Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-05-13
FROM DEATHS GATES.
Arrival of the Steamer Theresa at
Quebec
WITH SURVIVORS, OF THE FLORIDA
Statements of Officers as to the COLLISION
Criminal CareleSsness the Cause
The BarTs Lights Reported
Three Times.

QuEREC Nav l2-The bark Theresa
with the remainder OF the survivors of the
State of Florida, has arrived They were
taken charge of by the agent Of the steamer.
They refuse to talk of the accident. Officer
Thompson was much depressed. The sea-
men were less reticent than the officers, but
were unable to throw any light upon the
cause of the disaster having been abed
when the collision occurred. The Theresa
had small accommodations and spare ra-
tions. Those saved from the Pone na are
Captain Hepburn Angela Rosa, Thomas
Nicholson. The names of the lost OF the
Ponena are not known The Ponema was
in ballast from Liverpool for Mirimachl.
The sailors of the Florida were secured by
the agent and kept away from newspaper
men. The seem 10 be impressed,
One sailor of the bark persisted from
exposure in the boat Captain Hepburn
lost everything Nicholson was on the
lookout at the time of the collision, He
aScribcs the blame for the disaster to the
steamer All speak tavorably of Officer
Allen, and agree that the City Of Rome re-
fused assistance She was so near that it
was not possible to have seen and not un-
dprstaud the signals. All corroborate the
bravery of Engineers Balm and Anderson
and testify to the activity Of the second OIL
Ger Of the Florida who was lost.
The First statement.
Captain Ucvburn, Of The Pon"ma, makes
IL. ,,,,,ivf. tl.t ,-ns-nI.
crew He saws he can give no information
as to The cause Of the accident. He retired
half an hour before the collision, which
threw him out of bed. Three minutes after
wards he found himself in the sea without a
shin. All hands were washed off while try
irg 10 lower the boats The other two saved
from the ponema are Thomas Nicholson. of
Shetland and Angel Rosa, OF Trieste
After fhe collision Hevburn said he didn't
ste the Florida; didn't know she had gone
down didn't know what struck them was
in the boat thirty-tonr hours before the
Theresa picked them up: was about n half
hour before it came upon the first of the
Floridas boats.
Startling Statements.
Capt. Hansen, of the Theresa, made the
following startling statement: The steamer
Citv of Rome was sighted Wednesday April
22d. The sea was smooth and the weather
clear. Il was one of the finest days since
taking the Shipwrcckcd parties on board.
How near did he pass? SO near YOU could
heave biscuit in; at all events, said the
captain, within three ship lengths.
We hung the ensign upside down
as usual as the signal of distress.
She hoiSted the answering pennant but never
slowed and proceeded on her way. Captain
Hepburn, Captain Hansen, Miss Macfar
lane, William Hislopcs and several others
agree to the correctness of the above. They
also deny the possibility Of the signal not
having been seen. When told that the City
of Rome reported the Theresa with pOr-
tion of the Shipwrecked crew on board they
insisted that they never Signalled the fact
but shouted to that effect from the top of the
hark'S forrcastlc. They shouted Come
back! Come back! We have the crew of
the Florida. But beyond hanging out the
answering pennant the steamship took no
notice of them Thomas Nicholson was on
the deck of the Poncma when the collision
occurred. He was not on duty but merely
walking the deck. He saws the bark was
on the starboard tack showing her port
light. There must have been something
fearfully wrong about the steamship, he
saws. when she couldn't keep out of the way,
and added that il was reported among the
sailors of the Florida that the bark S light
was reported three times that night by the
loOkout ON board the steamship.