The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-12
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WEEKLY 2-TIMES-A-WEEK 81 A YEAA
STEAMER P0RTlA WENT DOWN.
WRECK SANK AFTER THE PAssEN-
GERS HAD LEFT HER.

All Were Saved with the Exception
of an Assyrinn Lad Who Could Not
he FOund-NOne of the seventy
Passengers Saved Their Bapgage
and Many Lost Money and Jewels.
steamer Carried over the shoals
within n Few Hours.
Halifax, N. s., July 1.-THE steamer
Portla, which struck on Big Fish shoal,
fifteen miles east of Halifax last night
FIed and sank during The night.
The only victim of the wreck was a 12-
year-old Assyrian lad. known by the name
OF Basha, who was travelling second-class,
from New York to St. Johns, N. T., where
his mother lives.
The others on board the steamer, in
Guiding seventy passengers and a crew OF
thiriy-four officers and men, who were
landed safely at sambro Island, were
cared for there during the night. and will
be brought here to-day
The accident, which happened about
o'clock ., M, and which is believed to
have been due to a dense fog which pre-
vailed at the time, probably ends the ca
reer Of the Porua, which was an iron ves-
sci of 1872 tons Is years Old.
The locality in which she struck is very
dangerous, and even before she went down
it was apparent that she was badly dam
aged. II Is considered probable however.
that attempts will be made 10 reach parts
of her cargo and the baggage OF her pas
sengers
Escape Was Difficult.
The accounts of the wreck which reach
cd here last evening. indicated that The
passengers and crew escaped from the ship
with comparative ease, but later reports
show that the work was not accomplished
Without considerable difficulty.
The steamer had mounted the rocks with
a shock that was felt in every part of her
hull. ana all on board knew Immediately
what had happened. The next momenL
the heavy southwest swell lifted the
steamer and forced her forward A hur-
ried Inspection showed Capt Farrell that
his ship had been broken and was filing
and also that she was in danger OF being
forced across the shoal ana thrown into
deep water beyond.
He ordered the boats to be made ready
at once This was done and the passen-
gers including about thirty women filed
them without confusion, although the dam
gerous swell added peril to the proceed
ing As the passengers took their places
IL was discovered that the Assyrian LAD
was missing. A hasty search Of the ves-
sci was made, but the boy could not be
found. When last seen he was seasick.
ana 1t is thought he had crawled into some
obscure corner 70 lie down, aud thus es-
capped observation when the searchers
tried to find him
Gave Homes and Food.
The shlpwrecked men and women all
were landed on Sambro Island which was
hardly two miles from the place where
the steamer lay They were cared for
there during the night, although the ac-
eommodations were meager The inhabl-
tants Of the island gave up their homes
and their provisions. which were scanty.
The steamers A. G. Whitney and BOYER
We're dispatched from here as soon az
possible after the news Of the accident
reached here bearing food for those at
Sambro. The arrival OF the steamers
early to-day brought great relief to the
shipWrecked men and women as well as
those who live on the island.
AT daybreak those who had come on
the Portia were taken on board the two
steamers from Halifax, and they reached
here this morning.
None of the passengers saved their bag
gage, and number reported that their
money and jewels had been lost
Capt Farrell. who left the Portla last
night TO look after the safe landing OF
the passengers returned TO the scene
a few hours later on Sambro lobster
steamer 1t was found that the Portia
had been carried entirely over the shoal,
and sunk in nine or ten fathoms of water
a short distance on the other side, only
the topmasts being visible above the SUR
face.