New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-20
TALKS WITH SURVIVORS.
PITIABLE SCENES on The SINKING vEssEI-How
SOME WERE RESCUED.


SOME WE'RE RESCUED.
lBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBCNEl
BosTON Jan. 19.-lnteryiews with the survivors
have brought some interesting statements ana
expressions Of opinion. Among the surviving pas
seneers who came to Boston by the special tram
this ,norning was John l.. Cooke. of Portland. Me-.
formerly of the Bunker Hill District. His deScrlp-
ton of the disaster is both melancholy and graphic
He SAWS he never saw more cheerful company
than those who embarked On the City of Columbus
on Thursday afternoon. Mr.. Cookies statcToom
was emily separated from the captains by small
air-space. The captain had retired only few min
utes before the first Fremont of the disaster,
and Mr.. Cooke was still awake. Though the crash
seemed something unusual, yet he did not fcol
alarmed Almost instantly the other officers OF the
boat gave the alarm to the passengers that the
steamer had met with disaster and that IT would
be wise for then to provide themselves with life
preservers.
The scene at this moment Mr.. Cooke describes as
one ofmelancholy confusion. The boat was rapidly
sinking The fury of the storm was i'll
creasing. Men, women and children seemed
TO lose their senses in the face Of
what appeared an inevitable doom for all. Many
were suddenly awakened from sleep, and to all The
news Of serious danger came with qulcknes, that
hardly admitted of more than a moments realila-
ton of It's possibilities
HUSBAND AND WIFE WASHED AWAY.
Self-preservation, that eternal first law OF nature
did not prevail everywhere. however, according 10
the observations of Mr.. Cooke Among the confused
mass who were struggling and screaming, VAS
noticed middle-aged man and his wife Their
conduct was in marked contrast with That
Of the other passengers. TIE panic which
had seized the others was not shared
INV them bnt their banched faces told that they
l.. II oil he OYl liz
movement of muscles or nerves was that produced
by the chilling atmosphere. They stood there close
together their hands clasped in each others, "a 1t
about to contemplate suicide together. As the
wreck caroened with the gale from one side TO the
other and while the spray and waves were drench-
ing them at every moment, the husband turned aud
imprin ed kiss upon the companion OF mis- LIE,
and while thus embraced heavy sea broke over
the wreck and both washed away and not
seen afterwaTd.
Mr. Cooke SAYS the scene was one which VIII re
main indeby impressed upon his memory until
hi. diving day. The conduct of the little Farms
worth boys, of Townsend Mr. Cooke describes as
heroic beyond conception. They both gained tho
rigging early after the disaster and were near him
and the captain of the steamer during the weary
hours intervening before assistance arrived. The
Youngest was Drawer than his elder brother.
and together with Mr Cooke he cutled and pounded
Llm at intervals to prevent him from surTendering
30 cold and exhaustion. When at length the revenue
cutter arrived. they both seemed animated with
new life and both jumped from the rigging ana
swan to the rescuing boat with as much cheerful
ness and vigor as if they had been disporting on
summer's evening Ia the tepld waters of the slug
gish MeITimac.
HEROIC CONDUCT or THE CUTTERS OFFICERS.
Mir. Cooke is enthusiastic Ia his praises OF
the heroic conduct of the officers and
crew of the United States revenue cut
ter Dexter; also of the attaches OF the Lie
Saving Station of the Boston Humane Society
IieuteuaDt Rhodes of the revenue cutter did not
ask any of the seamen in be resculng boat to 90,
but had inc dashed around himself and IN an IN
slant he plunged overheard aud swan for the rig
ging to rescue a couple of men who seemed frozen
but still alive. He almost reached the wreck
when lac was badly bruised by some OF the hoalihg
Zebra His companions immediately daA" hiin