Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-05-22
are sticking out of the water, and by
a miserable bell buoy, which tolls al
most constantly as though sounding a
death knell.

most constantly as though sounding q
death knell.
When Captain Watkins returned
from his trip ashore he learned that
there was already considerable water
in the hold, and the tugs which had
arrived stood by in rediness for any
emergency. All the passengers were
transferred to the tug Dragon, but be-
yond the clothes they wore, they took
nothing with them They were landed
at Falmouth shortly after O'Clock,
the local agents of the American line
meeting them and providing them with
every care and quartering them at the
various hotels and the sailors home.
When the Paris struck the tide was
within an hour of the food, and this
proved insufficient to raise her off the
rocks. Hundreds of people visited the
scene during the day.
The passengers are
LAVISH IN THEIR PRAISE
of the admirable behavior of the Off
GERS and crew, and declare that it was
due to their possession that no ac-
cident occurred to any one. Perfect
discipline, they say, was maintained
throughout
1t is stated that those in charge of
the Paris were so perfectly confident
that they were pursuing the proper
course that the vessel was steaming
eighteen or nineteen knots an hour
when she struck.
There will be little danger to the
steamer if the long calm continues,
but should the wind veer to the east
or southeast the consequences might
be serious. The tugs left the scene at
about o'clock.
In connection with the accident to
the Paris, it will be of interest to
mariners and travellers to hear that
persistent agitations since the wreck of
the Mohegan has at last induced the
Trinity brethren to act and last week
they promised to erect a gas-lighted,
automatic sound-producing buoy on
the Manacles in place of the useless bell
buoy now there.
Gangs of men on lighters have gone
to the stranded steamer to take off
the belongings of the passengers. 1t
is reported that two forward compart-
ments of the Paris are full of water.
WAS NO CONFUSION.
Among the passengers of the Paris
were many poor female emigrants,
mostly foreigners. All have been safe
ly housed in the sailors home here.
One of the women, describing her
experience, said:
I'VE were much frightened, but
there was no confusion"
Mrs. Batcheler, a sister of United
States Senator Vest, of Missouri, who
embarked at Cherbourg, says the
weather was wet and nasty when they
left port. She retired early, and at
tremendous crash, which at first
seemed to arise from the machinery.
Then everything became so quiet that
she did not leave her berth. Soon
afterward, however, she was aroused by
a steward who urged the passengers to
dress and go on deck Immediately.
Putting on a few things, Mrs. Batch
eler hurried above and found hundreds
of half-dressed passengers there before
her.
The officers were busily engaged in
preparing the boats for launching and
calming the passengers, though there
was comparatively little excitement, as
it was evident the ship was not sink
ing and at daybreak all were treasured
by glimpses of the shore.
Mrs. Batcheler said that some of the
passengers asserted that they heard
Captain Watkins say: 81 am unable to
understand how this happened" There
was no fog when Mrs Batcheler went
on deck, but only misty rain The
worst trouble, she says, arose in
transferring the passengers in small
boats to the tugs. "The officers and
crew." she observed, worked like Tro-
jams in getting the old people and
children off, and they certainly deserve
great praise"
H. w. Southworth one of the pass
engers, an Englishman, says:
THE weather was misty but not
foggy. When the vessel struck most
of the passengers were asleep. She
seemed to rise, then quivered, grated
over the rock and stood still with a
slight list to port. The shock suggest
ed striking derelict or a small vessel,
and the possibility of being on the
rocks, therefore, was not suggested I'M
til the stewards were heard crying,
All hands on deck Captains orders.
Many came on deck in their night
clothing. One man wore his drawers
and his wife's fur cape, but his appear
ance caused so much smiling that his
wife sent him down to dress, which he
did in the music room, to the equal
amusement of all concerned There
was no sign of panic. The soundings
made showed nine fathoms of water
forward and fourteen aft, but the ship
rested on a fat rock, while the rocks
rising on each side held her almost
erect"
Captain G. w. McCallum, of Pitts
burg, says:
Il heard
A TREMENDOUS CRASH.
y