Year: 1872

The steamer George Cromwell arrived al this port
at an early hour yesterday morning, bringing from
Key West the captain, officers and passengers OF
the well-known steamer ST. Louis, making IN all
about forty souls, which recently f0undered of
New Orleans while on her passage from that port
to New York. In spite Of the bitter blasts OF the
northern wind considerable number OF relatives
and friends had gathered at pier No. East River
to welcome back to the land Of the living the ship
wrecked mariners. Among the first to descend the
ships side was Captain Whitehead, the late COM
mander Of the Inflated st. Louis, and whose cool
bravery and admirable conduct caused the saving
OF every life entrusted to his care. After the cap
tain followed officers, crew and passengers, who
soon separated to their various destinations. Mr..
Seaman, one Of the owners Of the Cromwell line to
which the lost steamer belonged, after welcoming
the captain and officers back. requested that they
would come to the ONCE Of the company, at SO
West street Seated around q stove, in a snug
ONCE, they told the story OF the vessels founder
ing to Mr.. Seaman. AS a representative harra-
tive the following graphic description from the
captains lips tells the tale OF the loss OF the noble
craft with her valuable cargo. The statement OF
Captain Whitehead was fully confirmed by the frs:
mate, first and assistant engineers and several
others OF the officers.


THE CAPTAINS STATEMENT.


Ileft New Orleans in command OF the 81. Louis
at quarterpast eight O'Clock on Saturday morn
ing, the 7th day OF December. After unmoorIng
from the levee VIC touched on what was supposed
to be the wreck OF the steamer General Grant,
which was burned and sunk some years ago; we
came Of, however, without any apparent damage
and preceded down the river, crossed Southwest
bar and went to sea at twenty-five minutes past
eight p. NJ, with very light wind.


Everything went well until Sunday evening, at
twenty minutes past eight, when the first assistant
engineer In making his usual examination OF the
machinery,


DISCOVERED A LEAK IN THE UPPER COMPARTMENT
near the stern. He found at first his feet were
wet, and then waited few seconds to see IL the
water rose, before making his report to the chief
engineer but it increased with great rapidity and
was Immediately reported to the chief engineer
and myself SO rapidly did the leak gain on us
that on returning Immediately to the compartment
1t was found nearly filed with water, which subse-
quently by It's force broke the adjoining bulkhead
down, so that 1t was also filled with water


THE TERRIBLE PRESSURE OF WATER


also nlled and pushed through the second bulk
head and caused the water to rush into the ire
and engine rooms. The two steam pumps were
started, also the deck pumps for each compart-
leak In the after compartment, and ali being in
first rate repair worked well.


The water @ steadily gained on us az the rate Of
nearly foot an hour and soon put out the fires in
the main boilers, and after this the two donkey
pumps continued 10 work until the water rose to
the donkey boiler, which was on the between
decks The deck pumps were also worked by the
crew until the time when we found it necessary
was s no
were as quiet as they are at the present moment
In this Office The moon shone out gloriously over
our sinking craft, ana every soul tried to do his
best to save the ship. However, by midnight we
had all come to the conclusion that we must soon
forsake her and take to the boats.


MANNING THE FIVE LTFEBoArs.


Meanwhile our I'VE boats were lowered and
towed astern, ready TO be drawn alongside az re.
quired. All the boats were In excellent order and
well found with oars, &C. Eight men were told or
into each boat and water bread, biscuits, cheese,
placed in each accompanied by lamp.


NO attempt was made at crowding the boats,
and as before stated. there was no excitement,
while the discipline, am proud to say, was per-
feet had provided myself with pistol, and
would have shot the first man who had commenced
mine was entirely unnecessary At two O'Clock in
the morning we abandoned the ship, the water
being t above the between decks, and her founder,
ing being then merely question OF time. We laid
BY the sinking steamer till we saw her engulied
in the water, which happened at halpast i've
O'Clock in the morning, Just as the moon went
down. Having rigged up temporary sails in the
five liieboats we set sail for Tortugas. According
my calculations the ST. Louis sank i7o miles
was contained a lady. passenger, Mrs.
Hirsch, OF New York, who had two chill.
two years, who, after we had been out for some
hours, suffered considerably from exposure to the
weather. Inc second boat was commanded Dy the
first mate, the third boat by the chief engineer the
fourth by the second mate and the hltn by the
quartermaster and steward


THE E0ArS WERE ALL WE'LL sTEERED
and Kept close IN company-but, said the captain
interruptlng himseL here is an extract OF the log
which tells It's own story OF life In the boats to
which will only add that the Record formerly
the John II. Rigserson, bore down upon our little
notllla, attracted by the five lamps burning in
each boat, and which presented an unusual sight
In those waters We had found the lamps Of great
use in the dark hours Of the night by signalling to
each other, one wave OF the lamp meaning num-
Der one boat and SO on.


EXTRACTS FROM TUE LOG.


On Monday, having rugged temporary sails, we