The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-01-25
A TERRIBLE DISASTER.
Wreck Of a Steamer on the Massa-
ohus3tts Coast.
Scores of Lives Lost by Drowning or
Exposure.


Boston bound for Savannah:
The steamship City of Columbus, which
niled from Boston for Savannah at p NJ,
On the following day struck a reef off Gay
Heal, at the southwestern extremity OF
The island of Marthas Vineyard, at 3:45
N the morning, and became. total
wreck. The steamer, which was in
command of Captain f. S. Wright, of Bos-
ION, had successfully steamed through the
dangerous passage between Monomy Point
at the southern end of Cape Cod, and had ar
rived off Gay Head Lighthouse, when she
struck on the reef known as Devils Bridge,
and Immediately careened over AID filled
with water. OF the 1876 persons on board
more than 100 were lost. The passengers,
numbering eighty-one were ali asleep in their
state rooms and berths when the shock
awakened them, and they rushed on deck in
their night clothes, most of them providing
themselves with life preservers as they came
from the cabins The steamer careened as
soon as She struck, and her port side was
at once dashed in, the sea breaking
into the cabin. Captain Wright had
the boats cleared away, but they were
swamped as soon as launched, for gale was
blowing from the westward, and the sea
was very high ON the reef The life raft
Jared better, and seven passengers who in
trusted themselves to it drifted away in
safety. Meanwhile passengers were being
washed overheard by the dozen. Some forty
of them took to the rigging, but even these were
not all safe, for the waves now and then tore
them oil. II was ten o'clock before succor
came in the form of the Gay Head life boat,
which took oil seven persons An hour later
another life boat came, and then the revenue
cutter Dexter came up and took on board
the remaining twenty-one and started with
them for New Bedford.
Captain Wright says: :" We passed the
Cross Rip lightship Mt II o'clock last night,
and continued by East and West Chop, with
a strong breeze blowing from west south
west Passed Nob,ka with course west
southwest. | st pped into my room to warm
myself 1t was very cold. Everything was
working we'll | went below a short time,
and soon afterward heard the second mate,
who was in the pilot house with the mate, sing
out TO the quartermaster to port jumped
out of my room, thinking we had come
across a vessel bolnd down the sound. l
then cried cut, 'Hard-a-port not knowing it
was vessel, and in the moonlight saw the
buoy on the Devils Bridge on the port about
two points forward of the beam, and about
300 yards distant She Immediately struck.
/ ordered the engine reversed, and she backed
about twice her length. The steamer imme-
diatey stopped and | ordered tine lb hoisted
and endeavored to head her to the north,
but she fillel forward and listed over to port,
so that the plankshire was about four feet
under water | went aft and told the Ia'sen-
gers to keep cool and get life lreservers |
next told the officers of the deck to get the
down aft and righted 1t was Blowing
very hard and heavy sea was running.
Launched port No. & boat, which was i'm
med ately capsized. The sea was breaking
over the steamers deck, and the stern being
entirely under water we We're forced to go up
on top of the house. ] stayed here awhile,
but we were finally obliged to take to the
rigging. The mate, second mate, chief en-
gineer, and fourth engineer took to the raft.
! think the steamer struck on lone rock. :"
H.
following statement: . At about l2j9 we
sighted vessel ashore on the reef
near Cav Head. The wind was blow
ing gale. and a terrible sea was running.
As we approached we saw that the vessel was
a steamer, and the waves were breaking
over her We anchored on her starb ard
quarter, 200 or 200 yards away. The cutters
boat was at once lowered, manned by five
men, in charge of Lieutenant Rhodes, who
brought off seven men. A return trip was
made, and one man wa brought to the YES
sell Lieutenant Kennedy was then dis
PATCHED in the gig, with four men. and took
OIL four on five men. Meanwhile the lifeboat
transferred several men to the cutter, and
at length the rigging was cleared of the
survivors. The vessel sank in about four
Iathoms of water, and the railing on the bow
wa5 the only portion of the hull visible. We
found the men in the fore and maintops and
rigging. 1t was impossible to row over the
rigging. as the boats would have been
pounded t. pieces. The men in the rigging
were forced to Jump into the sea, and we
caught them a, they arose to the surface and
pulled them into the boat. Some of the men
could not swim, lut nearly every one in the
rigging was saved. Eugene McGarry jumped
from the rigging. Lieutenant Rhodes Jumped
for him. but the beat was lifted fifteen
feet on a crest and it was necessary to star
board to avoid being swamped The poor
man was not sen afterward. At the same
instant nearly McGarry's brother was pulled
into the boat. Captain Wright was among
the last t. leave the ship. Two men who
were frozen 50 stiH that they We're unable to
relinquish their hold on the rigging We're at
length the only persons remaining on the
steamer executing the captain. Lieutenant
Rhodes asked him to lump, but he shouted,
Save those men fir-tn They are frozen.
was the lieltenant's reply. The captain than
jumped, and although he could not swim a
stroke, he was Rescued by Lieutenant Ken
nedy Ne floating bodies We're seen, though
the sea was strewn with Wreckagen
Lieutenant Rhodes performed heroic act
which elicits hearty commendation. Two
men hung in the rigging unable u move from
exhaustion. The officer determined to save
them at the Peri! of his life. Returning to
the cutter ne asked Captain Gabrielsun to
give him man t. steer hat h might swim
to the wreck and rescue the unfortunate
men. The Captain granted the request and
Lieutenant Eoath was placed in the boat.
But on nearing the steamer it was found to
be folly to attempt to go alongside. Lieu
tenant Rhodes refused to abandon the at
tempt, ami sanE our to the men in the life
boat to take him H. the wreck. Lieutenant
Rhodes boarded the lifehoat, and tying a
rope about him. waited until he was within
about thirty fee of the vessel when he sprang
into the SEA. He had nearly reached the
wreck when he va, struck by a piece of
timber on the leg ana sank. lie was pulled
alb ard the boat and taken to the cutter.
His leg was found to b; cut but after
changing his clothing as the sea was
smo Their, he determined to make a last
attempt He again set out for the
wreck, and this time the men were
reached. One was hanging with his feet
and arms throu IN the ratnes and his heal
was hanging Lieutenant Rhodes put bow
line alb ut him. when he murmured, For
Gods sake, don't touch me !n The man. who
was atterward found to be. Mr.. Richardson
was placed in the boat, but die / before reach
ing the cutter. About 800 was found i'm a
wallet in his pocket The Sc .ond man. who
was the last person removed from the wreck,
was in the ratlines in the weather rigging
and although hT, a hiup when I1o .a1 IA, tl,a