Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-01-25
THE NEWS IN BRIEF.
Dreadful Disaster on tho Massachu
Seffs Copst,

been saved The dead are 101. The ship
was bound for Savannah Ga, and many of
her passengers we're invalids going south for
the winter.
summarized account of the disaster says
At 3;45 Friday morning, with the wind blow
ing gale, the steamer struck on the Devils
Bridge Reef" off Gay Head, Martha's Vine.
yard. The passengers, almost without ex-
ception, and many of the crew were below.
Most of them rushed at once to the deck with
little on but their night clothes, but so sud
den was the catastrophe and SO short was the
time between the striking of the steamer and
its sinking that some of the women and chill
dren did not appear at all. The steamer s
boats and life RATS were launched as soon rs
possible. but we're almost Immediately swal-
lowed up by the waves. Then those who re-
NAMED took to the rigging which was above
water, and none who failed to get foothold
there were saved. The suffering endured
during the next few hours by those in the
rigging was terrible. The cold was intense,
many of the unfortunates were but half
dressed, and all were drenched by the waves
which swept over them. When the condi.
ton of the steamer was discovered at Gay
Head the life-boat put off bravely and took
seven persons from the rigging, one of whom,
however, died before reaching the shore. A
few hours later the revenue cutter Dexter 60
ing its round of perilous duty approached the
unfortunate steamer and took off the remain.
ing survivors. The hardships TO which the
sufferers had been exposed will be realized
when it is stated that after their rescue four
of them died on board of the cutter, aud not
woman or child was saved The vessel was
one of the finest on the coast and was valued
at $500, 900. The insurance is $3.50. 600.
THE CAUSE OF THE DISASTER.
1t is too early as yet to fix the responsible
ty for this dreadful calamity the worst which
has happened in New England waters in ma
ny years The night was clear and though
the wind was strong it did not rise to gale,
and it follows, therefore, that the wrecking
of the ship was due TO negligence or incom-
petence on somebody's part. The captain
had just gone below and gone to bed. Ac-
cording to his story he had given orders as
to the course to be steered and these orders
were not obeyed. The second mate was left
on deck in command, and on him the main
responsibility now seems to res. The quar-
tesmuster was at the wheel. II the story
told by f. w. Fairbanks of Gorham, Me,
can be relied upon, the pilot must stand for a
good share of the blame While Fairbanks
was clinging to the ice coated rigging the pi-
lot said to him that he fixed the course of the
vessel and fastened the wheel, and as he was
very cold he went to the smoke stack to
warm himself. He remained there 10 or 20
minutes, and when lie returned to his post he
found that the ship had veered around
When be ascertained that the vessel was
among the rocks, and that TO- save her was
probably impossible, he put her right on
shore and ran her as high up as he could
with the result that although she drew II feet
her fore. foot was in II feet of water Mi
Fairbanks is of the opinion that many of the
passengers did not leave the cabin until their
bodies were washed out by the waves, which
soon tore off the after part of the deck and
carried out bodies, furniture and baggage be-
fore the eyes of the Mortified survivors. The
captain was saved, but was the last man to
leave the wreck. The second mate persisted
The quarterma5ter. who was saved, says that
the same course he was steering had always
taken him safely through the sound, but the
vessel was only one-quarter loaded instead of
full cargo. A gale was blowing on the star.
board bow, and strong tide setting in about
the same direction All these conditions
would have veered her strongly to the south
and upon the fatal ledge. The captain did
not make due allowance for this great veer.
ing to leeward. If the vessel was being
steerod by compass only, this would be the
only explanation of the disaster. Nothing
like discipline seems to have been observed
- - 'uo % ~ az No "oH'uIlecteu ell
~ "i'9 u-~Uu " % tpo Vi even
boat was cut away, taken in charge by Off.
GERS or crew, or BOTH and manipulated by
those without the slightest reference to the
passengers. The first boat was cast of at
one end and left hanging by the other to
pound against the ship. Another was man.
ned by a few officers and men, without pas
senger or half complement, and disappear
Gu Gun aho'1eI was cut loose Veered on
h,, r. co. uI oN' oI s1oI'eu oHly
y! He Pa "Heio ene Hoa'eu Hli uay
"iH0Ns 'Ho
RECOVERING THE BoDIEs-AccouNTs OF SUR
vIyoRs.
On Sunday the tugboat Nellie, with report
ers and friends of the passengers on board
made the trip across from New Bedford to
Gay Head. The wrecked steamship was
| sighted and seen to lie with the bow resting
upon the rocks of DEVILS Bridge, while the
stern slowed around point or two into deep
er water. From a distance it appeared as if
| three bodies were hanging to the ratlines of
the mizzen rigging The party landed with
great difficulty at Gay Head and proceeded to
the lighthouse. Here it was sscertained that
10 persons all told had landed safely from the
wreck, all of whom were alive and, under the
circumstances, remarkably we'll The native
| inhabitants had worked faithfully in securing
and caring for the bodies of the lost Many
of the bodies showed marks of physical iniu
ry, and the faces indicated the mental agony
which had been endured. 1t is expected that
the bodies of the dead will be washed ashore
| for some days yet on the mainland and on
the outlying islands. Organized search is
being made for the bodies and as fast az they
are found they are taken to New Bedford.
| Hence unless claimed by relatives, they are
| forwarded to Boston.
The most graphic description yet given of
the experiences while waiting for rescue is
that of f. H. Tibbetts, a passenger who was
brought to New Bedford from Gay Head,
Monday Mr.. Tibbetts was among the first
on deck, and he ran up the ratlines with his
roommate named May, many others crowd
| ing up behind and over them. The room.
mate afterwards dropped off into the sea be-.
numbed and frozen. He heard a man ask
| the captain on the deck what was the matter
The captain said the vessel was ashore. For
Gods sake, what will become of my trunks :"
the fellow exclaimed. Don't think of YOUR
| trunks, but of your life" was the captains re-.
| ply. Mr.. Tibbetts next saw the captain on
| top of the pilot house. He was wrapping his
| coat around two boys. When that position
became unsafe the captain drove the lads
| ahead of him up the rigging to the mainton
1t was too crowded there, and heroically sac
rhcing himself, Capt Wright dropped into
L