Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1894-11-09
WRECK OF THE STEAMER wAIRApA.


AUCKLAND, Nov. l. Additional details
regarding the loss of The Wairapa have
been received from passengers arriving
here. The steamer struck ut midnight
during heavy weather, and when u heavy
sea was running. The passengers were
aroused by the shock and rushed in terror
upon the deck. whore lifebeiis were taken
out and preparations made to lower the
boats. Several boats were capsized while
being lowered. The crew then set 10 work
constructing RATS and ran a line ashore
with great difficulty.
With the aid OF a sort of preectes buoy
they succeeded in rescuing u number of
people. Many pathetic anu heart-rending
scenes were witnessed, especially between
husbands and wives ana parents and chill
dren, but there was no panic. 1t Was with
the greatest difficulty that the boats were
launched as heavy seas were continually
breaking over the vessel, which was soon
partly submerged thus rendering the rescue
more difficult than ever. Life RATS were
cut adriit and by means of them many were
saved. Others chung to improyised RATS
until rescued from shore.
When the passengers rushed on deck
many sought refuge on the bridge OF the
steamship, until the heavy seas swept
number overheard and caused those un.
able to find places in the boats or on the
rats to escape to the rigging, whore they
remained until day break. There is no
doubt that many more passengers would
have been drowned had il not been for the
gallantry of two seamen who swan ashore
with a line, by means of which stout
rope, which was used later in the WORK of
rescue. was hauled ashore.
Nearly all the survivors reached the shore
in the scantiest clothing. Some remained
on the rocks 81 hours, subsisting on oranges
which washed ashore from the wreck
When the disaster became known to the
nj Mt latt,
small boat and succeeded in rescuing a
number OF people. Assistance was finally
obtained from Port F.Izroy and the sur
vlvors OF the Wairapa were brought here.
Il even passengers and % seamen were
drowned.
Thrilling Tales of the Disaster.
Survivors of the disaster tell thrilling
stories of the wreck. Second officer
Stark says thick fog set in on Sun.
day obscurlng 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 pas.
sengers and many OF them rushed from
their cabins on deck in only their night
clothing. The sea was making clean
breach over the after part of the steam
er. and as the frightened passengers
came on deck many o. them were car.
rled overheard. When daylight came
it was found that the steamer had
struck at the foot of high cliff that
doomed several hundred feet above the
vessel. Efforts to get a landing on
shelving places Of the cliff was most
difficult and dangerous undertaking.
n large number of corpses could be
seen floating around the wreck. The
main and fore-rigging was filled with
passengers who had gone up to escape
being swept overheard. The outlook
was dark when the engineer and fire. |
man volunteered to swim ashore with |
q line. They started. but had to give |
up the line aud save themselves. One |
of the stewards grasped the line and |
made for the shore and made 1t fast. |
and by this most of the survivors were
saved.