Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-19
GONE TO THE BOTTOM.
THE LOSS OF THE CITY OF
COLUMBUS"

THE loss OF THE CITY OF
COLUMBUS"
The Excitement in the City Last Nish'-
How the News of the Disaster was
Received-The Telegraph and morn
tnp Nevs'' Offices Besieged with An1-
fous ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF the i-"9'
YesseI-Ber Officers and Crew.
The news received in Savannah lasr
night that the steamship City Of Column
bus Of the Boston line, had been lost
with all on board, created intense excite
mant and the wiidestrumors we're IN elrcu-
lation. The news spread rapidly over the
CITY. and the telegraph Office and MORN
ING News office were besleged WIN aux
ious inquirers eager to know the part'cu-
lars of the terrible disaster.
The first dispatch received about w. 49,
O'Clock stated that the City OIL Coiu lious
80 asifore on GAY Head. OF Marina
x y a. faSt breaking up. and that a
hundred lives were lost. Inc elspdtcu
- so,St from New Bedford TO NlckersOn
-, - a,rents of the Boston ana ca-
Vannah Steamship Co., IN Boston by capt.
! Wrioht. master Of the vessel, VINO was
| nicked up and rescued by the Revenue
| cutter Dexter" -.
T-noD the receipt Of the dispatch NEWS
roT6rfer at once reported the disaster to
Nessrs. Richardson 4 Barnard. agents Oh
the company in this city, who about the
Same time were in receipt OF dispatches
from the Boston agents, bHt were uhdpie
| to give any particulars further than What
was contained in the Hrst dispatch 10 tue
| News. Ill, from
|
/ arrived in Boston on sunday, the 18TH, at
Sn-m She sailed on her return passage
I last Thursday nj 3 p. m. with II pasSeh-
! Cers and a large cargo of freight. she was
] Commanded bv Capt. ;. f. Wright, ana
| carried n crew Of forty-five men,
! consisting OF first and second Olhcers'
| purser. two quartermasters, chlel ehSl,
! neer. three assistant engineers, HTst anu
/ second stewards. bOatswain, porter, -FOUR
| oilers. baker. two cooks, six pantrymeh,
| ten firemen and eight seamen.
! Cant. Wright is a master OF long eNpe-
| rience. and hitherto has been considered
a remarkably fortunate navigator. lie
has been in command of the City OF Co.
| lumbus since her purchase from the ocean
! Steamship Company. and was master III
! the service of the Boston and savannah
! Sfeamsh1p Company on the old line
for about ten years Prior 10 theh
| no was on the Eastern
! limo SAILING IN Halifax and Prince Ed
wards island. and navigating hazardous
| waters with great care. The nrst Omcer
was also an experienced navigator ana a
competent seaman.
The CITY of Columbus was stauneh
seawOrthy vessel, with capacity Tor
about 1000 bales Of cotton. She was the
third ship built by the Ocean Steamship
COMPANY. from which she was purchased
bv the Boston and Savannah steamship
Company in September, 1882 she was
valued at $4,000. and was fully insured.
She was of the same model as the City OF
| Macon and City Of savannah enc was
built by Messrs- John Roach * son AT
| Chester. PENNSYLVANIA. Her dimensions
were % feet long. IS feet beam and 20
feet deep. with 1000 tons custom house
register. She had three decks besides the
hurricane deck. The main deck was oil
iron. covered with wood. She was built
under the special survey of the French
Bureau Nertas and the American
Shipmasters Association, and had the
highest rating in both. Her machinery
consisted of compound engines Of LOW
horse power. The cylinders were - men
and IS inch diameter by d inch stroke,
with surface condenser. she had four
cylindrical boilers. the working pressure
of which was eighty pounds to the square
inch.
Her accommodation were for 100 first
class passengers in large and cOmmOdlOus
rooms. also on the hurricane deck for the
| CAPTAIN and officers. The saloon was
large. finished in hard wood, highly pol
ished and richly furnished, with revolving
| chairs at the tables. The stairway lead
ing to the social hall was of rare beauty,
with large mirror at the head of the
stairs. The sofas were upholstered III
crimson velvet. The staterOoms on the
| main hurricane deck were large, AIRY and
! fully lighted and finished in a style OF lux
uriOus comfort. She had a steam windlass,a
steam stearing gear, and all improve
ments calculated to add to the safety and
| comfort of passengers, and dispatch In
handlingIand transporting cargo. An elec'
trio light operated by steam was among the
improvements that assisted to promote
ner efficiency as a first class naYigablt
vessel.
The cargo of the lost vessel 9s
consisted of general merchan-
disc for interior points in Georgia
and Florida. Her passenger list was
the smallest Of the season. and most Oh
those on board were bound for points IN
Florida.
Mr.. Barnard, one of the Savannah
agents of the company. is familiar with
the navigable waters OF the MasSachu-
setts coast, and the route taken by the
ships. In reply to inquiries as to the
/ character of the waters where the dlsaS-
ter occurred Mr.. Barnard said they were
not considered dangerous for outgoing
vessels from Boston.
The headland called Gay Heads point
at the western extremity of Martha :
vi eyard. In the summer season vessels
southwark bound pass the headland out
ward, but in the winter season
follow the coast Vineyard Sound
separating Martha's Vineyard from the
mainland is a clear, navigable channel
with no dangerous rocks or shoals. Mr.
Barnard was unable to give any idea OF
conjecture as to the cause of the frightfu
disaster.
The City Of Columbus is the sixth yes
sci lost on the Boston line since the war
The Alhambra. Albemarle, Oriental, Ken
singtOn and City of Bath, the latter
being burned, having gone down at sea
| Lnall HI-raDL-al the on.ast