The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-11-02

the Weiraipa disaster tell thrilling
stories of the wreck.
Second officer Stark says thick fog
set in. at noon Sunday, obscuring
everything. The course of the steamer
had been laid so she would clear Hen
and Chicken island, when at midnight
she struck on Great Barrier island
The shock of the stranding awakened
the passengers and many of them
rushed from their cabins on deck in
only their night clothing. The sea was
making a clean breach over the after
part of the steamer, and as the af-
frighted passengers came on deck
many of them were carried overheard
before they had a chance to catch hold
of anything to save themselves.
When daylight came, it was found
the steamer had struck at the foot of
a high cliff that doomed several hum
dred feet above the vessel. The eff
forts to get a landing place on the
shelving places of the cliff was most
difficult and dangerous undertaking.
Saw COrpses Floating.
Those on board the steamer could
see, floating in the sea around the
wreck, a large number of corpses. A
large number of persons, by means of
floating wreckage, managed to reach
the end of the rocks. The main and
fore rigging were then filled with pas
sengers, who had gone aloft to es-
cape being swept into the sea by the
huge waves that were coming over the
vessel. About sixty of them were
standing on the cross trees. Others
were hanging with most tenacious grip
to the davlts.
The outlook was very dark, when
an engineer and fireman volunteered to
swim ashore with a, line. They took a
rope and jumped overheard, but had
not gone far when the sea compelled
them to relinquish the line. They then
swan for the locks, which they reach
ed in terribly bruised condition.
Several unsuccessful attempts were
made by others, when finally one of
the stewards said he would try to get
the line ashore. Divesting himself of
nearly all his clothing he boldly sprang
into the foaming sea and made straight
for the rope, that was floating out
ward Grasping it in one hand, he
struck out strongly landward. Again
and again it appeared as though he
had gone down, but then his head
would appear on the crest of a wave,
which would sweep him nearer and
nearer the rocks. His skill as a SWIM
mer stood him well, for he reached the
shore, if shore it could be called, with
the line still in his grasp. The line
was made fast and it was by this
means most of the survivors were
saved
a Young Girls Story.
A young girl, Jane Williams, says she
was in her cabin when the steamer
struck. She heard the thud and aroused
her sister, who was sleeping soundly.
Each Of the girls seized a life belt and
rushed in their night clothes to the
hurricane deck. In the intense darkness
could be seen affrighted passengers
struggling together. The vessel. lifted
and the passengers on the lower side
were swept from the deck Miss Will
Jams said:
Il and my sister climbed up the
steep incline to the railing, to which
we chung with all our strength. We
were repeatedly submerged by the
waves and were nearly drowned The
vessel pounded dreadfully, and l
thought that every, moment she was
going to break up. A large wave struck
me, and L was thrown into the sea- 1
was unable to swim, and [ caught hold
of pieces of wreckage. was buffeted by
eiiS Sed uHCil was driven, Win OlnerS,
clinging to the wreckage, close to the
cliffs. When day began to break the
spectacle was appalling. I was hanging
to a SPAR around which my hair was
twisted. Near by, saw men and wom-
en- torn from the wreckage to which
they were clinging, being drawn back
into the sea by large waves. Finally,
I was the only one alive. l thought
every minute that my time had come.
1 managed to sieZe two life belts. BY
this time it had become light enough
for me to see those being saved from
the wreck by the life line
Her Sister Strangled.
MY sister, while thus attempting to
escape became entangled in the line
and was strangled. After had been in
1.-THE water IL hours, and was almost