Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-10-20
Per.Is Of the Sea.

|
: The loss of the ship Mohegan, of IL
American Transport Line, on last FIR
! day, has proven source of sadness t
4 several Stauntonians. On the 18th {
!, September, 1897. Mrs. R. s. Turk, viii
of the editor of the SPECTATOR, an,
Miss Glenn Atkinson. of this city, too
passage on the Manitoba of that lin
for London. Capt. r. Griffiths was tn
commander, and they soon made hi
acquaintance and that Of his crew. H
was burly Welchman, weighing abou
two hundred and fifty pounds, If forit
complexion, about so years of age. ant
with an apparently rough exterior. bu
of most kindly disposition, as they soor
learned, and perfect master of hi.
work. He had been on the sea during
his life, and was devoted to it. He
constantly showed his thoughtfulness
OF his passengers by attentions general.
ly unexpected when they came, and
which were not apparently consistent
with the exterior of this sea faring man,
but told that he was diamond in the
rough. These ladies were placed by him
at his own table, and before the ten
day voyage was ended they and he had
become well acquainted, and when
London was reached which was done
In perfect comfort and safety they
parted with regrets. at least upon the
part of the ladies. When Mrs. Turk
returned in April last, she took passage
on the Minnewaska Of the same line,
and what was her surprise and delight
on reaching her chip to find Capt.
Grifaths in command with most of the
crew she had parted with some months
before on the Manitoba On the return
"trip she was most kindly and politely
treated by the captain. He had with
him on this trip his son, a lad of four.
seen, who was visiting for the first time
he United States. This little fellow
became a favorite with all, so hand
'ome polite and gentlemanly was he |
ound to be. The Manitoba and the
were both sold to the gov-l
when the Spanish war began,
md the company bought other ships.
Amongst them was one called the Cleo
atra from the Wilson and Furness-
.eyland Line. This was a new ship
nd the name was changed to the Mo-
cyan. As our dispatches show she
;ruck a rock on last Friday near Lizard
oint. on the coast Of England, and
INK in a few minutes carrying down to
cath 116 persons The gallant Capt.
rifiths was her commander, and after
le greatest act of heroism, and the
wing OF every passenger possible be
aped into the sea, but was dragged
'wn into the vortex made by the sink
g ship, and is numbered among the
lad. The reports OF the action of these
ficers and crew are in striking contrast g
th those of the lost French steamer I
Bourgogne, a few months ago, when a
is claimed the passengers were killed a
the crew that they, the crew, might o
ze their places in the lifeboats. n
The cause of the accident is accounted u
in the following telegram:
London, Oct. 16.-The Mohegan, it is II
W said, has been an Inflated vessel G
I'm the start. 1t is added that she II
rs only bought by the transport COM
ny when their own boats had been p
d to the United States government n
ring the war. She was formerly the h
of the Wilson and Furness- "
yland Line, and was bought direct
m the Hull ship yard. She never m
for the Furness line, and only made t6
e voyage out and home.
This, 1t is asserted, was most unsatis N
tory. and friends of the crew say that re
r engines were defective and that her
lers leaked. She is further alleged to Of
7e arrived at New York in such a &C
EDITION that she was sent home al
PITY, and her return voyage took sew III
! weeks, during which she drifted a p
ole day and night, owing to the trou A
with her engines. For the past two st
ks the steamer has been In dock l.
going repairs, but the managers say
was in perfect condition when she ;,
port on this, her first voyage under -
new name. -
t is asserted however. that in a =.
'nty-four hours trial last week her III
formances were very unsatisfactory, 81
the crew did not wish to 20 on her ue
account Of the previous defect in !"
engines. 1t is surmised here that =.
engines broke down and that the ~
sci, in the rough sea and heavy gale ~ -,
oh. prevailed drifted on the rocks. J"