Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-11-15
STEAMER FOUNDERED;
"a PEOPLE DROWNED
City of Monticello Went Down
in the Bay of Fundy.
BY HIGH SEAS
Thrilling Story Told by One of
the Survivors.


Norfolk, But Her Name Was Changed
> when She Received British Register.
Halifax, N. S., Nov. 1.-The worst
marine disaster 10 the long list Of
steamers wrecked among the rocks and
shoals at the entrance to the Bay OF
Fundy occurred yesterday, when the
side wheel steamer City of Monticello,
bound from st. John for Yarmouth,
was overwhelmed by the mountainous
seas only four miles from her destina-
tion, and engulfed with "a of her pas-
sengers and crew. A heavy gale was
raging at the time and there was tre-
mendous sea.
The place where the Monticello struck
is at tine mouth of the bay of Fpndy,
where the waters of the bay join those
and shoals at this spot, and the cur.
heing one Of the most dangerous places
on the coast. The gale kicked up
tremendous sea, and at the time the
vessel struck the waves were beating
upon the rocks, and sending spray for
hundreds of feet over the land.
The Monticello was on her way from
st. John to Yarmouth with full
freight and fairly large passenger list.
just before she foundered an attempt
was made to reach the land 10 small
boat, in charge Of the quartermaster.
1t contained Third Officer Flemming, a
s.ewardess named Smith and three pas
sengers. This boat was smashed by q.
huge comber, the occupants being
hurled high upon the beach at Penn
broke uninj njured.s 1t is believed these
are the only survivors.
One of the passengers in this boat
was Capt. A. N. Smith of the steamer,
Pharsalia. He gave the following state
ment: g}
1.-THE steamer Monticello left st.
John Friday morning. The wind was
blowing heavily at the time, but was
not SO strong as to cause any alarm.
The storm became heavier, however,
and after the steamer had PASSED Pelilo
Passage 1t was feared she was doomed.
"About II O'Clock, when about four
miles off Chegogyin Point, it was de-
cided to send the women ashore in the
boat, and ]. M. Flemmipg, third
! officer; Wilson Cook, acting quarter
master; Nehefhlah Murphy second
officer, and myself volunteered to take
| them ashore The women numbered
three-Elsie Mcdonald, aged 16,
daughter of Alex. Mcdonald of Var
mouth; Kate Smith Of Yarmouth,
stewardess, and colored girl, whose
name l did not know. I.,.
"The women were gotten into the
boat with great difficulty, the volun-
teers following and getting the boat
away. .s
1.-THE wind was blowing on shore at
| ho fif,,n and fhn hna n
rapidly towards the land.
"When the boat got away they were
preparing on board TO launch another.
but do not think it got away. /
think all the rest were lost. The first
boat was rapidly driven ashore near
Pembroke, and in nearing the land a
gigantic wave struck it and threw it
upon the shore, smashing it to atoms.
! found myself on the beach holding on
| to the grass
The City of Monticello was used in
the coastwise service between Halifax,
Yarmouth and st. Johns. She was an
iron side wheel boat of about 1,00C
tons gross and was commanded by
Capt Harding of Yarmouth, where mcst
of her crew of 81 men belonged.
She was formerly called the City oi
Norfolk, and was built at Wilmington,
DEL, in 1866. When she received
British register, her name was changed.
She was valued at s35, 600 and was par
italy insured. The vessel had been re-
built within the last Is years, but was
not regarded as safe imam exceedingly
heavy sea.
The passengers were Capt. A. N.
Smith, Rupert Olive of st John, pursei
Of the Dominion Atlantic steamer
Prince Edward; Asel Eldridge, mer.
chant. of Yarmouth. wife and two chill.
dren; Miss Elsie Macdonald of far
mouth; j. Q. Fiipp of Woodstock, N.
b.. o. W. Coleman of New Glasgow,
N. S., married; John Richmond, mar.
ried, of Sussex, N. b., the three latter
being commercial travellers.
Capt. Thomas Harding, the master OF
the Monticello, who is among tho lost,
leaves widow and one daughter, al
present residing in Yarmouth. He haG
been master of several steamers run,
ming along the Monticello's route fol
the past 10 years. He was master oil
the Express when she was lost at Bsr
Portage in September, 1898.
Practically all of the deck hands anc
the crew belonged along the shore he
tween Yarmouth and Lockport, anc
many of them leave widows and chill
dren.
The Monticello carried crew out o.
proportion to her size, as they handled
all freight themselves, and made fire.
quent calls at intermediate points. both
day and night.
The officers and men on the Monti
cello were: Capt. T. M. Harding, Var
mouth; Fl. d. Newell, first officer,
Sable Island; N. Murphy, seoonc
officer, Yarmouth, N. s. /; James Flem
ing, third officer, Port Clyde, N. s.
b. M. Hilton. purser, Yarmouth
Charles Greig, chief engineer, Halifax
Herbert Poole, second engineer. ant
these firemen, walters and deck hands
Wynne Ringer, Robert Doucette, Jane:
Cole, Samuel Gloucester, Sven John
son, N. G. Hopkins, Miss Kate Smith
Beecher Hopkins, Levy Nickerson,
Austin Wickers, Walter Cunningham
Isaac Van Emburg, Jr., Wilson Cook
Swan johnson, Stanley Wringer, Samuel
Surette, John Whitman, William Dunn,
Robert Nickerson, John Burke, George
Morse.
/ Wants IN he "a Ma priatra