New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-03

1
A HIGH CLIFF SCALED IN DEAD OF
NIGHT WITH ROPE LADDERS.
Queenstown. July 2.-The Inman Line steamer
CITY Of Chicago Captain Redford, from New-i ork,
which went ashore last evening about half
mile inside the Old Head of Kinsale, remains fast.
Three tugs are lying close by her ready to give
any assistance in their power, but as yet they
have not been called upon TO attempt TO haul her
of.
When IL was found last night that there was
no probability Of the steamer being got afoat. the
boatswan pped the boats crews and the passengers
were told they would have TO abandon the snip
There was absolutely panic on board. Inc
sen was comparatively smooth, and the passengers
entered the boats without hesitation. They all
reached shore in safety. The women on poaro
behaved with the greatest courage throughout
They were the first to be sent ashore. SIXTY OF
the passengers, on landing, received temporary
shelter NJ Tloyd's Signal Station All the
passengers from the steamship have now reached
this city.
The rockets sent up by the City Of Chicago
conveyed the intelligence to the people on shore
that a wreck had occurred, and in SNORT llule
about n hundred peasants gathered upon tne ms"
clif looking down upon the scene OF the Wr'ch'
The members of ihe coast guard arrived shor'N
afterward and they procured rope ladders wmcn
they lowered down the face of the cllf'. Inc
women below then assembled in safety by means oil
the ladders The mrn were hauled mp with ropes
by the peasants and the coast guards NO accldent
happened except TO n sxyear-od boy who fell
forty feet from rock. lie was seen TO slip ny
the sailors of the City OF Chicago standing below
and they rushed and caught him before he reached
the ground The boy was badly shaken up, ont
no bones were broken.
As soon n the news Of the accident reached
Queenstown tenders were dispatched 10 the
stranded steamer 10 take oil the mails and VIC
passengers baggage. They would also nave 'akeh
OF the passengers had they arrived In tine, ou'
the for was so thick that they had to ieel 'heir
way down the coast, and when they got 10 'he
City Of Chicago the passengers had gone ashore
The passengers baggage wns hauled up from 1he
hold, and placed them The mail sacKs' OF
which there quite IA number on Doaru' "ere
also transferred to the tenders.
Captain Redford had in the meantime decided
that his ship would have to be lightcred, and con-
,couen,ly as much OF the cargo as could be put
aboard the tenders was transshipped. While this
work was being done the fog lifted, and when
the tenders were loaded they returned TO Queens
town.
The pa~enaers speak in the highest terms OF
the behavior Of Captain Rcdford and all the Off
Gers and crew Of the steamer. II has been learned
that after the City Of Chicago left New-lork
everything went well until Fasnet Light on rocky
islct four miles southwest OF Cape Clear, was maze
Then a fog set in. This aftcrward lifted ior II
time. but quickly settled again. Nothing hap
pcncd until the vessel struck. After she struck
she rebounded slightly and then remained fasr
with her bow fixed In a rocky cove. The engines
were M once reversed Of full speed, but IL was
found impossible to get her oil.
John r Kavanagh the purser Of the City OF
Chicago has arrived az Queenstown. fle says
tha, the steamer has fallen into most dan
cerous position. and that there is little hope of
saving her She lie, on rock in such position
that she s in danger OF sliding of into deep
water. Sine hns eleven fathoms under her STERN
and this gives idea Of the character OF the
coast she ran upon. In her own length the water
decpens siNty-six feet. The stem, from the hawSc-
pipcs. through which the anchor cables pass, down
TO the forefoot j. completely gone.
The agent here Of Lloyds thinks that the
steamer is pivoted on the rock just below the
funnel lie says there il nine fathoms Of water
from the funnel aft swell Is on, and the ship
il working. This motion on the rock IS likely To
Cause her bottom T. be torn ont The agent
thinks that no attempt will be made 10 float the
steamer until powerful pumping gear is sent TO
her.
The crew is still aboard the vessel. The
weather has hccomc threatening, and the position
Of the ahip is most critical
Yesterday AZ the vessel approached the Irish
coast a dense fog get in When Cape Clear had
been passed Captain Rcd(ord decided to make
Queenstown, as several Of hi6 passengers were
10 land there The fog sometimes lifted, ana
he concluded that it would DE- perfectly s'fe
for him to DO so. Before he had rounded the
Old Head Of Kinsac he ran on the mainland
Soundlngs had been taken which showed plenty
Of water aud the steamer waS gong AT nearly
fnll speed Ii is thought by those acpuaih'eu
with the coast that the prevailing winds had
c,used n current with n set inshore, and That
tho steamer, unknown to her ofhcers WIG "'''>-
ino TOO much ccway. When she struck she
forced herself into a large opening IN occ"i'e
elm that stands 200 feet above the sea.
The shock was some thing fearful, and many OF
tho ,ers ns on deck were thrown completely OH
,beir feet The bows were torn out and the lore
,o,npartlnent was soon full of water. Whch IL
yos found that the steamer could not get OIL W
hacking ana that she was hadly dihlaS'u' u'o
engines wore kept going ahead to keep her vi '''r
rock as IL was thought she might slide Oh ln'o
deep water as the tide rose.
The disaster will not interfere with the regular
service of the line The City of Chester VIII tike
the City Of Chlchsos piaCc ~ rrr Tho
pany has chartered special tram 10 carry , ',c
no,ecugers from Queenstown 10 hing'towl, lrVm
which place they will be conveyed to LNerpooi
on the mail packet. . ,; H. ,,r, ,ivcu
The passengers unite in pIaisng the care given
them by the sailors Of the city OF Chicago, espc
clolIy during the thrilling moments when women
and children were helped IN the dead OF night ana
in an impcnetrable darkness up the rope iauorr iuo
But for thr encouragement ana aSslS'hcc 9icn i
by tho sailors, many cf the women ana chliurcn
would never have succeeded in scaling the ciin
Tbo saiiors laughed and jolScd with them until
bcy i,nnartcd some of their good spirits TO them
a~d then prevailed on them 10 try the climb, tell
ING them Il was as easy going upstairs Whcn
thc woman or child would start; sailor wou,d
snripg npon the ladder ahead while another would
follow clCsc behind. .,. A.. o.ouo
Now that Nh" excitement attending the rescue