The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27
TWOTALES OF SHIPWRECK.
THE Loss OF THE EVENING sTiR
AND THE REPUBLIC.

Disasters That Occurred OF Hatteras . Wear
Apart Under similar circumstance RE-
called by n Letter from One OF the Sur
vivors-suneriuEs OF the shipurecked.
Some days ago n correspondent named p.
Mulhearn wrote to.THE SUN to get some infor-
nation in regard to the loss of the coaating
steamship Republic. Mr.. Mulhearn said that
he was q coal pnsser on the steamer at tho time
Of the disaster; that he could not remember the
exact date on which 1t occurred, but that he
thought II was in the month OF October, 1858.
Mr.. Mulhearn hoped that a mention OF the loss
OF the ship would attract sufficient attention
from THE SUNS readers to enable him to learn
whether any OF the other survivors OF the dis
aster were still alive, and where they might DO
found. He said that he was the man that cut
the life raft clear OF tho ship as she was going
down. and upon this float he and seventeen
others lived for four days without food or drink
and were then picked UP by n schooner and
taken to Hilton Head.
These facts wero briefly printed in THE SUN.
Now a correspondent who signs tho name OF
George w. Jobnes writes to say that he thinks
the disaster occurred in 1865, and that the yes.
sci lost was not the Republic, but the Evening
Star. In support OF this supposition he says
that Hiram Barney and William Allen Butler,
having occasion to send 500, 900 in currency to
New Orleans, mailed II to go by tho Republic,
and insured its safe arrival In the usual course
of business, but the Republic, being dorelict
from casualty on the day Of despatch, the
mails were transferred to the Evening STAR"
and SO the policy became void. A claim for tho
amount lost was made before Congress, he
Gays. and tho claim was allowed on the ground
that there was not one person survived the
wreck. not an article of any kind was retrieved;
nl was lost out at sea-
A reporter who undertook to learn IL there
were any survivors of tho wreck still living in
New York, found in u downtown office a gentle
man VIII was purser of the Evening Star at the
time she was lost, and from him obtained the
following account of the disaster:
The Evening Star was a wooden owh
steamer running in what was known as the
Star limo TO New Orleans, although the real
name of the concern was the New York Mail
Steamship Company. On Saturday. Sept. 30,
1866. she sailed from New York, having on
board 2S3 souls all told, of whom about eighty
were members Of tho crew and tho others pas
sengers. Among tho passengers were a variety
theatrical troupe, numbering twelve, and a
French opera troupe from Paris, numbering
ffty-nine. The passengers also included a con-
siderable number of the best known citizens of
New Orleans. who had passed the warm sea-
son in the North and were returning home for
the winter.
The voyage was without event until Monday,
Oct. !. The ship was then of Cape Hatteras
and the usual indications of the coming Of a
cyclone were observed. Such preparations as
were possible were made to meet 1t and had it
been an ordinary storm of the kind encountered
on that coast the Evening Star would have I'M
doubtedly passed through 1t without serious
damage. But this was "a storm destined to be-
come famous In the annals of the coast. The
wind grew steadily heavier during tho next
two days and the sea uglier. BY Wednesday,
Oct. 3, the Evening Star was ABOUT half way be-
tween Cape Hattcras and Matanilla reef, on the
east edge OF the Gulf Stream and 200 miles
off shore. She was lying in the trough of the
sea. Tho waves at frequent intervals were max
ing n clean breach across her and the wheel.
house and most OF the other light woodwork on
the weather port side of her had been carried
away. Worse yet, the prolonged rack and
strain on her timbcrs had opened her seams
and in the carly morning it was seen that she
must go down.
At this. in spite of tho fury of the gale, some
efforts were made to launch the lifeboats, of
which the Evening Star carried six. One on
the weather bow was cleared from the davits,
but,as might have been expected it was smashed
to pieces by the first wave that broke over that
part OF the ship and all who were at work about
her were either crusNed to death under the
debris or swept away and lost. On the leo side
OF the ship and further aft on the weather side
the boats were cast loose from their fastenings
as the peril increased. One OF these on the
weather side was smashed much as the one on
the bow had been. and all efforts to get tho
others into the water on the lee side OF tho ship
were unavailing because of the fearful lurching
OF the steamer. Tho unfortunate people who
had gathered upon her lee deck were therefore
Obliged TO remain there helpless until she sank
Everybody and everything pertaining to the
ship were probably drawn under water by the
may seem, a considerable part OF the ship, such
as cabin walls and bulkheads, broke loose from
the hull and with baggage and furniture rose TO
the surface. bringing along an unknown num-
Der of the people who had gone down with her.
probably fifty and possibly one hundred or more.
Those, ~clinging to anything within reach saw
the ~lifeboats come to the surface with the other
totsam. and by swimming and padding with
1t was a, forlorn hope. The boats were ind ced
built viii, air chambers at each end. which in.
In that sea the waves not only swept in solid
masses over them, but the curling breakers
boats were able with some exceptions % cling
to arI Them nn asd th iSro afternoon ISn Passed and night
night until another day. There were a number
OF women among them.
clinging TO the boat in which the purser found
refuge. She had rolled over at least five times.
but was still floating unin. ured In the midst of
the wrcckagc. The gale had by this time worn
itself out somewhat. and the men set to work to
free their boat from water. There was a valve
In the bottom of the boat and something that
had to be done to this in order to close 1t neces-
stated getting to the bottom of the boat. Ac.
cordingly tho men deliberately turned her bot
tom side, up, a part of them ~clinging meantime
to. wreckpge. As II happened, there was an.
other man in that wreckege who had tioated
there all night, and he, OF course, Joined the
boats crew. Unfortunately one OF the men
who had been in her all night sank while they
were turning her over; and 40 when at last she
was riEhtcd there were still only ten.
Having her now with sound bottom they set
to work TO hail her out. They had one hat and
two boots among them. and with these and
sCooping with their hands they managed at last
to FREQ her. Having the water out OF her, prep.
aratiOns were made 10 spread u sail. The man
who had been adrift alone all night had forlu-
nutely chung to an oar. This was used To keep
the boat end on 10 the wind. Two masts. posi-.
bly, Six. feCL.high, we're made by lashing pieces of
u plank vertically against the thwarts, the
bouts painter being used rs a lashing. For a
sail the men utilized the canvas OF three or
four life prGservers found under tho seats OF
to boat. These were ripped up a d the can
vas spread by means of the wreckege. At this
time the wind was blowing from the northeast
aS nearly AS the men could Judge. and with a