The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-09
THE CITY OF BRUSSELS.
Further Details OF Her Collision with
the Kirby Hall.
A Memorial from the Rescued Passenger
Complimenting the Commanding OFF,
GERS for Goodness and Efficiency.

LONDON, Jan. s.-Fur ther details of the
disaster to the ship City of Brussels say that
Captain Land was one of the first picked up
by the boats, although he, with the chief
engineer, was the last to- leave the rigging
When rescued he was in the act of passing
life-buoy to drowning comrade. As show
ing the terrible nature of the collision, the
purser says that the main compartment of
the City of Brussels was cut right in two
After the col lisionNthe fog thickened, and it
was dangerous even for boats to move about
vessel, and found boy
named Hamilton, half drowned
clingng to the mizzen cross-trees The two
Italians drowned seem to have lost their wits
from terror, and jumped overheard without
waiting to see what could be done for their
safety. The persons lost include Connor,
the quartermaster, and Cochrane, the stew
ard.
Neither passengers nor crew were able to
save anything and many persons were
obliged to leave the ship with but little
clothing. There is no doubt that if the fog
had cleared little sooner all would have
been saved. The theory concerning the
drowning of the seamen is that when the
vessel lurched, they were struck by the rig
ging and rendered insensible. One man was
found dead in the rigging. The passengers
of the City of Brussels have drawn up the
following memorial:
1--WE, who have just been rescued from a
watery grave, wish to express our sincere
gratitude and admiration of the courage
promptitude and GOODNESS in danger exempl-
fled by the captain, purser and other officers
of the ill-fated vessel which has just gone
down so near the termination of her voyage"
Many passengers are suffering greatly from
the shock. Beside the breach in the hull
the bulkhead of the City of Brussels was
shifted by the violence of the collision, thus
accounting for her speedy sinking. The cap
tain of the Kirby Hall states that he backed
his engines on first hearing the whistles OF
the City of Brussels The cargo OF the lost
vessel was valued at $780, 900 and the vessel at
$500, 900.
The captain of the steamer Kirby Hall
states that the City of Brussels, although her
engines were stationary, was coming on with
the tide with such an impetus that col.
lision was inevitable.
The purser of the City of Brussels states
that at the last moment they were putting
on steam with view Of moving TO avoid the
collision, hut uselessly.
Siegel, a passenger of the CITY OF Brussels
states that he was awakened by the crash
He arose. but learning nothing further, re-
| turned to his berth, and was aroused again
by the call to imam the boats" He was
saved in the boat commanded by the purser
which had thirty persons.
Captain Land states that after the City of
Brussels had been stopped for forty-one min
utes. steamers whistles were heard on the
starboard and port sides. He concluded that
the steamers would pass on parallel lines,
Suddenly white light appeared on the star
board bow, and minute and half after
ward the vessel ran into the City of Brus-
sells. He Immediately ordered the boats to be
lowered and spare sail placed over the
hole, but before the latter order could
be carried out the carpenter reported that
there was fourteen feet OF water i'll the hold,
| and the engineers stated that the fires would
be out in about minute The passengers
| then took to the boats, and the crew, without
orders filled other boats, when the ship sunk
as far as the bridge. Captain Land called out
| for every one to save himself, and jumped
| into the water. He and others foated upon
a spar until rescued.
Captain Land highly praises the way Off
GERS and crew worked under the circum-
| stances. Captain Land himself was twenty
minutes in the water and all the papers Of
the City OF Brussels were lost
LIVERPOOL. Jan. S.-Mr Skinner, passen-
pilot jumped into the first boat that was
| launched. This so enraged the captain that
he called upon the crew to pull him out.
This caused the only incident of confusion,
and matters were conducted so smoothly
that until five boats were lowered the passen.
gers did not believe the disaster really serious.
The officials of the Mersey Dock Board and
Liverpool Salvage Association have visited
the scene of the collision, and marked the
spot OF the disaster, which is two and half
miles from the lightship. If the weather is
| favorable good portion of the cargo will be
| recovered; other portions will doubtless wash
out.
The masts and funnel of the City of Brus-
sells are obstructing navigation and will be
removed.
New YORK, Jan. S.-The cargo of the City
of Brussels consisted of 783 bales of cotton,
146 bales of hops, 4,027 boxes of bacon, 2 448
boxes of cheese, So tierces Of salt beef, %
tierces OF pork, 10 barrels of pork, $50 barrels
of apples 80 barrels of oysters 144 half
barrels of tongues, $50 packages of butter,
173 bags of flour, 25 bags of cocoa and coffee
254 bags of clover seed, SO cases of seal SKINS
122 cases of tobacco, 119 packages of sundries,
and 100 tons of fresh beef and mutton.
There was no specie on board the vessel
The steamship carried out Al bags
of letters and eighty-six bags Of newspapers
For delivery at Queenstown there were 30-
GOA letters, 2,419 of which were registered
and sixty-six bags of newspapers For Liver
pool there were 1,719 letters, sixty OF
them being registered, and twenty bags OF
newspapers. One bag of letters and two OF
newspapers were from Boston and the same
quantity from Philadelphia.
BosToN, Jan. 8-The insurance on the
cargo of the City of Brussels is reported as
from $4,000 to 100000 in Boston marine
companies, and is distributed among the
China, Boston, Boyleston, India and Manu-
facturers Offices
Put Asunder.
CINCINNATI O., Jan. s.-A divorce was
granted to-day in the Common Pleas Court
to Mollie Nader Steele, from Levi c. Steele