Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-17

them with a big stick and belabored
them soGndly. But he didn't drive
them out of the boat. They lay in its
bottom and yelled for mercy. Then
some passengers got into the boat. II
/ hadn't lost my purse I'D like to
give that seaman something hand
some"
"Yes," said Mr.. +. Frost, Of Cali
fornia, "thosc raScally firemen deserved
drowning. Whom approached the
boat they had taken they threatened me
with Delaying pins. AS did not want
my head battered gave them plenty of
ROOM
A white.haired old man who gave his
name as Sturges-which name does not
appear on the 0regon's passenger list
said - had not used profane word
since the first night of the Chicago fire
until this morning. cursed frightfully
when / saw a party of firemen going
away from the ship with boat not half
filled. | called to them to come back.
They would not return. Drawing my
revolver and picking out the fellow who
seemed to be their leader, | said If
YOU don't come back will kill you
They returned, and we put sixteen pas
sengers into the boat. believe l
would have been justified in killing
some Of the rascals." 30
After the rush of passengers fro
cabins TO the deck no passengerwas
permitted to return even TO the saloon.
Captain Cottier preferring to have the
people on deck, where he could take
care of them as well as his limited
facilities would permit. For this rea-
son Edward Kendall, of Boston, man
ager of Austin and Stones theatrical
enterprises, lost $4,000 in cash,
which he had left in his waiStcoat
pocket in the haste Of dressing. !
Mr.. Kendall was consequently 10 very
i'll humor on the Fulda, though he at
occasional intervals found comfort in
the fact that his valuable services were
saved to the theatrical profession. lie
was the only one among the passengers,
so far as could be ascertained aboard
the Fulda, who lost any large sum of
money. Captain 7. r. lluddleson, Of
St. Paul, Mimi, lost gold watch and
chain, and few others lost jewelry,
which they left behind in their state
rooms.
Captain Huddleson, who served in
the late war in the Seventh Minnesota
regiment, in speaking of the conduct Of
the cabin passengers, who were the last
to leave the Oregon except its officers |
ard sailors, said, while chatting in the
Fulda's smOking.rOom "l'ye seen
reckless feats of bravery, and I've seen
true acts of heroism on the battlefield, |
but I've never seen anything more |
heroic than the conduct of the brave aud |
intelligent men who came over in the
Oregon's cabin. They thought death
was certain-they saw no escape yet
heroically they stood on deck, protect |
ing the weak and old men and the women
and children, and helping the oili-
GERS in controlling the mob Of iiremen
and stokeTs, which at one time threat
ened to take possession of everything. !
All who had the least chance in the
fight for life which they thought must
come were sent away, and those brave
men stuck to the ship, with nothing to
save them from what seemed certain |
death but their lile-preseryers. The
schooner GOrham saved them, it is true,
but there was a readiness for heroic |
self-sacrifce in that party just the same,
and it was the highest type of heroiSm.
" hen it comes 20 the scratch, intelli- |
gence and heroism seem synonymous"
Captain Cottier reechoed this sentiment |
most emphatically, and praised his /
cabin passengers for their courage and |
overwhelmed them with thanks for the |
assistance they rendered.
Several instances of bravery by n
sailor named John Huston called forth |
words Of commentator and warmest |
praise and more substantial remep- !
brance from the 0reeon'a passengers.
With the second officer, Peter Hood,
and carpenter, they went to the Ore
CONS side to try and close up the great |
holes in the vessels side into which the !
water was rushing. Mattresses, pillows,
and huge spreads Of canvas were sent |
down for this purpose, and an attempt /
was made to fasten these over the holes /
below the water-line by the use of |
chains and toggles. Huston, diyesting
himself Of all superiuouS clothing,
dove into the water and tried to make |
fast the chains. Three times he went |
down under the icy water in vain at
tempt to find method Of stopping the !
inflow Of the water. The efforts were
fruitless, and Huston, much against his
wishes. was deferred by Officer Hood
from making fourth attempt.
After this Huston again distinguished |
himself by saving the lives of three pas
sengers. lie seemed ubiquitous while
passengers were being assisted from the
vessel into the boats. Several Of these
in their hurry to get into the boats fell
into the water. Among these were the
little son and daughter Of an emigrant
named Andrew McNab. A fat woman
and baby fell into the water at the
same time, but these two were easily
pulled into the boat. The McNab boy
and girl were carried some distance
from the boat. Huston saw their dan
ger, and, throwing off his coat, with
which he was trying to drive of the
chill from his previous experience in
the water, sprang overheard. 1t was
the work Of only an instant, with his
strong, sure stroke, to reach the chill
dren, and both were brought back to
the boat in safety. Subsequently Hus-
ton drew into the boat an elderly man
who had fallen from the ladder into the
water while trying to get into the boat.
While the disappearance Of the
beautiful steamer we had learned to
love was in one respect an awful sight,"
said one Of the gossipers in the Fuldas
smokipg-r room, :" it was at the same
time one Of the most picturesque things
ever saw. She had listed we'll over
to port before the last bostload, with
Captain Cottier, Surgeon McMaster, and
the ships carpenter, left her. She lay