New-York tribune., 1886-04-01
WRECK OF HE CAPITOL CITY.
LITTLE HOPE OF SAVING THE sTEAMER-ONLY
TWO PASSENGERS on BOARD.


TWO PASSENGERS or BOARD.
The steamer Capitol City of the Hartford
Line which left saybrook IL O'Clock on Tuesday night
for This city ran ashore Pearsons Point. near Rye
Beach during a thick fog about a. m yesterday
There were only two passengers on board ana
they were landed without much diihcuty III the
steamers boats. The steamer struck head on and Is
now living with her stern in about fourteen feet Of
water; the high and dry. The captain and crew
remained on board and the purser came to TINS CITY,
There is large hole in the bow OF the steamer but the
fu extent Of damage could not be ascertained yes
tcrday
: G. Smith, the agent Of the line. went
70 the steamer in the morning with one
of the CT pinan wreckng Company's vessels
The freight will taken of aud brought TO this city
The Capitol city old boat and sister ship OF the
CITY OF springfield which will arrive here this morning
from savbrooS she was commanded by Captain
j. ~ Russell, who has been in the companys
service foI many years and is considered
one OF the most careful and experienced
c ptans o. the Sound. In the summer the Captol Cl'y
ran from ier No. = East River TO Hartford but at
this season II year she only went as far as Saybrook
where sne connected with the Connecticut Valley Rail
road for ari,ord. she TO make her brst IMP
through 10 Hartford tonight.
one OF tue hremen who came frem the wreck in the
afternoon said that the steamer in bad position
and that hcr hog frame broken. He described
her as be.ne surrounded by rocks and liable
10 break up II southwest gale came on
The been running through dense fog Tor some
hours pev ,us her striking and WAS several miles out
Of her G ,ursc When struck the rocks every one
rushed on deck the confusion soon quieed Oy
the officers the passengers quietly put ashore
IL was then Just beginning to grow light and the fog
WAS lifting The outline of the shore could be seen
short time after vessel struck and this reaSsued
those who we're disposed be timd. Tho Capitol city
had bad weather from the time she left sayDroos ana
the westerly drfted her further west than captain
Russell thought - - ,,.-, l.. l.. .,,
stance as follows 1--WE left SaybrOOk at 1880 D. H. on
TUESDAY, and made Stafford hnOal Lighthouse al T. Ill.,
At Iuungtons Light the fog was SO thick that nothing
could be seen. and we only knew where we were py
horn. We were running eleht Knots an
hours sailing on our regular course but II seems
that the compass varied about two points when
OF Beach. | did not discover position until
saw the ahead from the piloaouse. then gave
the signal 10 back, but before The wheels had turned
half a revolution The vessel struck the rock ana soon
nlled There was panic for II was evident that the
yesse could not snk very low. The tide was then AT
quarter food. The vessel soon settled down ana now
lies the rocks The whole blame is due TO the Short
coming OF the compass.
The steamer "A light cargo OF britannia ware ana
tobacco which all damaged. Last night Captain Rus
sell and Chef-Epgneer l. NJ Beebe were on board win
their assistants but preparing to leave the Vcssel
for fear that she would go 10 pieces as southern
gale was hlo wing. The steam lighter Alice HaggeTy
aud schooner Fly. sent up by the wreckng company
could not the steamer ON account vi Tue gaze
ana nothing he done last night toward saving any
OF cargo. The vessel was valued at 100000. ana
IS for $4,000. She built In 1872 in this
was rebuilt her changed to Capitol City She
was licensed TO carry 977 passengers, and l4OO tons
carrying capacity She drew seven ct oil water ait,
light and and one-half feet loaded. She $50
feet long and 40 feet BEAM There two boilers,
one on each side the guards The value OF the
cargo 10 estimated at 600 mostly insured.