Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-03
HE DIED LIKE A MAN.

The year 1854 is memorable for the
number Of wrecks which took place dur
ing its course among Atlantic steamers.
The loss OF no fewer than five large YES
sells had already been chronicled when.
on the 81 day of October. news reached
New York that the Arctic, of the Col
Inns line of Liverpool steamers, had
gone down under circumstances OF Pc
cnliar interest and horror.
She was one Of the finest vessels or
her time. She was side wheeler. had
cost 500, 900, and was insured for $780,
600.
On Wednesday, Sept 81, 1854. she was
on her return trip TO New York with
22G passengers exclusive OF children),
mostly homeward bound tourists; a
crew of IT'S. valuable cargo and a
heavy mail. and had gotten within sixty
five miles Of Cape Race. the southeastern
extremity of Newfoundland, when, ex-
actly at noon, while steaming through
dense fog, she was struck by the
propeller Vesta, bound from st. Peters
TO Granville.
Although the Arctic had two men in
the lookout at the time of the accident,
the fog was SO thick that the Vesta was
not sighted until within minute of the
time Of the collision.
The Arctic was making twelve miles
an hour and the Vesta eight, and they
struck head on The stern of the Vesta
struck about twelve6r fifteen feet abaft
! the stern of the Arctic. At the moment
Of collision the Arctic was on the crest
of large wave or swell, while the
Vesta was in the corresponding trough,
and the bow of the Arctic being ele-
waited the Vesta struck her below the
water line. The anchor Of the Vesta
was driven through the timbers of the
Arctic and broken, and part Of it was
left sticking in the orifice. The Arctic
4 was pierced in three places, two Of the
breaks being below the water line. The
| Vesta had about ten feet Of her bow
literally stove in and crushed off, and
when Captain Luce, of the Arctic, hur-
/ -ied ON deck and saw the Vesta he
thought she must Immediately go down.
He dispatched his first mate, Mr..
Gomley, and boats crew to the Vesta
/ to offer assistance, and turned his own
vessel in the direction the Vesta had
taken, and, reaching her vicinity, he
steamed twice around her.
He found to his surprise that no as
/ sistance was needed. The Vesta,
though in appearance nondescript
craft, was provided with bulkhead,
which, REINFORCED by $50 mattresses,
pialhasses and other effects of the crew,
kept out the water sufficiently especially
after the foremost had been cut away
to keep the vessel afloat until she reach
ed port with the l49 persons who still
remained aboard her.
Soon after the collision Captain Du.
chesne, Of the Vesta, dispatched boat
with a crew of ten men to the Arctic to
offer assistance, but in attempting to
board the Arctic their boat was cap.
sized and all but one of its crew were
lost, either by being struck by the wheel
Of the Arctic or by drowning, or both
The single survivor was saved by the
crew Of the Arctic. Mate Gomley, OF
the Arctic, lost his way in the fog and
did not get back to his ship, but eventu
ally reached shore.
1t was not until shortly after the Arc.
tic had resumed her homeward course
that the gravity Of her injuries was dis
covered. She was found TO be taking
water rapidly. and efforts were made II
stop the break in her hull by passing
sails under her and by thrusting mat
trcsses and pillows into the holes. The
anchor chains were thrown overheard
to Tighten her bow, but the fragment Of
the vesta's anchor was wedged In thu
timbers SO firmly that it was impossibl,
to dislodge 1t or TO get the sails clost
enough TO her TO keep out the water.
The seriousness Of the situation now
became apparent 10 Captain Luce. TIL,
Vests was out of sight in the fog ant
considerable distance away, beyond
hearing Of the signal guns. He HEADED
directly for Cape Race. some forty-fv,
to sixty milee away. For half An houl
good speed was made. but the lowe
fires were then quenched by the risina
water, although the steam handpump
were both at work In another hal
hour the upper fires were out, and ther
the great ship was a helpless wreck.
1t seems strange as we look bacl
ct the occurrences of this sad day tina
the outcome was so appalling. But ar
III fate seemed 10 hang over the vessel
When Csptsin Duchesne. Of the yesta
saw the Arctic steam twice around him
be had no idea siys was seriously hurt
and afterward reported that he couls
have accommodated all her passenger
and crew had he found ont that the,
needed assistance. He thought wher
she parted from ham that she had gon,
straight 10 New York.
As soon ~ Captain Luce found tlla
The Arctic mnet sink he took measure,
% save his passengers. Even then. has
good order and discipline prevailed. I'll
could easisy have been saved. Tn,
Arctic aoated for FIVE and a quartz
hours after the collision falfbough no
body knew hut that she might 90 dowr
at any momentl The sea was smootl
snd 80 remained for twenty-four hours
spd beats and RATS could easily hsv'
gotten ~ Land
But it vss not 20 be. A sad scene q
Standardization and selfshoess now be
gan 10 b eoscsssi. relieved. God \
praised. by sonae flashes az noble herc
ism.
Five hossu remained after the frs
rsste Las. -Four 81 she~e were taksr b
tia engineers. snsscrs. = few pA<.~-raY