Daily Republican., 1884-01-19
LOSS OF LIFE.
A DDsTON HTEAME6
WBENKED OFF GAY HEAD
100 LIVES Lost


! BOSTON. January 1S.-'Tbe steamer
City of Columbus, Captain Wright, OF
tie Savannah Line, which left Boston
for Savannah yesterday Afternoon at 3
|o'1lock, has been lost off Gay Head. The
agents o. the line have received the FOL
lowing despatch.
| NEW BEDFORD. Mass, January 1S.-
i. W, Nickersol Il Sen Steamer CITY
| OF Columbus ashore AT Devils Bridge,
Gay Head fast breakipgup About 100
lives lust. Will leave on early train IN
the morning. Saved by cutter Dexter.
J.E WRIGHT, Master.
The City Of Columbus had eighty
frst-cass and twenty-five steerage
passengers, about one third Of whom
we're lauirs and children, and crew OF
forty five. About forty men took refuge
in the rigging, where they remained
untIi 1870 a. m, wh"n hieDoat put
of from Gay Head and took away seven
pas s-eugers, one of whom dled soon
a!,erward. Shortly after noon another
lif, boat put off to the distressed vessel,
and meanwhile revenue cutter Dexter
came along and sent OH Two ooaIs.
Tw enty- -one men were taken from the
wreck and placed aboard the Dexter,
four Of whom died atterward. After
all the persons on the wreck had neeD
taken off the Dexter allied for this port,
where she arrived this evening.
The total number OF persons saved ~
tw enty. three. Five dead bodies have
been recovered. and 119 souls are thus
uuaccOunted for Seventeen OF the
saved and four of the dead were brought
here, and six supposed to be wing and
one dead are at Gay Head. The names
of those at the latter place are not
known.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass, January 10
The following is Captain Wrisbts
statement regardinG the loss OF the
steamer City Of Columbus " The City
of Columbus left Boston at 3p. IN. on
Thursday, carrying eighty passengers
and crew OF forty five. At 3.45 a. IN.
on Friday, Gay Head Light bearing
south, half cas- the vessel struck on the
outside of DEVILS Bridge buoy. The
wind was blowing gale west by north.
The vessel i'm mediately filled and keeled
over, the water breaking in and flooding
the port side of the saloon. All OF the
passengers excepting few women and
children came ON deck, nearly all wear
ing life preservers. All of the boa's
were cleared away, but were imme-
dia ely swamped.A A majority Of th pas
gers were washed overheard. Seven
passengers left the vessel on a life raft,
and about forty more took 'n tn" rig
ging. At 10. 30a. IN. the Gay Head
lifeboat put off and took seven persons.
tI..hpnt off hgf ~ |
and o'clock.
"The revenue cutter Dexter came
along at abont II 80 aud sent Oft twoI
hoa's. Twer ty-one persons, one OF
whom WAS dead, were placed on board
the ID At-r and after all the persons
u,,r aken from the vessel the Dexter
p.o,,,Lrd to New Bedford. Three per-
Sons died after going on board the Dex-
ter.
-Four dead bodies were brought to
this city on the Dexter. They are all
men one is not identified, two are
identified as Helen Brooks, Of North
bOro, Mass, and G. Fred Chandler, of
Hyde Park. The other is a man sup
posed to be, from card found in his
pocket, one of the Arm of G. Richard
son & Co., of Clinton Market, Boston.
One f the passengers lost was n. }.
Morton, lately connected with the Bos-
ton Globe, who was going South for
his health"
WHERE THE STEAMER STRUCK.
The lodges on which the City of Col
nm bus struck are considered by mari
ners to be one of the most dangerous
points on the coast. The lodges consist
of formation Of submerged rocks, con-
s'itunny double ledge, the outer
Hra,a of which is called the Devils
Back, both ledges being called Devils
I}rdye. The lodges are abreast OF
iay Head light, on the mainland, and
xtcnd little to the southwark OF it.
The ou er ledge, or Devils Back, is
bVut an eighth of a mile from the IN Tin
ana. On either side of the outer ledge
II very deep water, The upper part OF
The ledge is formed like a gable of a
house, 80 that a vessel striking 1t dia-
gonaily would naturally keel over on to
her beam en- Is. The course of vessels |
is around Gay Head, to pass by the out
er ledge on the south.