The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-02-22

NEw YOHH, Feb. 2l.-Tho steamer
CITY OF Para, having on board tho oil .
Gers aud crew Of the famous old war
ship koarsargG, which now lies on Ron.
cador reef, arrived Of quarantine to-.
day from Colon. As tho City OF Para
reached quarantine the crow OF the
kearsarge could DO socu on deck. She
was boarded by DR.. jenkins, the health
officer, who with representative OF tho
Associated Press was tho first to extend
congratulations 10 the officers vi tho
kcarsNrgC.
Tho voyage from Colon was u plnas-
ant ono fo7 winter, and tho City Of Para
made an excellent voyage.
Acting Admiral Oscar I. Stanton,
who was first seen by tho Associated
Press reporter, gave tho following ac-
count OF the wreck Of his flag ship:
The accident occurred about o'clocl;
on the afternoon, Of February End"
saId Admiral Stanton. "a stiff north.
east trnde wind waa blowing, and there
was Il considerable surf. The kcaraarge
struck rather lightly at first, and then
there was heavy jar and crash when
the ship went up high and dry on the
reel.
"We remained on board the Kear-
sarge that night. and wcrc taken ashore
the next day. Tho City OF Para did not
come until Saturday February 10,
about week from tho time we wont
ashore on Roncador Island. All hands
were taken of tho kearsargo on tho
catamaran boat, after working all night
In order TO get things ready :or our de-
porture from our ship. We sent the
catamaran boat ashore about daylight.
After we reached tho shore We
gathered together some old sails, avn.
Ing and duck with which we rugged up
n tent, to shelter US. The weather was
quite warm enough to make such tent
comfortable 10 increase the small
supply OF water wo were enabled to
carry with Us from the kcarsarge, we
dug n well. We also had what pro-
visions VIC could save from the ship.
We had built rats during the night
and early Saturday morning in order to
transport what things We could take
away from the ship, together with our
eight days supply OF water, which per-
mitted supply OF ono pint day for
each man"
There are 81 officers and ISL men.
making 2O2 in oil, and we are all well.
Anderson Robbins, one OF the men,
was drowned shortly after the wreck.
The ship was rapidly filling with water,
and Robbins was swimming for the
reef, but he could not make it aud was
drowned.
"Af,er We had gotten safely ashore
Lieutenant Brainard and seven men
were dispatched in life boat to Old
Providence in order to secure assistance.
Tho City OF Para, which no chartered,
did not reach us until 10 o'clock on the
10TH"
In answer to question put to him by
the Associated Press representative as
to tho cause OF the accident, Admiral
Stanton said: II cannot say anything in
regard 10 the matter OF responsibility
for tho wreck ofthe kearsarge, and can
not express any opinion as TO whether
tho wreck OF the ship was due to care
lessncss or defective instruments or to
10 any one on board tho Kearsarge. l
presume there will be a court Of inquiry
10 investigate into all this, when these
facts will be fully developed"
In answer to question MS to tho posi-
biiity of raising and saving tho kear-
sarge Admiral Stanton said: There is
no possible chance OF saving her. She
was all stove in when she struck the
reef, and when We left her she was
almost full Of water. Even if this were
not the case tho weather is such down
there that it is very difficult to work on
account OF the intense heat and blister.
ing sun,"