Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-12-26
Passengers Of TurriaIbs,
Wrecked NesTAi|anticcity,
Arrive in New York Cily--Many
Stories ot.TsrribIs Suspense.
Steamer Not Damaged Beyond Re-
pair and May Be Saved.

l
| gers and Is of the crew of the United
Fruit Cos. steamship TuTrialba.
ashore, since yesterday morning, at.
Brigantine shoals, nine miles north of
Atlantic City. N. J., arrived here to-
| night, on board the United States rev.
enue cutter Seneca.
The cutter had stood by the strand
ed vessel. all last night, and, at 8
o'clock, this morning. passengers, part
of the crew and the baggage and mail
were safely transferred, and the Seneca
started ON its Christmas Journey TO
this port. The sea was smooth and the
weather fair. and the passengers ex-
perienced little discomfort. A Christmas
dinner was provided By the officers of
the Seneca.
TT was not as bad as vol, thought It
was" vouchsafed an elderly man az he
stepped first among the rescued pas
sengers from a gangplank Mt an East
river pier, tonight. We had plenty to
oct and drink on board the Turrialba."
Scarcely hundred relatives and
! friends of the passengers were waiting
al the pier, for wireless MESA ges DUR
/, ing the day had brought word that all
on board the stranded steamer were
safe. and that the Seneca was on her
way with the rescued party to the COM
panys pier.
According to reports brought here
the Turrialba lies with propeller dam
aged, sternpost cracked and rudder
missing With good weather the ves-
sci will be saved, it is expected,
though her cargo of bananas may
have to be tossed overheard.
The Seneca arrived at Quarantine,
shortly after dark, and was boarded
there by United States customs OFF,
GERS. Passengers reported that several
hours earlier the Santa Marta, sister
ship of the wrecked Turrialba, out
ward bound, met tile Seneca. The
fruit steamers passengers lined the
rails and cheered the rescued men and
women of the revenue cutter. Accord
ing to stories told By passengers upon
reaching here. tonight, many of them
prepared for death by drowning after
the Turrialba steaming through a
snow storm on her way from Jamaica.
West Indies, to New York, grounded
on the Jersey sands in the early hours
of Yesterday.
I'VE were reconeiled to our fate"
said Police Inspector Edward Hughes.
of this city, returning with his wife
from trip in search of health. I'VE
talked about the Titanic. and we can
now appreciate something of what the
poor passengers on that ill-fated ship
experienced.
Every one prayed when the storm
was at its height, and those men who
had wives, we-well, you can think it
over yourselves young men," he said
to reporters.
II think we struck the sand bar, at
1856 in the morning. The weather was
thick. 1t was showing and the wind
from the northeast.
when the tide fell the breakers
beat against the starboard quarter
and the steamer shook from stem to
stern. Breakers broke over the ship
with increased fury"
Capt. Lindsay ordered wireless mes
sages for help sounded continued In
spector Hughes. "and soon reply came
that the Seneca was on her way Tho
captain kept the passengers informed by
having bulletins posted in the main COM
panionway. There was no semblance OF
disorder. Early in the afternoon a life
saving motor boat, trying to reach the
vessel, was swept by giant wave
against her side. Those on board the
Turrialba pulled the lifeboat on board to
save her from being dashed to pieces by
combers. The women passengers were
sent below when fear was felt that those
i in the rescue craft might be lost"
According to passengers the iifeboats
were lowered, at 8 o'clock yesterday aft
| ernoon, and those on board were pre-
pared to enter them. but the steamer
was heaving so heavily that the passen-
gers were unable to stand. A while later
the Seneca hove in sight and a small
boat with seven men came alongside. Aft
err a conference it was decided not to at
tempt to transfer until the water became
smoother.
The night was passed in comparative
quiet and, early today, the transfer began
with five boats, two from the Seneca, one
from the Turrialba and two from near
by life-saving station. The transhipment
was made without mishap in compara-
lively smooth sea, women and children
going first, the male passengers second,
the government mail sacks next. ana
hand baggage and members Of the crew
last The trip up the coast in the Sem
eca was made without notable Incident
and the Turntables passengers were
landed in time TO eat II they desired a
belated Christmas dinner in New York.