The Republican journal., 1884-01-24
An Awful Disaster.

SETS COASI-MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED
LIVES LoSr-PARTICULARs OF THE HORROR.
The most terrible disaster that has occurred
for many years on our Atlantic coast occurred
at 40 A. NJ, of Friday, near Marthas Vine
yard. Mass. The steamship City of Columbus
left Boston Thursday afternoon at O'Clock
bound for Savannah, with 81 passengers, of
whom tifty-nine were first class. twenty-five in
the steerage and crew of forty-five officers
and men. At 3.45 Friday morning, with the
wind blowing gale, the steamer struck on the
''Devil's Bridge Reef off Gay Head, Martha's
Vineyard. 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 nj ght clothes, but so sudden
was the catastrophe and so short was the time
between the striking of the steamer and its
sinking that some of the women and children
did hot appear at ALL The steamers boats and
life RATS were launched as soon as possible,
but We're almost Immediately swallowed up by
the waves. Then those who remained took to
the rigging which was above WATER and none
who failed to get a foothod there were saved.
The suffering endured during the next few
hours by those iii 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 condition of the steamer was discovered at
Gay Head the lifeboat put off brayely and took
seven persons from the rigging, one of whom.
however, died before reaching the shore. A
few hours later the revenue cutter Dexter
going its round of perilous duty approached
the unfortunate steamer and took off the re-
manning 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. and that not
a woman or child was saved. OF the 126 per
sons on board when the steamer left Boston,
the best information that can be obtained ndi-
Gates that 100 persisted. Ten passengers and
Is Of the crew We're saved. The vessel was
one of the finest on the coast and was valued at
$500, 200. The insurance is S250,0o0.
THE LOST AND THE SAVED.
The following is the full list of those lost
VIM. W. Wright and wife of GG7 East 4th
street. Boston; L. S. Rand and wife Qawyer)
30 Fort Avenue RoXbury; I. X. Hail. produce
dealer, Boston; Levi Lawrence, Geo. kellogg,
Dr.. II. Bartlett and wife and Mrs. D. r. Small,
of Southampton. Mass; Mrs. Beach, Mrs. Glib
ban. Oscar Iasagi. Turkish Consul General at
Boston: A. j. Morton, Boston Globe: Mr.. and
Mrs, {. A. Rand and son of Boston: Mrs.
Henry S'ade. of Chelsea; X. r. Belyer, wife
and Two children. Mrs. }. Atkinson. Mrs. II. j.
kellogg, {. Richardson and wife, Z. 7. Hutch
inson and wife, Henry l.. Bachelor and wife.
of Dorchester, c. +. James. j. A. Morrill,, of
Boston, Henry L. DANES, Mrs Jas. Beal and
Miss Beal Mrs. Whtcomb, d. W. Mitchell, NJ.
Durland, Mrs. $. |. Pnkham, of Lynn, W.
Lapham, c. d. Ball. c. Frost. Joel Nourse, of
Boston.
srEEHAGE-The residences of none of the
following are known; Annie Kelly, Susie
smith. q. Z. Goddard, L. McCarty. G. Hines,
August Pearson, J. r. IIebar. &. j. Whitcomb.
&. \. Willett, - Brown, - Walker. -
Fossett. The last three applied for tickets lust
before the hour for starting and their full
names We're not obtained.
OfFICERs-First Mate, Edward Fuller, of
Il.tt \, Mate
Chatham. Mass. Boatswain, Philip Clark, of
Boston, Quartermaster, Mcdonald, Engineer
Archibald Morrison. of Boston, Second Stew
ard, Howe and 80 seamen, names unknown.
THE SAVED.
PASSENGERS - Horace Waterhouse Bath.
Me; +. W. Fairbanks, Gorh4m, Me-; II. NJ
Farnsworh, Townsend, Mass: George W.
Farnsworth, Townsend, Mass; John l.. Cook.
Portland Me-; II. Weldman, Lawrence, Mass !;
Eugene Mccarthy, Somervlle, Mass; f. r.
Hammond, G0uldsboro', Me-; James Brown;
Lawrence j. Tibbetts. Officers and crews
+. Wright, captain; A. A. Pitman steward;
Harry Collins, third engineer; W. S. Spalding.
purser; W. K. Mcdonald, Boston, quarter
MASTER John Hines. Boston. and Thos. Butler.
Z. +. Island. tremen; Michael Kennedy; Ed
ward O'Bren: John Holmes; Thomas O'Leary;
John Madden; John White; f. T. Briggs:
Furber Hanson; q. T. Whtcomb.
THE CAPTAINS STATEMENT.
The following is Captain Wright's statement
regarding the loss of the City of Columbus
The City OF Columbus left Boston at 3 r. NJ. on
Thursday. carrying so passengers and crew of
forty -tlve' At 3.43 A, NJ. on Friday, Gay Head
Light, bearing south half east. vessel struck off
the outside Devils Bridge buoy. The wind was
blowing gale west by north. The vessel I'M
medateIy filled and keeed over. the water
breaking in and flooding the port side of the
saloon. All of the Passengers excepting Il few
women and children, came on deck, nearly all
wearing life-pre>ervers. All of the boats were
cleared AWAY but were Immediately swamped
y majority OF the passengers We're washed oV-
erboard. Seven passengers left the vessel on
life raft. and about forty took to the rigging
AT 10: 30 o clock A. NJ. the Gay Head light boat
put on ana took seven persons. Another life
boat puI of between II and o'clock. Captain
Wright says III addition that he passed the
Gross Rip Lightship AT II O'Clock and continued
by East and West Chops. with Il strong breeze
from We>t->outhwest. Passed Nobsk;, and
with the course west-southwest stepped into
my room to warm myself. 1t was very cold.
Everything was working well. | went below
Il short time, and soon after heard the second
mate, who was in the pilot house with the
mate sing out to the Quarterma>ter to port. |
Jumped out OF my room. thinking we had come
across IA vessel bound down the Sound. then
cried out Hard port" not knowing but it
was vessel. and in the moonlight saw the buoy
on the Devils Bridge on the port, about two
points forward of beam and about 300 wards
+ Io ,,tr;,, ,.a,,traJ ",'I ~ iii " el'"
her length The steamer Immediately stonned
and ordered the jib hoisted and endeayored to
head her to the north, but she filled forward
and listed to port so that the plankshire was
about four feet under water. ! went aft and
told the passengers to keep cool and GET life
prtServers. next told the officers on deck ia
get the boats ready The steamer settled dawn
att and righted. 1t was blowing very hard and
ii heavy sea was running Launched port No. 6
boat which was immediately cansized The sea
was breaking over the steamers deck and the
stern being entirely under water. we were
forced to 90 up on the top of the houses
STAYED there awhile. but we were finally Obliged
to take 10 the rigging. The mate second mste
chief engineer ana fourth enoiner" TOOK 70 The
raft | think the steamer Struck on a lone
rock" The captain is positive that he strurk
outside the buov. and in BACKING drifted insidn
Capt. Wright has followed the son for tiftv.
two wears and has been master Of steamer
constantly in service since 1880 He made 1o1
VOYAGES in the Corral witbnut a sinole accident
but since he Joined the Columbus in 1872 if
seemed AS though. 81 have been unfortunato
or other seemed TO he wrona ali The
time. and at last the in luck ended in this great
disaster" Can't. WRIGHT left New ReiforJ
saturday evening for his home in Whitman
STATEMENTS OF THE CUTTERS OFFICERS
FRIGIIIFtL SCENES OF LIFE AND DEATH IN
TIE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF LIEUTEN-
ANT.
Officers of tho Cuttar Davtor furn;sbad +lo
following statement. At ahont ~ a0 o,clont
we sighted a vessel on shore on tha roof man
Cav Head The wind WINS hJowina y colo and
:, terrible So, was runnipg = WE S annrnaohad