Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-10-24
ANOTHER OCEAN DISASTER.

The steamship Mohegan of the At
lantic Transport line, was wrecked off
i the southern coast of England Satur-
day night, Oct. Is, few hours after
her departure from Liverpool for this
country. The steamer carried a crew
of Sc men and had passenger list Of
about 60 The latest reports place
the list of lost and dead at over 100.
The night was very stormy one and
the place where the disaster occurred
was one of the most dangerous on the
rocky English coast.
The saloon dinner bell sounded, and
those of the passengers who were
we'll enough went in to eat. The cleo
trio lamps frightened up the dining
room, and soon the merry laughter of
homeward bound Americans and the
pop of the wine bottle was heard.
Stewards darted here and there hand
ing out the good things.
Suddenly the Mohegan struck rocks.
She had been going at full speed and
the shock was awful. She bounded
off the rock and then struck again,
bow on, with almost as much force.
A hole had been knocked in the
bottom and the sea rushed in, driving
the men from their places. The en-
gineers CALAMITY stuck to their duty
and made all effort to find if the dam
age was capable of being repaired or
if the ship must sink. But men were
drowned at their posts down there
among the machinery, and soon all
knew that the ship was doomed.
Capt. Griffith stood on the bridge
and gave the orders to lower the
boats. The greatest GOODNESS pre-
vailed among the officers and men.
AS the sailors swung the davits round
and let the boats down they could
feel the deck settling under their feet
and see. the water rising higher and
higher.
Two boats were launched. In the
first boat the Englishmen, true to the
traditions of British sailors, put the
women. 1t pulled out from the side
and as it did SO many Of the men on
the deck gave it a parting cheer.
While one boat was being launched
rope got jammed. A passenger cut
it with a razor and thus allowed the
boat to reach the water. By this act
several lives were saved.
The crew and the passengers work
ed at the remaining boats. 1t is
thought that half a dozen were launch
ed before the ship sank. Then the
water reached the upper deck and the
ship lurched over and went to the
bottom.
In the struggling mass Of human be-
ings there was little chance of life.
Men and women chung to each other
in despair and went down together.
Powerful swimmers found themselves
wedged in among men and women
crazed by terror and helpless, and
they sank in punches with wild call
upon their maker for aid. The surges
choked and killed them as they pray
ed.
The ships boats with their fright
ened passengers were pulled to the
shore. Lights could be seen cleaning
along the coast, and by these they
steered.
In one boat were twenty two pas
sengers and crew. She labored in the
heavy sea and shipped so much water
she became waterlogged and unman-
ageable. In this condition she began
to drift rapidly upon the rocks, do
whatever those aboard her would to
save her. They pulled fran tically,
but without effect, as there was a
strong current bearing them ON.
Once in the breakers and on the rocks |
every soul would have persisted.
But lifeboats had put out from the |
shore. One of these from Port Hous
sock heard the cries Of the boats peo-
pie, and, coming alongside, took them I
all aboard.
This lifeboat started for the wreck |
as soon as they learned of it. They |
could see no lights. The night was
pitch dark, and no rocks were dis
cernible, but they heard shouting and |
pulled toward the spot from which |
the shouting came.
No steamer was visible, but the life
boat came across an overturned boat |
to whichifour or five men were cling
ing with great difficulty. They were
taken on board the lifeboat.
The crew of the latter then heard |
shouting within the overturned boat.