Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-01-31

ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR LIVES LOST.
BOSTON, Jan. 1S,-F. w. Nickerson
& Son, agents of the Savannah steam
ship line received the following dis
patch:
NEW BEDFORD, Mass, Jan 18th
To F. W. Nickerson & Son:
The steamer City of Columbus is ashore on the
Devils Bridge at Gayhead and is fast breaking
up About 100 lives are lost. viii leave on the
early train in the morning, Was saved by the
cutter DeXte
Signed, Sc. WRIGHT,
Master.
The City of Columbus left Boston
at p m. yesterday for Savannah.
The following is Captain Wright's
statement; The City of Columbus
left Boston at Thursday p. m, car
rying so passengers and a crew Of As.
AT 3:45 a. m. Friday at Grayhead
hight the vessel struck on the outside
of Devils bridge buoy. The wind was
blowing gale west by north. The
vessel Immediately filled and l1eeled
over, the water breaking in and
flooding the port side of Il j
saloon. All passengers excepting a
few women and children came on
deck, nearly all wearing life pre-
servers. All boats were cleared away
but were
IMMEDIATELY sWAATPED.
and a majority of the passengers We're
washed overheard. Seven passengers
left the vessel on a life raft and about
forty more took to the rigging. AT
1870 a. m. the Gayhead lifeboat put
off and took Z persons; another life
boat put off between u and 1. The
revenue cutter Dexter came along
about 1890 and sent off two boats.
Twenty-one persons, one of whom
was dead, were placed aboard the
Dexter, and after all the persons were
taken from the vessel, the Dexter
proceeded to New Bedford. Three
persons died after going aboard the
Dexter
One passenger lost was N. j. Nor
ton, lately connected with the Boston
Globe, who was going south for his
health The lodges on which the City
of columbus struck are considered
by mariners one of the most danger
Gus points on the cost They consist
of a formation of submerged rocks,
constituting double ledge of outer
strata which is called Devils back, "
both lodges being called
DEVILS BRIDGE"
These lodges are abreast of Gayhead
light on the mainland and extend a
little to the southwark of it. The
outer ledge of Devils back" is about
an eighth of a mile from the main
! ~F
ledge the water is very deep. The
upper part of the ledge
is formed ike the gable
of house, so that a vessel
striking it diagonally would natural
ly keel over on to her beam ends. The
course of the vessels is around Gay
head to pass by the outer ledge on the
south. The City Of Columbus had 50
first class and % steerage passengers,
about tWo-thirdS of whom were
LADIES AND CHILDREN,
and crew of As. About 40 men took
refuge in the rigging where they re-
NAMED until 1870 a. m, when a life
boat put off from Gayhead and took
away seven passengers, one of whom
died soon afterwards. Shortly after
noon after the life boat put off to the
distressed vessel, the revenue
cutter Dexter came along
and sent off two boats.
Twenty one men were taken from the
wreck and placed aboard the Dexter,
four of whom died afterwards. After
all the persons on the wreck had
been taken off, the Dexter sailed for
this port, where she arrived this even
ing. Total number of persons saved,
%. Five dead bodies have been re
covered, and
ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR SOULS
unaccounted for. Seventeen OF the
saved and four of the dead were
brought here and six supposed to be
living and one dead, are at Gayhead.
The names of those at the latter place
are unknown.
Capt Wright says he passed the
Cross Rip light ship at - o'clock and
continued by east and west with
a strong breeze blowing from the wesc
by southwest. After passing the Mob
ska our course being west by south
west stepped into my room to warm
myself as it was very cold. Every
thing was working well. After be
ing below a short time | heard the sec
eond mate who was in the pilot house
with the mate sing out to the quar-
termaster to port the helm Jumped
out of my room thinking we had
come across a vessel bound down the
sound. | then cried out
HARD, HARD 4 PORT.