The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-01-25
NEWS OF THE WEEK.
STEAMER WRECKED



And One Hundred Lives Lost,
Tho steamer City of Columbus of the Boston
& Savannah liue, was wrecked of Gay Head
recently. The steamer LETT Boston with 60
frst.class and 20 steerago passengers, ahou
one.third Of whom were ladies and children
and crew Of 45. The night she left the wind
blew q hurracine from the northwest, and II
tremendous sen was running. AT 345 O'Clock
in tho morning, with the wind blowing
south half east, tho vessel struck on
the reef outside DEVILS Bridge buoy.
She Immediately filed and heeled
over, the water breaking in and flooding
The port side Of the saloon. Nearly all the
passengers hurried to the deck, nearly al
wearing life preservers, but most Of them were
swept into the sea and persisted at once. The
boats were cleared away, but were swamped
almost Immediately. Seven passengers left
the vessel on lile.iaft and were not alterward
heard from. About 40 men then took refuge
in the rigging, where they remained for four
hours, when liieboat put off from Gay Head
and took away seven passengers, one Of whom
died soon ,,fterward. Shortly after noon an
other liieboat put oft to the distressed vessel,
and meanwhile the revenue cutter Dexter
came along and sent eff two boats, Twenty.
one men were taken from the wreck and
placed aboard tho Dexter, four Of whom died
afterward. After all the persons on the wreck
had been taken of, the Dexter sailed for
Boston.
Officers of the cutter Dexter furnished the
following statement At about 1880 O'Clock
we sighted vessel on shore on the reef near
Gay Head. The wind was blowing q gale,
and terrible sea was running. As we ap-
preached, we saw the vessel was Il steamer,
and tho waves were breaking over her. We
anchored on her starboald quarter, 200 or 800
yards away. The cutters boat was at once
lowered, manned by five men, in charge q
Lieut. Rhodes, who brought off seven men.
A return trip was made, and one man was
brought to the vessel. Lieut.. Kennedy was
then dispatched in the gig. with four men, and
took Oft tour or five men. Meanwhile the lite
boat transferred several men TO the cutter, and
| at length the rigging was cleared OF the sur
| vivors. The vessel sunk 10 about four iathoms
OF water, and the railing on the bow was the
| only portion OF the hull visible, We found the
mon in the fore and main top and rigging.
| 1t was found impossible to row over The
| rigging Us the boats would have been pounded
| to pieces. The men in the rigging were forced
| to jump into the sea, and we ought them as
they arose to the surface and pulled them into
the boats. Some of the men could not swim,
but nearly every one in the rigging wss saved.
Eugene McGarry js;mped from the rigging.
Lieut.. Rhodes jumped for him, but the boat
was lifted fifteen feet on q crest, and it was
necessary to starboard to avoid being swamped
| The man was not seen aiterward. At the
same instant, nearly, McGarry's brother was
| pulled into the boat, Capt. Wright was among
the last to leave the ship. Two men, who
were frozen so stiff that they were unable &c
| reinquish their hold on the rigging, were the
| only persons remaining on the steamer, ex
cepting the captain. Lieut.. Rhodes asked him
| to Jump, but he shouted: rSave those mer
Rrstw "1hey are frozen" was the lieutenant!
answer. The captain then jumped, and, al
though he could not swim a stroke, was res
cued by Lieut.. Kennedy. Lieut.. Rhodes per
formed heroic act which ELECTS hearty com
mendation. Two men hung IN the rigging
unable to move from exhaustion. The office
determined to save the men at the peril OF hi
life. Returning to the cutter, he asked Capt
Gabrelson to give him man to steer, that h
might swim to the wreck and rescue the
unfortunate men. The captain granted thu
request, and Lieut.. Roath was placed in thu
boat. But on nearing the steamer, it wa
found 10 be folly to attempt to get alongside
Lieut. Rhodes refused to abandon the attempt
and sung out 10 the men in the liieboat L
take him to the wreck. Lieut., Rhodes boartle
the lifeboat, and, tying rope about him
waited until he was within about thirty feet 9
the vessel, when he sprang into the sea. II
had nearly reached the wreck, when he wa
struck by piece of timber on the leg. an
sunk He was pulled aboard the boat nh
taken to the cutter. His leg was found to b
cut, but after changing his clothing, as tn
water was smoother, he determined to make
Inst attempt. He again set out for the wreck
and this time the men were reached On
was hanging with his feet and arms throug
the ratlines and his head was hanging. Lieu
Rhodes put bowlne about him, when h
murmurel, "For Gods sake, don't touch me.
The man, who was afterwards found to be n Nj
Richardson, was placed i'll tho bout, br
died before reaching the cutter. Abor
$500 was found in wallet in h
rocket. The second man, who was the lai
person removed from the wreck, was in II
iatlines in the weather rigging, and, althong
breathing when placed in the boat, he also es
pired before reaching the Dexter.
The City of Columbus was purchased frol
the Ocean Steamship Co. of New York by IL
Boston Il Savannah Steamship Co., of Bosto,
in September, 1882, and her first trip was mac
from Boston. The City of Columbus was u
feet in length, with beam of 38 IL feet. 81
was of 1897 tons burden. She was capable
carrying 300 bales of cotton, beside misceils
neous freight. She had compound engine
1900 horse power, with 4 IL feet stroke. 81
had steam steering gear, four hosting engin,
and one for running n 500-candle electrl
light at the bow, for use on the Savannah rive
Her facilities for saving life were very con
plete, including eight large metallic lifeboat
two RATS and 200 life preservers, which wei
considered sufficient for the saving Of Iii
aboard this ship She was valued at S3o0,0o
and was partially insured in Boston
The ship was thoroughly inspected in Septen
Der, and was pronounced by the local inspe
tors perfect in build and equipment.