New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-14

,sssnoors iwho left the train ut Long Dra"oh
"a ,rort 70 philadelphia the six Italians duncan
- ,hs cook. and John Welsh, the Quar'erias'.'
-, r,;,v came mn from the wreck last hign' al
,he train that brought the mails Inc o.noi'
manned behind until to-day when tney VIII oo ioi
varded to their destinations
1pa yo0sal had n cargo of 1000 bags OF coffee,
Gained nj about 1926, 0O0 and 500 bundles OF
bae consigned to persons in this city and fully In
sureo As the vesse is filled with water 1t Is propa'
bile that the coffee will be destroyed
Joseph Birnoli said last night to TRIBUNE re-
corter: Twas on the Shenandoah which arrived
here few days ago, for nearly two years with ADJ
miral Spots, and after his death was transferred
t. the flagship Brooklyn. ] was sent home as
passenger on the Pliny. We had comparatively
fair weather until about four days ago. After 'n'
we had gales tempests, high seas and fogs' anu
Captain Mitchell could not get his daily ooserv va,
lions The result was that he had TO plot ms oa'i'
positions from dead reckoning. We all turheu III
last night as usual anticipating our arrival III wow
York to-day. / sleeping ]" vi.
adjoining berth to Michael Dirwin' Aoou'
3 O'clock this morning was awakened py ~lil-
HE shock. followed by the instantaneous eA'in-
ruishing of all of the lights. 1 knew IN an lns'ah'
what the trouble was and awakened Dir"'li
s.raat floods of water were pouring into the vessel
and dragged him up on deck. We then clambered
TO the bridge and caught hold of two life-rngs
I gave one of them to Dirwin and we put them On
The women and children screaming and II
was impossible to quiet them. The vessel
had struck on her starboard bow, but she swung
around broadside on her starDoard siue to"aiu tne
beach. and the seas were maHlng flean m tbn
mort side were all broken. We then put bIeau anu
water in the boats the starboard side ana started
to lower them, but they too, were crushed Dy the
seas. While we were endeavorlng TO Io"ei Lne
boats we saw man on the beach waving nus ha,
TO MS, and then he went away lie soon tesu.nod
with other men, whom we learned afterwaru
belonged TO the hte-saylng crew winch was US
banded a week ago. In less than an hour they mao
a mortar on the beach and line was thrown 10 US
II strock the vessel between the malnmast ana
cabin skylight and we took it forward and mace
it fast TO the foremost. The breeches-buoy was
then sent out and the and children were llIst
taken ashore. Then the other passengers anu wv
were taken ashore in the SUR boat. was tne
last passenger to leave the vessel SaPan M,1cne
was on the bridge, and when he declined 10 leave
the vessel the other officers stood by him.
Quartermaster John Welsh said IT was was my
long in reaching the deck. Second Officer Jones
and Fourth Officer Matthews had the watch ana
on the bridge with the captain oi, lo Tho
everything In the greatest confusion on uecR. InV
women and children were shrleking ,crylue anu
praying all at once; the captain was shouting ms
ing TO quiet the, passengers, assuring tnen
that they would be saved. AS soon
as the vessel struck she swung around on neT star
board side and the seas broke over her with tire,
mendous force She was lifted by the swell ana
would come down heavily on her bottom. Inc
mates along the keel must have broken IN, for she
soon filled with water. We sent up sgnais ana
burned lights from the time she struck untll long
after the fe-savng people came to our assistance
The first line thrown came over Just apart our
mainmast about a. NJ, and we made 1t fast TO the
foremost 1t was 6 o'clock before the
first child was taken ashore. The women and chi,
dren were first TO 60 ashore IN the nle-car ana
breeche. buoy. Then the surfmen launched boat
and adjusting their lIfe-preservers, sturdiiy ana
heroicaly pulled for the wreck and took all OF the
Others excepting the OticeTs and the mails ashore
The captain did not leave the vessel unil late IN
the afternoon, and she was then last gong 10
pieces Her masts were still standing, Dut ner
bottom all knocked iD."
Michael Dirwin said: 4" was first appl1sed OF
the disaster by the rough handling which got from
Blrnoh who has been a good friend to me during
the VOYAGE. | don't wish it understood that qua
not deserve the rough treatment The tact is, II IL
had not been for HIM would probably have awak
ened in the other world | was absolutely dragged
Dp the gapgway and on the bridge before | realized
nov situation. Birnol and myself, like many OF the
Others were in night-clothes and lost every
thing. We were furnished with clothing ana warm
food when we got on the beach,"
The Pliny was an iron vessel valued at about
$500, 900, and was insured III Brltsn companies lor
Liverpool, Brazil and Rio Plata Navigation Com
pany of Liverpool, and was built at Barrow, Scot
land in 1873. She 2SS 1-3 feet III length, "a
feet depth of hold 1914 feet breadth OF beam, aud
of 1874 tons gross measurement. She nad TWO
inasts and was schooner-rlgged. This was her hrst
trip to this port. She had a crew Of thrty-nlne be-
SIDES the captain.