Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-20
The Lost Columbus.
Bad Steering Works
the Wreck.
MILES OFF HER COURSE
Pilots Alleged Crimina-
ting Confession.
HIS WHEEL DESERTED
Captain Wright's Chart
Not Followed.
PICKING UP THE CORPSES.
Several Bodies Recovered by
the Wreckers.
SAD SCENES ON THE SHORE.
Hundreds of People Seeking
News Of Relatives.
Captain Wright's Chart
Not Followed.
PICKING UP THE CORPSES.
Several Bodies Recovered by
the Wreckers.
SAD SCENES ON THE SHORE
Hundreds of People Seeking
News Of Relatives.

BOSTON. Jan. 49, | p. M-A diSpatcl
from Capt. S. +. Wright. who is at New
Bedford. says that the wreck Of the Cit,
OF Columbus bears north onc-half ives
from Gay Head, one aud one-halt mile,
from shore. The bow is ont Of water
while the stern lies in about four fathoms
The upper works are gone. Ii the wealth
er moderates it may be possible to save
some part of the vessel. If wreckers were
sent at once the vessel might possibly bj
raised.
Mr.. Nickerson, President of the cOmpa
ny, left Boston at O'Clock this morning
on a special train for New Bedford, a
which place he will look after the saved
and take charge of the remains of those
who persisted.
THREE MORE SAVED.
BOSTON. Jan. 19.-Another list of The
saved includes. besides the sixteen takeT
in the cutter Dexter, Roderick Mcdonald
and Thomas Butler, fireman, and Leary
a seaman.
A WHOLE FAMILY LOST.
HAvERHILL, MASS. Jan. 19.-Rev. c
A. Rand, who was lost on the City of Co
mmbus. was rector of Trinity Churcf
here, and was just starting on vacation
His wife. daughter, father and mother
also persisted.
SURVIVORS REACH BOSTON.
BOSTON. Jan. 10, p. M-Fifteen sur
vivOrs of the wreck of the City of COlum
bus arrived here this morning on specia
train from New Bedford. many of them il
a pitiable condition. and some too dazeC
to render an intelligent account Of the
wreck.
Mr.. FAIRBANKS EXPERIENCE.
F. w. Fairbanks. OF NJ. L. s. r. w
Fairbanks, of GOrham. Maine, one of the
survivors, who says he was in his berti
in the steerage, but awake. and was some
what uneasy when the accident occurred
is Of the opinion that the steamer strucl
upon the rocks several times before sht
came upon them finally. He noted thre'
successive shocks and thought it Nigh
be that high sea was hurting ice agains
the side.
FROZEN TO THB RIGGING.
When the steamer was jlmmed up0l
the rocks the water rushed into the steer
age, and he scrambled out, taking tn,
greater part Of his clothing. AS the YES
sci filled she keeled over, and he got int
the rigging, where he clung tor hours will
tervals. At one time some of the rIggin!
gave way and fell upon him, and he re
ceived blow across the forehead whicl
stunned him, and another in the chest
but his fingers, which were then frozen
chung to the rigging, and he was no
swept off. He attributes his safety to
rubber coat, the skirts of which he hat
tied around him, and thus kept his cloth
ing dry. Many more, he thinks, woulC
have been saved but for the high sea run
ming.
HIS LEAP FOR LIFE.
The boats could not therefore approach
the wreck. When his turn came b.
jumped into the raging water and atte
reaching the surface was swept within
reach of the rescuerS. He saw two wh'
made IA perilous leap overheard WASHED
away to death. and believes that mani
met the same fate.
Before the rescue was attempted a sin
glr boat with several Indians in it cam
off from Gay Head, but they could NOT ap
proach the wreck. They were engaged il
picking up floating matter.
WHERE THE BLAME LIES.
While they were in the rigging togethe
the pilot told him that he fixed the cOurs
Of the vessel and fastened the wheel, AM
as he was very cold, went TO the smOk
stack TO warm himself. He remained
there 20 minutes, and when he re
turned to his post he fount
that the ship had veered around
When he ascertained that the vessel wa
among the rocks, and that it was prob
ably impossible to save her, he put he
right ON the shore. and ran her as high "a
he could, with the result that although
she drew seventeen feet of water her fore
foot was in eleven feet.
DROWNED IN THE CABIN.
Mr.. Fairbanks is OF the opinion tha
many of the passengers did not leave tht
cabin until their bodies were washed ou
by the waves. which soon tore off the afte
part of the deck and carried out bodies
furniture and baggage before the eye
of the Mortified survivors. He say
that Oscar lasgi was in the grigging viii
him, and that he perished before aid cam
TO hand. Not woman or child was seel
by him alive after the vessel went ashore
He thinks that Mr.. Morton, of the BosiOl
fiobe, did not succeed in gaining tn
deck.
CABIN PASSENGERS STATEMENT.
John l.. Cook. of Portland, Me-. cabii
passenger, says that he felt that something
was wrong. He reached the deck ant
then hasttned back and informed hi
Sldtt-IOoil NOlAt pdtliOu tttl lic fCcotl " a
aground. He got into the fore rigging wher
were the Captain, = man named White
and the two FarnswOrth boys, all o
whom were saved. During the lon
morning hours this little company saw
others dropping from the rigging into th
sea, with but little hope that their owl
fate was to be of a similar character.
THE CAPTAINS COURAGEOUsNEsS
The Captain maintained Il cheerful ant
courageous manner throughout, and wa
the last being to leave the wreck. TIL
first sign of relief was a life boat comin
from the station. The point is hut a mil
and half away from the wreck, though
the conditions rendered it the work q
hours. soon after noon the revenue cut
ter's boat arrived. by which Mr.. Coo
was taken off, but the work wa
so difficult that it took ? hour
to reach the cutter. He says that no on
who could not swim left the wreck alive
and that the plunge OF a swimmer int
the WAGER was appalling and was certHinl
fatal to those not physically strong. q. j
Hammond, Of HYDE Park. was among th
lost. His body has been found.
II. WIEDMAN'S STORY.
Fl. Wiedman. OF Lawrence, who was i
his berth was awakened by the first shocl
He aroused his companion, Frederic
Sargent. of Merrimac, who was lost. Th
vessel then tOppled over. He reached III
main rigging with great difficulty, frOi