskng like surf toward each
other. VIII we rose on one, il was not to go
down on the other side, but to lie whirled over
the top and sent rolling or flying through the
air TO the opposite wave, and so backward aud
forward. This lasted two or three hours Then
the waves began 10 come in swelling ridges, and
we rolled or fell down on the opposite SIDE
The wind wss so terrific that planks were
lifted by II, dropping among the living and dy-
ing people. All were bleeding from wounds
and half we're dead and dying in fifteen min
utes. The scene was appalling. land Thomas
Dumgooe, fourth assistant engineer, got on a
piece OF the dlning-saloon. twenty-five by ten
feet across. We were in the water twenty-five
hours. We both went blind ut night from the
salt water in our eyes. When we struck the
breakers ut n. m. Monday our craft went to
pieces. We were whirled through the breakers