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


merchandise.
WRECK sTREWN SEA.
TO say there were ten million pieces
of wrecked stores all clashing together
five minutes after the ship went to pieces
would be gross eXaggeration, but even
with such statement no idea could be
conceived as to the state of the case.
Men, women, children, horses, cats and
rats mixed and went in, through and
over this mass. The waves were fifty
feet high, not in swells and ridges, but
in peaks like sugar loaves. -Four peaks
beating like surf tore into each other.
When we went up on one ii was not to
go down on the other side, but to be
turned over at+he top and sent rolling
through the air to the opposite one, and
50 back and forth. This lasted about
two or three hours, after which the
waves took more natural character and
came in swelling ridges, and we whirled
down and over them to the opposite
side.
GENERAL ToRBERT PICKED UP.
Gen. Torbert was picked up by Chas.
Smith, one of the crew, about fifteen
minutes after the ship sunk. He was
then weak and could crawl on the frag-
ments of the wreck only with assistance.
When the fragment on which he was
was turned over, moment later, Mr..
Smith came up on another piece, and
never saw the General again alive. The
wind was 50 terrific that when plank,
raft, box or trunk would reach the top
of wave it was whirled through the air
terrible to behold. Among the living
and dying never passed a person who
was not bleeding from some wound in
lictcd by passing fragments, and half Of
them were dead or dying within fifteen
minutes after they took to the waves.
STRUGGLING WOMEN.
This was most appalling; and sad, in
decd, was il 10 see these heroic women
struggling against timbers, waves and
fate. passed Mr.. Wallengt and son
ten minutes after the sinking. They
were about ten yards apart, clinging to
different pieces of the wreck, and the lit
tie fellow looked as calm and handsome
ms when playing In the saloon two days
before. His father was depressed, but
only for his son; no thought of himself
eDtcrcd his head, Would to God that |
might then have done something for
them both. Thus could | tell some
thing about each passenger, but as | did
not know their names | cannot enter in
to details.
IMPRISONED IN THE SHIP.
The stewardess was lammcd in the sa-
loon among doors and tables and sank
with the ship. She was crying bitterly
and appealed to me TO for help, when
the water poured in upon her like Nj
agara. | stood by the mainmast till the
water rushed In over the hurricane deck,
and then | climbed up the rigging twcn-
ty-tivc feet and was washed of ny the
waves. An instant after fragments Of
the wreck piled in and over me. ! was
stunned BY blow across my head, check
and eyes, rs | climbed first upon one
thing and then upon another. For half
an hour | rushed up one mountain OF
water, then down another until finally J
caught hold of piece Of the ship, about
twenty-five feet long by ten feet wide.
This was the port Side of the dining
room. Through one window was the
head and shoulders Of q man, Thomas
Gmmbool.
CAUGHT IS THE wRECKAGr.
lie asked me to break the frame and
ret him out, but MS that was impossible,
| showed him down, and he came up
through the next opening. We now
threw of our life-presorvers and stuck
to the fragment Of wreck, through thick
and thin, for twcuty-four hours. Dur
ing that time we were ut least two-thirds
under water, In the night we were
both completely blind from the salt de-
posilpd In our eyes. When we struck
the surf at four O'Clock A. NJ. on Mon
day, our raft went TO pieces and we were
turned over ~ many rs six times before
coming 30 the surface.
TiE LANDING,
We were landed ut Mr. Botcruhr's
farm, near DaytOna, Nounsla county,
sixty miles south Of st. Augustine, aud
twelve miles north or Mosquito Inlet.
Charles Smith, james II. Kelly and Ma
son Talbot part of the crew Of the Vera
Cruz landed near ug within five miles Of
each other. Charles Brandcnburg and
John Greenfield, pare Of the crew, lnnd-
cd at Mosquito Inlet, while two others
of tile crew and two passengers are Ht
smyrna, south Of thr inlet. Their names
We were unable 10 learn. None Of the
lady passengers were saved, ana but
three passengers and eight Of the crew
nrc known to have been sOycd out of