The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-31

and the steam tug Bristol, Capt. Hop
kins, of the Phosphate Mining Company,
was ordered by Mr.. Brotherhood to go
Immediately to the assistance of the
wrecked steamer.
When the Bristol arrived off Hunting
Island it was found that the women and
children passengers had landed at Coffin
Point.
CAPT. SAVAGE HERO.
Capt. Geo. Savage is the hero OF the
hour, and everybody is singing his
praises. The passengers of the wrecked
vessel declare that they were only saved
from certain death by his judgment and
good management, and that they owe
their lives to him. 1t is hardly necessary
to say that he was the last to leave the
wrecked steamer.
Captain Savage was seen on board the
Birmingham, on her arrival here, by a
MORNING News reporter, but was so used
up that he did not feel able to talk and
was hurried off to the De Soto by Agent
Anderson of the Ocean Steamship Co.
Like all brave men, Capt. Savage is so
modest that his statement of the storm
and the wreck would appear very tame,
had not the passengers and others added
their accounts.
STORY OF THE VOYAGE.
The City of Savannah left Boston at 3
o'clock last Thursday afternoon with 20
passengers and medium cargo consist
ing chiefly of shoes and furniture. The
vessel started out in gale
and had heavy weather throughout. A
couple of empty life boats were passed
before reaching Hatteras, one appearing
to be from whaling vessel and the other
a ships yawl, which had apparently just
been relieved of her crew. Hatteras was
passed at O'Clock Saturday in heavy
sea from the southeast. The wind then
began to blow from the northeast and by
3 o'clock Sunday afternoon had increased
to hurricane. Tae exact velocity of the
wind Capt. Savage could not tell. The
steamer was about of Charleston when
she was caught in the hurricane.
THE SHIP HOVE TO.
Capt. Savage ordered the ship hove to,
and the order was executed. Soon after
the first heavy wave struck her, taking
off the pilot house and sweeping clean
over the vessel. Capt. Savage, who was
in the pilot house at the time, was driven
back through the partition wall into his
own room in the rear. He was partially
stunned by the shock and his room was
filled with water, and for several minutes
he did not know whether he was over
board or on deck He came out of this
flow apparently uniniured, but in an hour
afterward he was sore from head to
foot.
The gale continued all the afternoon
with increased force, AT s o'clock Sun
day night the vessel shipped a sea that
carried the smokestack overheard. This
made the engines useless and rendered
the vessel entirely helpless and at the
mercy of the wind and waves. The water
poured down the smol1estack into the en-
gine room and flooded everything. The
cabins and the saloon had already been
washed out by the waves and the passen-
gers were making out as best they might,
assisted all that was possible by the crew.
GAVE Up HOPE.
Capt. Savage kept the condition of the
vessel to himself and said nothing to the
passengers. He knew that there was
nothing to do but let the vessel drift until
she ran aground and that there was little
hope of a rescue. He ordered all sail set,
but the wind blew the sails away as fast
as they could be hoisted
The Savannah was about Is miles from
shore when she lost her smokestack, yet
she drifted all night before going
aground Strange as it may seem,
Capt. Savage says the drift
ing was the easiest part of their ex-
perience of the storm. The passengers
and crew were in comparative comfort,
and except for the apprehension there
was little to complain of. In fact, Capt
Savage says most of the passengers were
asleep and had no idea of the danger they
were in. He did not wake them. There
was no sleep for the officers, however.
Capt. Savage's anxiety was so great, ex-
pecting every minute to hear the vessel
strike, that it was really relief to him
when he felt the ground.
ALMOST AT HER VOYAGES END.
The ship was within seven miles of
Savannah when she was hove to.
Capt. Savage said he realized
SIX hours before the vessel
struck that she was certain to be swept
afhore unless the wind changed in her
favor, this being her only chance. She
drifted until O'Clock Monday morning
when she struck. The anchors were
thrown out at 3;30o'clock. The soundings
showed six fathoms of water then and it
was realized that she would soon strike
bottom. The anchors had no effect, the
wind being too strong. The vessel began
pounding about 5 o'clock and lodged
about an hour afterward. While drifting
oil bags were put out to the windward
and proved of great effect. About IL
barrels of oil were used, resulting in
greatly decreasing the violence of the
waves.
FILLED AS SOON AS SHE STRUCK
AS soon as the vessel grounded Capt
Savage ordered her filed with water to
hold her steady. The order was unnec-
essary however, as she filed without aid.
She lay sidewise to the shore with her
larboard side under water and the star
board side in the air. The passengers
were gathered on the Nstarboard
side for safety. The vessel