Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-01-20
THE DEVILS BRIDGE"
A Bridge of Sorrow, Suffering and
Death.
A Pilots Criminal carelsssness
Causes
The Columbus TO Strike a Danger
Gus Reef
And Sends a Hundred PsOp'e TO
Watery Grave.
Tire Heart Rsading Stories Told by
Survivors.
Not a Woman or a Child Among
the Ss we'd.
Friends Looking In Vain for Their
r. Lost 0nss.
--
Not a Woman or a Child Among
the ST. ysd.
Friends Locking In Vain for Their
=" Lost 0nss.
Special % ths Relister.

nnNroS, January 19-Fitteen survivors
Of The yrecS Of the City Of Columbus ar
rived here this morning from New Bedford.
Many of them are in pitab!e condition
and some are too dazed to give an intelli-
"a ut account Of the wreck. +. w. FAIR
bal ks, of Gorham, Maine, says he was IN
his berth in the s,eersge, but awske and
was somewhat uneasy when the acci tent
occurred. He is OF the opinion that the
steamer struck on the rocks several times
before she came upon them finally. He
noted three successive shocks and thought
that it might be that the high sea Was
hurting ice sgsinst the side. When the
steamer was jammed upon the rocks the
water rushed into the steersge and he
scrambled OUT, liking greater part OF his
clothing.
As the Vessel FILLED
she keeled over and he got into the rigging
where he cluDg for hours with the sea
breaking overIhim at frequent intervals.
At one time some gave way and fell upon
him and he received q blow across the
forehead which stunned him and another
in the chest but his fingers were then
frozen TO the rigging and he was not swept
on. He attributes his satety TO a rubber
coat, tee skirts of which he had tied around
him and thus kept his clothing dry. Many
II. ore he thinks would have been saved but
fer the high sea running. The boats could
| pOtapproach the wreck. When his turn
came he jumped into the raging water, and
| after reaching the surface was swept within
reach of the rescuers. He saw two who
| made the perilous leap overheard washed
| away TO death and believes many met be
| same fate before a rescue was attempted,
| A single boat with several Indians IN II
| came IL from Gay Hesd but they conld not
| spprosth b the wreck. Tney were engaged
| in pickIpg up floating matter. W nlIe ID
| the rigging H. Q pilot told him
Be Fixed the COurse OF the vessel
and fastened the wheel, and as he was
vary cold he went TO the smoke stack tC
warm himself. He remained there twenty
minutes and when he returned to bis posi-
| found the ship bad yeered sround. Wneu
ne ascertained that the vessel was among
| he rocks and probably impossible to save
her he put her on the right shore aud ran
as high as be could, with the result. al
| thIugh she drew seventeen feet OF wate'
| Ter Tor efoot was eleven feet. Fairbanks ~
| ,f ,h, opIpion that many passengers die
| rot lssve the cabin unit their bodies were
VIZ he'd out by the waves which soon tore
| IT The after part Of the deck and carrie.
out the bodies, furniture aid baggage o.
lore the ewes OF the horriiied survivors
| Oscar Iasisgi was in the rigging With hin
| and be perished before aid came to hand
Mia woman or child was seen by hin
| al
| links that Morton, OF the Roston Giooe,
ma moi Succeed la Gaining the shore
| A. Wiedmsn, Of Lawrence, who was IN
berth in the cabin stateroom, was awakened
| by the hrst shock aud aroused his com
panion, Frederick " Sargesrt, OF Merr'nac
Who was lost The vessel then toppleC
| over. He reached the main rgSiug witt
| gr,ut difficulty. He tells uf the sweepins
away. one by one, OF those in the IlgglnG
a. Tire cold caused them to lose their hotd OF
| he waves tore the rigging trom their grasp
| When be was leaving the cabin nssiw o2e
| ?, ntlrmsn keep ing lady ard two boys II
| their state room. None 0t tH'S parry were
seen afterwards, the cabin and all In i
being xhelmed in the sea.
| John Madd. rn, q sailor, said: when
| csr,e on deck heard either the captain 81
| mate | don't know which, say, we shal
| Inse tie poor ship, bat don't bs alarmed
WI! be saved. Tnsu there Wa rlsa
'nr the bosts They were oil cut airltt
| but five OF them were broken al ouce.
The OIher one Got OIL
with four men on board, whom l th!ni
x,re sailors. made for the main ricSiEt
VITA the engineer aud his first sSsissaai
nj sat on the top OF tae alter house, Ci
te top of which WIS raft. Our weigh
,roke the roof OF the house. Then W
-hovpd the raft into the water and Phillips
the first assistant, and myself got on board
ont | wss afraid we would get washed oil
20 left 1t and went back 90 the mast. Th
after house did not stand fifteen minutes
Billy Marray, Mike Day and one OF the pas
s.pgers in charge OF the engineer ant
mate STAYED on the raft. Phillips tol,
\ them il was broken and they should get oh
INIT they STAYED on it and We did not Sc
them afterwards. We clung to the rigging
six or nine hours, guess. Every once ii
while man would get numbed and drol
when the Cutter Came mp
jumped into the water, but got foul OF
piece of wreck which held me under tn
water until l thought | was done fos.
| mapssed TO get loose and swan for tn
Ha.. was Just sinking when sOme ssize'
my hands and pulled ME on board. Two .
my ribs were broken.
Ihcmas OLeary. The fireman. stated ths
be saw two bats filled with people droppe'
into the water, but he knew none OF then
had plugs in the bottom, and no one scenes
to krow where they were. He got into th'
rigging, and after suffering fearfully 10
eleven hours q rescuing psrty IN boa
took him off, Only those who could swim
had much chance Of being saved. TsC
boys sre among the survivors, George W
| md Herbert W. Farnsworth, twelve an;