Year: 1873

This afternoon report was circulated
that steamer had been wrecked on the
coast and several lives lost 1t was at
first regarded as cruel April fool hoax.
but tonight the Cunard agent here re-
ceived news that it was all true, and only
little of the truth had been told, the
fact being that the White Star steamer
Atlantic, Captain Williams, from Liver
pool for New York, while coming to this
port for coal, struck on Meaghers rock.
near Prospect, twenty-five miles west 81
Halifax, and became total wreck. Or
about one thousand souls on board up
ward of seven hundred were drowned.
Third Officer Brady arrived here to-
night, and says the Atlantic left Liver
pool on March 20, with upward of nine
hundi ed steerage and about fifty cabin
passengers


She experienced rough weather during
the passage, but all went well until noon
on Monday, March 81, when her supply
of coal became exhausted. The captain
determined to put into Halifax. and the
captain and third officer were on deck
until midnight. Her position was then
judged to be Sambro light bearing N. N.
w. thirty nine miles.


The captain went into his chart room,
leaving orders to be called if there was
any change in the ships position. Brady
went to bed about the same time as the
captain.


The next thing he remembers is that
he was thrown out of his bunk, and felt
the ship strike several times. He then
rushed on deck, and found The captain
and officers there, and the deck full of
passengers.


lie got an axe and commenced to clear
away the boats. The captain and other
officers were busy doing the same thing.
Brady got his boat out and pat two wo-
men in it. A number of men attempted
to get into it, and about dozen sue,
ceeded. Just at that moment the steamer
fell over on her beam ends and sank.
Only one boat had been got out and
that was carried down by the steamer,
and all in it lost. Brady scrambled into
the mizzen rigging, which was above the
water, and, seeing he could do nothing
there, went forward and unwove the hal
yards, being assisted by Quarternaster
Speakman and Owen.


He then took the halyards and al
three swan to the rock The line was
hauled ashore and number of passen-
gers landed by it. A number had got
on it, but as the tide was rising. their
situation was no better than on the yes
sci. Just then fishermen on shore came
out in boats and rescued those on the
rock and large number from the rig
ging. Brady remained at the scene until
noon to day, when all who were alive on
board had been saved, except Chief
Officer Mr. Firth, who was in the rigging
ahouting for help.


Brady says he tried to get a crew to
20 to Firth's rescue, but the sea was SC
heavy that nobody would volunteer
At three P. NJ. clergyman, Rev. Mr.
Ancient, succeeded in getting a crew Of
four men. who, together with himself,
rowed out to the wreck. Mr.. Ancient
got into the main rigging and procured a
line, then advanced as far as he could
toward Mr. Firth and threw it to him
When he was got into the boat he was
so exhausted and benumbed that he was
hardly able to do anything for himself,
and but for the clergyman's gallant con
duct, he must have perished soon.-
Altogether about $50 persons were saved,
including Captain William, also Fourth
Officer Brown, the doctor and several of
the engineers and sailors.


Not a single woman or child was
saved. Most of them, as well as hun.
dreds of men, were drowned in their
berths. The ship struck about two A. NJ,
the weather at the time being dark but
not thick, with rough sea.


Steamers are going down tonight to
render what assistance they possibly can.
All the people saved from the wreck,
except Brady. are still at Prospect,
whe-e the fishermen are giving them all
possible attention.


STATEMENT OF A sTEERAGE PASSENGER


A steerage passenger makes the fol
lowing statement: | turned into my
berth about IL o'clock Monday night.
The night was dark, but starlight. and
the weather fine. / knew the ship was
going into Halifax for coal. The last
that remember was that two bells Zone
o'clock struck. 1 then went to sleep,
and I woke up with a shock, and re-
marked to my mate, There goes the
anchor" thought Of course we were
safe in Halifax harbor, but as coon as
she made second plunge I said, "Good
God, she's Ashore" With that we go,
up and dressed. The companion way
was .hronsed with the lower steerage