Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-20


one to be as composed as possible. Their
the people made a rush to get on deck
and the sight was hPartrending. | never
saw such a scene. There were Is women
on board, including the stewardess. After.
wards most of the people came into the
saloon and were supplied with lite pre-.
servers.
THE SCENE ON DECK.
I then went on deck again, and the
cries and screams were dreadful to hear
while some were praying. l went upInto
the rigging, and was there eleven hours
until the cutter Dexter arrived. A num-
ber were benumbed with cold, and fell
from the rigging and were drowned in
sight Of us. Attempts were made to float
the life boats, but they keeled oyer as soon
as they touched the water.
VESSEL THAT PAID NO HEED.
Between 7 and O'Clock in the morning
we saw a collier bound east, but they
took no notice Of US. and we could not
signal, as all the signals had been washed
away with the house. In the course of
the morning the steam stack gave way,
and in it's fall brought down portion of
the rigging, which hit another man and
myself on the head, cutting us badly.
AID FROM THE LIGHT HOUSE.
At daybreak signals were made to us
from the light house. and between 9 and
10 O'Clock life-bOat came as near a pos
sible, b, that was not within thirty yards
of us. Those who got on board her had
to swim from the ship to the boat. Men
who could swim ordinarily could not then,
because they were so cold. Others who
never could swim were dashed away
in trying to reach the boat.
NC ARTHY'S RESCUE.
Eugene Mccarthy states that he was
awakened hV the steamer striking. He
went on deck when he met a fireman and
asked him if anything serious had hap
pened. The latter said no, but lust then
the water came pouring over the stairs
and the ship began rolling. Mccarthy
jumped overheard but was swept on board
again, and he then climbed into the rig
ging. When the revenue cutters boat ar
rived he jumped for it, hut the distance
was too great and he fell short and sank
twice, but as he was going down IA third
time boat-hOOk was thrown under his
arm and he was pulled into boat.
BOsTON, Jan. 10, II 40 P. M.-The in
surance on the steamer City of Columbus
is S2449S0.
THE CAPTAIN ON THE PILOTS WORK
The statement of w. Fairbanks, of Cor
ham, Me-, in which he says tn At the pilot
of the City of Columbus told him that he
lashed the wheel and went to warm him
self by the smokestack, being absent 10
or 20 minutes, was read to Capt. Wright
this afternoon on board the Storm King,
and in reply the Captain said: CAT the
time OF the disaster the second officer was
in charge OF the ship, and was i'll the pilot
house superintending the steering of the
steamer, which was being done by the
quartermaster. The pilot house
was heated by steam and was very
warm, so there was no necessity of leav-
ing it to get warm. No person but the Of
ficer in charge could change the course of
the steamer. There was no attempt made
after she struck to drive her further upon
the rocks"
HOW THE WRECKED STEAMER LIES.
A special from Woods Hole SAYS: THE
steam tug Storm KingIeft here this morn
ing in Il driving snow storm to visit the
scene of the wreck of the City of COlam-
bus. She returned at four O'Clock this af-
ternOOn, and Captain Mcdonald reports
that the Storm King reached the wreck and
went close to it. At this time the wind
was from the northeast, and the sea was
comparatively smooth. The steamer ap-
pears to be hung on the rocks by her bow
Most of her hull is under the water. All
the deck houses are gone, and her cargo is
washing out. We saw no bodies on or
about the wreck, and as it was coming on
thick we We're Obliged to leave her aud re-
turn here"
The Storm King will leave for the wreck
again as soon as the weather will permit.
Great quantities of wreckage have drifted
ashore along Vineyard Sound.
BODIES STILL BELOW DECKS.
Lieut.. Rhodes, of the cutter Dexter,
whose gallant conduct has already been
mentioned, states that the last man in the
rigging of the steamer was Mr.. Richard
son, who, after being taken off, expressed
the opinion that while most Of the bodies
were washed overheard. there were still
some in the huh of the ship. If the sea is
smooth enough an attempt will be made
tomorrow to find bodies.
THE COURSE CHANGED.
Capt Wright states that he gave the
course of the vessel to the second officer
when off Tarpaulin Cove and that it
should have taken her well clear of every
obstruction. The Captain thinks that the
officer must have altered her course to the
southwark.
THE NELLIE AT THE WRECK.
NEW BEDFORD, Jan. 10, II P. M.-At
O'Clock this afternoon the tug Nellie ar
rived bringing five bodies from the wreck
ed steamer. All the bodies were frozen
stiff, and the arms Of all We're stiffened in
positions indicating that the victims had
frozen to death while clingIng to wreck
aye. One OF the bodies is supposed to be
that of n. j. Morton, formerly of the BOs-
ton Globe. 1t blew gale and the sea
ran very high.
PRETTY GIRLS CORPSE PICKED UP.
The Nellie stood off 60 the northeast
ward of the wrecked steamer, and picked
up the body of we'll dressed
oh nd
half miles to the eastward of the Dew
IPs Bridge. She was apparently about -
years old. She had long dark brown
wavy hair and dark eyes. From her
dress pocket was taken package of jew
elry done up in a handkerchief consist
ing of a gold brooch, earrings. necklace
and lOcket, as well as a little steel purse
containing small sum OF money.
There were no papers found on the body.
THE NELLIE's VIEW OF THE COLUMBUS.
The Nellie then ran close in towards
the wreck, which showed about fifteen
feet of the bow and tUpgallant fOrecastle
above water. The masts We're all stand.
ing except the foretopmast. The sea was
running TOO high to permit of a close in
spectIon of the wreck, and the Nellie
again steamed away on an eastward
course.
THE SEA STREWN WITH BODIES.
About a mile from the wreck the body
of a blonde man, with full sandy beard,
was picked up. He had on a cardigan
Jacket and a stylish suit Of clothes. The
Nellie next picked up what is supposed
to be the BODY of Mr.. Morton. The feat
ures are Swollen from the cold and salt
water, and even his intimate friends in
this city cannot say that the remains are
those of Mr.. Morton. His features had
less of that terrible expression than those
of the other victims, which were distort-
ed frightfully from fear and suffering.
Another body picked up by the Nellie
was that of a woman probably 40 years OF
age. Her form was emaciated, and COW
cred only by her night dress. She was
badly bruised, probably by contact with
floating debris from the wreck. The fifth
of the bodies taken on board by the tug
was that of a man apparently % years
old. He was dressed like a seaman, and
was probably one of the crew.
ALL THE CORPsEs IN AN EDDY.
Nearly all of the bodies were found in a
line due east from the DEVILS back ledge
where two currents formed an eddy and
kept the bodies floating around within a
radius Of a mile and IA half.
Owing t. the heavy sea great difficulty
was experienced in getting the bodies ON
board Of the tug, and Capt. Hart reports
having seen bodies which it was impOs-
sihle to recover, owing to the gale and
thick snow. In the lap of the younger
woman was f0und n tinV Dalr of babV's