The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-01-25
OVER ONE HUNDRED LOST.

WEN UNE hUNUhED LUSIs
A. FrightfuI disaster on the Massachusetts
Coast-sinking of the Steamer City Of
Columbus-Only Twenty-Five Saved Out
of One Hundred and Twenty-six SouIss
NEW BEDFoRD, Mass, Jan. 19.-The
steamer City of Columbus, plying between
Boston and Savannah, while passing Devils
Bridge, off the coast of Martha's Vineyard,
struck a rock and sank. One hund red and
four lives were lost in the wreck. Only
twenty-five persons were saved. The
steamship left Boston at three o'clock
Thursday afternoon, carrying fifty-nine
frst-class and twenty-five Storage pas.
sengers and crew of forty-fve.
At 1886 Friday morning, while off Gay
Head light bearing south, half east, the
vessel struck on the outside of Devils
Bridge buoy. Thewind was blowing gale
west by north. The vessel Immediately
filled and keeled over, the water breaking
In and flooding the port-side saloon. All
the passengers, excepting few women and
children, came on deck, nearly all wearing
life-preservers. All the boats were cleared
away but were Immediately swamped.
A majority of the passengers were
washed overheard and drowned.
Seven left the vessel on a life-raft
and about forty more took to the rigging.
At 1880 a. m. the Gay Head life-boat put off
and took seven persons. Another life-bOat
put off between twelve and one O'Clock.
The revenue cutter Dexter came along
about 1880 p. H., and sent off two boats
Twenty-one persons, one of whom is dead,
were placed aboard the Dexter, and, after
all persons had been taken from the vessel,
the Dexter proceeded to New Bedford.
Three persons died after going aboard the
revenue cutter.
The total number saved was twenty-three.
Five dead bodies were recovered and 119
souls are unaceounted for Seventeen of
the saved and four of the dead were brought
here, and six supposed to be living and one
dead are at Gay Head. The names of those
at the latter place are unknown.
Captain Wright says she passed Cross
Rip light ship at twelve o'clock, and con-
tinued by east and west, with strong
breeze west by southwest. 'tAfter passing
Nobska, the course being west southwest, !"
he says, II stepped into my room to warm
myself, as it was very cold. Everything
was working well. After being below a
short time | heard the second mate, who
was in the pilot house with the mate, sing
out to the quartermaster to port helm. I
jumped out of my room, thinking we had
come across some vessel bound down the
Sound. | then cried out hard aport,'
not knowing but it was vessel,
and in the moonlight | saw the
buoy on Devils bridge on the port,
about two points forward of the
beam and about three hundred yards dis
tant The vessel Immediately struck. l
ordered the engine reversed, aud she backed
about twice her length. The steamer i'm
mediately stopped, and ordered the jib
hosted and endeayored to head her to the
north, but she filled forward and listed over
to port, SO that hor planlzs were about four
feet under water. went aft and told the
passengers to keep cool and get life-pre-
servers. I next told the officers on the
deck to get the boats ready. The
steamer settled down aft and righted.
1t was blowing very hard, and
a heavy sea was running. We launched on
the port side, No. boat, which immediate
ly capSZed. The sea was breaking over the
steamers deck, and her stern being entirely
under water. we were forced to go upon the
top house. | staid there awhile, but we
were finally obliged to take to the rigging.
The mate, second mate, the chief engi-
4
think the steamer struck on a lone rock"
The Captain is positive he struck outside
the buoy, and in backing drifted inside
Eugene McGarry jumped from the rig
ging. Lieutenant Rhodes jumped for him,
but the boat was lifted fifteen feet on the
crest of wave, and it was necessary to go
to the starboard to avoid being crushed.
McGarry was not seen afterward.
h. Nj ~ .
brother was pulled into the boat.
Captain Wright was among the last to
leave the ship. Two men were
frozen so stiff that they were unable
to relinquish their hold on the rigging.
They were at length the only persons re-
manning on the steamer except the Captain
Lieutenant Rhodes asked him to Jump, but
he shouted: ''Save those men. first. :"
''They are Frozen" was the Lieutenant's
answer. The Captain then jumped, and,
although he could not swim astroke, he was
rescued by Lieutenant Kennedy.
Lieutenant Rhodes perfol med heroic
act, which ELECTS hearty communication
Two men hung in the rigging, unable to
move from exhaustion. The officer de-
termined to save them at the peril of his
life. Returning to the cutter he asked Cap
tain Gabrielser to give him a man to steer,
that he might swim to the wreck and rescue
the unfortunate men. The Captain granted
the request, and Lieutenant Roath was
placed on the boat. But on nearing the
steamer it was found it would be folly to at
tempt to go along side. Lieutenant Rhodes
refused to abandon the attempt and sang
out to the men in the life boat to take
him to the wreck. Lieutenant Rhodes
boarded the life boat, and tying a rope about
him waited until within thirty feet of the
vessel, when he sprang into the sea. Rhodes
had nearly reached the wreck when he was
struck by piece Of timber, and sank. He
was pulled aboard the boat and taken to the
cutter. His leg was found to be cut, but
after changing his clothing, as the sea was
smoother, he determined to make a last at
tempt. He again set out for the wreck,
and this time the men were reached.
One man was hanging by the feet and
arms through the ratlnes, head down.
Lieutenant Rhodes put boW-line about
him, when he murmured: "For Gods sake
don't touch me-" The man, who was found
to be Mr.. Richardson, was placed i'll a boat,
but died before reaching the cutter. About
four hundred dollars was found in a wallet
in his pocket The second man, the last
person removed from the wreck, was in the
ratlines in the weather-rigging, and, al
though breathing when placed in the boat,
also expired before reaching the cutter.
All the rescued give the highest praise to
the officers of the revenue cutter for. the
bravery manifested in saving them from the
wreck. All the survivors are now aboard
the cutter, being cared for by the officers.
The Mayor rendered the Inequalities Of the
city to the survivors, but they preferred to
stay on the cutter. The steamer was fast
going to pieces when the cutter left her at
six p. m.
The lodges on which the City of Columbus
struck are considered by mariners one of
the most dangerous points on the coast.
They consist of a formation Of submerged
rocks constituting double ledge, the outer
strata of which is called the Devils Back. ;"
Both lodges are called the Devils Bridge"
The lodges are abreast of the Gay Head
light on the mainland, and extend a
little to the southward of it. The outer
ledge of Devils back is about an eighth of a
mile from the mainland. On either side Of
the outer ledge is deep water. The upper
part of the ledge is formed like a gable
house, so that vessels striking it diagonally
would naturally keel over onto their beam
ends. The course of vessels is around Gay
Head, passing by the outer ledge on the
south.
The Civ of CoJumbuS 9yas ans nf the