Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-07-28
HE DIED LIKE A MAN.

The year 1851 Is memorable for the
,ember Of wrecks which took place dur
he rs course among Atlantic steamers
Tho loss OF no fewer than five large yes.
al. had already been chroniclcd when,
m the 81 day Of October. nows reached
New York that tho Arctic, Of tho Col.
pps limo Of Liverpool steamers, had
zone down under circumstances Of pc
cnliar interest aYd horror.
n She was one OF tho finest vessels Of
her time. She was side wheeler. had
cost 500 900, aud was insured for $500.
O0l
On Wednesday, Sept e7, 1854, ahc was
on her return trip TO New York with
20 passengers exclusive OF children,
mostly hoinoward bound tourists; q
crew Of 175. valuable cargo and
hsayymail, and Ind gotten within sixty.
lyemilcs Of Cape Race, the southeastern
extremity OF Newfoundland, when, ox-
actly at noon, while ftcamig through
dense fog, sho was struck 10y the
propeller Vcsta, bound from st. Peters
to Gmnyillc.
Although tho Arctic had two mon In
tie lookout ut tho time of tho accident.
the fog was so thicl; that the Ncsia was
not sighted until witlin,a minute Of tho
time Of the collision.
Tho Arctic was making twelve miles
On hour and the Nosta eight aud they
struck head on. Tho stern Of the Vesta
struck rbout twelve or in teen feet abaft
hcs,ru Of the Arctic AZ the moment
q collision the Arctic was ON tho crest
u large wave or swell, while the
Vc,il was In tho corresponding trough,
and the how Of tho Arctic being Gle
waited tho Vostn strncl, her below the
water line Tho anchor Of the Nosta
was driven through tho timbcgs Of the
Arctic and broken, and part OF It was
l,ft sticking IN Tho ori'icc. Tho Arctic
was pierced in three places, two OF tho
breaks being below tho water line. Tho
Nu,a had about ten feet Of her bow
literally stove IN aud crushed on, and
wien Captain Luce, of the arctic, ltur.
ricl on deck and slw tho Yoam no
thought she must Immediately 90 down.
No dispatched his iirst mate, Mr.
Gumley, and q boats crow 20 tho Ncsta
to offer assistance, aud turned his own
vessel IN the direction tho Vcsta had
taken, and, reaching her vicinity, he
stained twice around her.
lie found to his surprise that no as
ssianeo was needed. Tho Ncsa,
though in appearance nondoscript
craft, was provided with bull,hcad,
which, rc-onforccl by 100 mattresses,
piallinsscs and other effects Of the crew.
kept out the watorsuficiontlye5pO'ially
after the foremost had been cut.nway)
tokccp tho vessel ailogt until she reach.
ed port with tho 1ig persons who still
remained aboard her.
Soon after tho collision CAPTAIN Du.
chc-nc, Of tho Vcsta, dispatched boat
with crew of ten men totho Arctic 10
offer nssi8,uaco, hut in attempting to
board the Arctic thcir boat was cap
sized and al but one OF st. crew were
lost, either by being struck by tho wheel
Of tho Arctic or by drowning, or both.
The single survivor was saved by the
crow Of the Arctic. Mate Gomlov. OF
the Arctic, lost hiH way IN tho fog and
did not get back TO his ship. but oycntu.
ally reached shore.
II was not until shortlyaftor tho Arc.
tic had resumed her homoward coursa
that the gravity OF her injuries was dis
covered. She was found TO bo taking
water rapidly, and efforts were made to
stop the break IN her huh by passing
sails under her and by u, listing unt.
trcs'oi and pillows IL o tho holes. Tho
anchor chains were overheard
TO tighten her bow, but the,fragincnt Of
The Ncstas anchor was wcdged ia tho
tmners so firmly that It was impossible
to dislodgo II or to got tho sails close
enough TO her TO keep out the water.
The seriousness Of the situation now
became apparent 10 Captain Luce. The
Eesiq was out of sight in tho fog aud
considerable distance away, beyond
hearing of the signal guns. lie headed
directly Tor Cape Race. somo forty.Gyo
To sixty miles away. For half an hour
good speed was made, but tho lower
hreS were then qucnchcd by tho rising
water, although the steam handpumns
were both at work. In another bnlf
hour the upper fires were ont. and then
the great ship was HOPELESS wreck.
IL seems strange as we look bacl.
at the occurrences Of this sad day that
the outcome was so appalling. Bnt mn
III fato seemed 10 hang over tho vessel
When Captain Duchosne, of the Vestn
taw the Arctic steam twice around him.
he had no idea she was seriously hurt
and afterwArd reported that no could
have accommodated all hor passengers
and crew had ho found ont that they
needed assistance. Ito thought when
she parted from him that sho had gone
straight to New York.
As soon ms Captain Luce found that
tho Arctic must sink hc took measured
To save his passengers. Even then, had
good order and discipline prevailed, all
could easily hnyo been saved. Tho
Arctic iloated for five and quarter
hours after tho collision although mo-
body know but that sho might go down
o. any inomonu Tho sou was smooth
md so rcmnined for twenty-four hours,
Ind boats and RATS could easily have
gotten TO land.
But It was not TO be. A sad scene Of
naturalization and selHshness now DO.
gan to be enacted, relieved, God bo
praised, by some flashes OF noble hero.
ism.
Five boats remained aftor tho first
mat1 lcit, Four Of these were taken by
the engineers, sailors few passengers
ana the remaining officers, oxccpt Cnp.
tam Lace and Third Mate graucis DO.
man Tho second mate, with two boatg