The Mineral argus., 1884-05-22
DOWN IN Ell DEEP.
Conformation of the Loss of the teamer
state of FLORIDA, with over 100 Lives.

co-re~ua+son If the Loss of the teamer
state of Florida, with over 100 Lives.
o,,ebec Sneeial: The painful suspense that
nrcvaiIod here all day with regard to the sur
Iivors Of the disaster to the Inflated steamer
cto+ooe FLORIDA. was relieved by the arrival of
4aDonoldson steamer Titiana, from Glasgow to
NTon+reaI with coal and a general cargo, which
NO tolegraphed the 9TH as on her way to Quebec
I'll twenty four of the saved party.
Tbe cantain of the Titiana reports: May 5,
.+on m while proceeding up the gulf and off
Bird rocks, observed a ship exhibiting two
L-iobt Iiobts. and thinking he wished to com-
rnn29icate. bore dow upon him and took off
t-rantv forr passengers and the crew rescued
from the State of Florida of Glasgow. The
steamship City of Rome passed them while on
hoard the ship Louisa, and answers their sig
mails. but did not stop. Following is the official
report of the third officer of the State of Flor
left New York on the 18th of April, with
about 167 passengers and crew and full gen
eral cargo. All went well until the night of the
18th. At II 80 came in collision with the bark
Ponems of Chatham, n. B., Capt Helburn
Both ships went down Fundamentally, and
out of the steamers passengers and crew only
forty-four, including the stewardess, managed
to escape in boats, and out of the bark's
crew of fifteen only the captain and two sea-
men saved. The next morning the bark
was observed bottom up. The survivors, after
being thirty-ive hours in boats without food or
water. were rescued by the Norwegian bark
Theresa. of Christiana, from that port, bound
for Quebec. On the I'D. twenty four of them
were transferred on the ship Louisa, of and
from Cardiff for Quebec, where they remained
till Mays, when they were taken on board the
Titiana for Quebec. 1t is believed that 1876 lives
were lost.
Members of the rescued party on board the
Titiana presented a pitiable appearance, so
sudden was the calamity, that many of them in
their hunks at the Tune, had To hurry on deck
and into the boats i'll their nightclothes. Most
of them had bat q very confusedidea OF what
really took place. All could distinctly remem-
Der, however, the crash and rush for the deck.
The survivors also remember with a shudder the
dash for the boats as the ship went down amid
the shrieks and lamentations of the passen-
Those on duty at the time remember
seeing a red light flash for an instant, followed
by a crash, after which nothing but confusion
followed, the steamer beginning to sink and
hurried preparation being made to launch the
boats. The bark went down instantly. The
frightened passengers rushed on deck in their
nightclothes, and the scene was indie
scrlbable. Women went into hyster-
les and men refused 10 move. The women
especially objected to being doomed vessel
who could have been saved absolute
ly refused to bulge al inch. Those who chung
to the bottom of the capsized boat all night
suffered terribly from icy cold water, though
the sea was calm. Nevertheless they did not
heart Outof161 souls only "A were saved.
If the other 20 were not also picked up. The
bark also went down with II souls.