The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1952-02-22

carrying IudcnlueTy 1OE Tic DuIAu-
ing of the Madeira and Mamores
Railroad, with stores for the sub
sistance of workmen.
According to the Philadelphia
Times, the long wharf of the Read
ing Railroad at Willow Street
where the departing steamer lay,
was filled with an immense con-
course of people whose numbers
could only be computed by thous-
ands. The majority of them were
Irish men, women and children as
sembled to give long sad good
bye to their husbands, fathers,
brothers and friends who were
about to bury themselves for
eighteen months at least in the
dense and somber forests of the
upper Amazon. The scenes were
such as the quays of Queenstown
and Londonderry witnessed in the
days of a half a century ago when
the stalwart sons of the Green
Isle made fearful and tender fare
wells to their friends and relatives
and embarked on the vessels, which
were then about to convey them to
land much terraincognito to
them at that day as the heart of
the Southern continent is to the
migrants of the Metropolis.
SorrOwful Farewells
Continuing, the Philadelphia
Times said:
"The sorrowful parting of wives
and children brought tears to the
eyes of bystanders unused to the
melting mood. One fine looking
woman, the wife of one of the fore
men, after a dozen passionate
farewells, finally chung to her hus-
band with such intense sorrow
that the latter was compelled to
remain on the wharf. A stalwart
Irishman clasped to his heart
fine manly boy-a motherless boy
of seven years, and begged with
tears in his eyes for permission to
take him along.
"You won't part u.s." the father
entreated. at is impossible for
you to take the boy" replied Mr..
Collins. "Then l can't go, l won't
CO." said the father. The little
fellow knew of the stern want that
was driving his father away to
distant lands to earn the bread so
hard to win here, and the future
man welled up in him as he said,
in spite of the sorrow of the part
ing; "Pop go, and I'll stay with
Uncle Jim. He'll take care lof me"
and the father, now by far the
weaker of the two, sailed away.
"There were on the wharf and on
the steamer, embracing and kiss
ing, tears and cries of sorrow un-
til the steamer cast off her moor
ings and started on her way to sea
and such pressure at the gang
way that sen eral of the passengers
were left behlnd and others taken
away in theiA places.
The police arrangements were
excellent, a detail of fifteen men
under Lieut.. Albright of the Sew
enth District being in charge of
the wharf. So much pleased in
deed, were the Messrs. Collins with
the Lieutenant and his men that
they gave him a complimentary
dinner"
Trouble Soon Started
The vessel set sail from Phila-
delphia at 9 a. M, January 20. At
8 p. m. on the next day the vessel
started a heavy leak in the rudder
case. The Captain, finding they
could not gain on the leak with
pumps, concluded they could light
en- the steamer by throwing over
her cargo of coal and bearing
away for Hampton Roads. At the
cold and fearful midnight hour
the circulating pump gave out. The
passengers were frantic and in
awful terror. At 8 o'clock heavy
sea boarded the vessel, carrying
away the smoke stack, life boats,
engine room doors and the for
ward aloon. A large body of water
below, the ship was completely I'M
manageable. All other hope was
gone other than to drive the vessel
ashore on that rough and inhos-
pitable beach. At 6 o'clock the
steamer reached the beach. The
fires were out, the engine had
stopped and all the sails had been
set to drive her up on the beach.
The surf was very violent. At A
o'clock word has been passed for
all hands to prepare themselves
with the life preservers so doubt
full were they that the vessel
would ever reach land.
The report of James Poland says
that although the ship struck the
beach at GAS, no help was seen
until IL a. M, when a man on
horseback made his appearance on
the beach, waved his hat and
nrOnniSed assistance