Atlantic (Steamboat), sunk by collision, 20 Aug 1852

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ATLANTIC Steamer, sunk by collision with Propeller OGDENSBURGH, off Long Point. Total loss, boat and cargo, with many lives. Boat valued at $75,000. Cargo, including money and baggage, estimated by the owners and shippers $75,000. Loss of life, variously estimated, from 150 to 300.
Buffalo Morning Express
Dec. 25, 1852 (casualty list)

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S T E A M E R A T L A N T I C S U N K.
O V E R 200 L I V E S L O S T.
( by the O'Reilly Line.)
At 2 o'clock this morning the steamer ATLANTIC came into collision with the propeller OGDENSBURGH, about 6 miles above Long Point. The steamer ran across the bows of the propeller, striking her forward of her wheel on the larboard.
The propeller's engine had been reversed some ten minutes before the collision -- the steamer continued on her course until she had run some 3 miles from the place of contact before her engine was stopped, which was caused by the water extinguishing her fire.
As soon as the damage of the propeller was ascertained and fixed she started for the steamer and found her sinking very fast.
The lake was covered for miles with floating fragments and persons clinging for life.
Every exertion to save the sufferers was resorted to, but we have no doubt a great number were drowned.
The Clerk of the ATLANTIC did not save his trip sheet, and therefore cannot tell how many are lost. He judges there was from 500 to 600 passengers on board. A large portion of whom were emigrants. The propeller picked up and took from the wreck, some over 200. It is impossible to say how many are lost. A man is now gathering the names of those saved.
Further Particulars From The Wreck.
The steamer SULTANA left Erie about noon today, for Cleveland with, it is said, some two hundred persons saved from the wreck of the ATLANTIC. She will reach Cleveland about 5 or 6 o'clock tonight, and it will be impossible to procure the names of those saved until then.
Capt. Petty, Clerk and First mate are known to be saved. Seven of the crew are reported lost. The Steward was not on board, but his assistant was lost.
The Express Messenger was saved. The Company lost all their goods and about $30,000 in specie.
A. W. Bedell, of this city, agent of the Lake Ontario route, is reported lost.
George Dana, head waiter, is also reported lost.
There was a dense fog at the time, which is supposed to be the cause of the disaster. The fog was so dense that the steamer CLEVELAND had to cast anchor.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Friday, August 20, 1852

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M E E T I N G O F T H E S U R V I V O R S
OF THE ILL-FATED ATLANTIC.
Erie, Friday, August 20th.
R E S O L U T I O N S O F C E N S U R E, &C.
This morning we received the following account of a meeting of the survivors, in Erie last evening, by the O'Rielly Western Line.
Erie, August 21, 1852.
A meeting of the survivors on board the ATLANTIC who had come to this place, was held last evening, at which they censured the owners of the ATLANTIC for not having the boat properly supplied with the means of saving life in case of accident. That the life preservers on board were worthless. They speak highly of the Clerk for his exertions to save life, and he was believed to have been the last person that left the wreck.
The steamer OHIO returned last night from the scene of disaster, and reports the ATLANTIC to have disappeared entirely and in deep water.
The following resolutions were passed by our own citizens:
RESOLVED, That the loss of the steamer ATLANTIC on the night of the 20th of August, is a calamity of such overwhelming and heart-rending character, that the voice of an outraged public is inadequate to its expression, and that as citizens of Erie, we desire that the proper authorities would at once proceed to arrest all the officers and men who are to be found within the county who were employed upon the ATLANTIC or the propeller OGDENSBURGH, that the case of the collision may be correctly ascertained.
RESOLVED, That the Prosecuting Attorney of this county be requested to take immediate measures to obtain such evidence as may be desired from the passengers now in town.
RESOLVED, That in our opinion the officers and owners of the steamer ATLANTIC are highly censurable for not providing sufficient means of relief in case of accident, and in overloading the boat with passengers and freight.
RESOLVED, That in our opinion the life preservers attached to the stools on Ward's boats by the late calamity were proved entirely inadequate and totally useless, and that the india-rubber life preservers on that occasion to perform good service, and that the travelling public can place confidence in a well made article.
T H E A P P A L L I N G C A L A M I T Y O N T H E L A K E.
At the present writing we are without authentic intelligence of the extent of this last sacrifice of human life, but the accounts which we have received render it too probable that it equals, if it does not exceed, in fatality, any disaster of the kind that has ever occurred on our western waters. Before we go to press, we shall probably receive as much of the details as it is possible to collect, without the clerks register of passengers, which, it is said, went down with the ill fated boat. It is reported -- and we have no doubt of the fact -- that the fog, on the lake, was very dense at the time of the collision. The fact, however, that the propeller had reversed her engine, is evidence that the steamer was seen by the watch on board of her. This being the case, there seems to be no good reason why the watch on the steam boat should not have seen the propeller, if they were awake and alert, as the importance of the trust committed to them demanded. The circumstance that the steamboat held her course and kept her engine in forward motion -- if that account be true -- proves that the eyes which should have been looking through the fog for objects with which the vessel might come in contact, were probably closed in sleep. But as it is not improbable that these derelict eyes are now closed in death, reflection can be of no avail, save as a caution to others who may be similarly employed.
Whether this great and awful calamity be the result of careless neglect of duty, or not, it now becomes a matter of serious consideration to every citizen, what course is to be adopted to guard against similar catastrophes in future. There have been many devices of life preservers; but none that have been adopted seems to be sufficiently effective to prevent hundreds from drowning, out of a single vessel load of passengers. There was probably not less than a hundred lives destroyed by drowning and burning, when the CLAY was burned. Now we have to record the loss of probably three or four hundred. It the sleeping apartments of steam boats were so constructed that egress from them to the side of the boat could be had immediately, for every passenger, without having to pass through a hall or saloon two hundred feet long, and then go up stairs or down stairs, through narrow passages where hundreds jam themselves together so that the passages are totally blocked up, there would be one great cause of human destruction removed.
There should be a door opening from every state room, to the side of the boat, where persons may leap into the water at any moment, without obstruction. We observe, in many of the large boats, an acquaintance of three or four days is necessary, to become familiar with the means of egress from the eating and sleeping apartments.
We have ourselves, wandered about a boat, in the night, for at least fifteen minutes, before we could find the way to the open deck of the boat from which, alone, one could escape is she were either burning or sinking. Let all the sleeping apartments for passengers be above the freight deck and let every one be provided with means of immediate egress, and half of the danger of the loss of life would be removed.
Again, let every berth be provided with reliable life preservers. Not such as have to be inflated with air before they can be used, for nine-tenths of the people would not know how to inflate them, and three-fourths of the other tenth would be too frightened when there should be real necessity for it, to inflate them, if they knew how ever so well. Those articles of furniture which are so constructed as to have life-preserving qualities, are not where passengers know where to lay their hands on them immediately, in the night; and those stools, with tin boxes within the legs, are of very little use when they are to be found. A person in the water, must have something that he can get upon, and lie upon when he is on, or it will not save him. Those little bobbing things, which turn over and over as fast as they are touched with the hand of the drowning man, would not save one out of twenty. Indeed, good swimmers are more safe without them than they are when the depend on them for safety. The only safe thing to depend on is something which forms a part of a bed on which the passenger sleeps, which he can lay hold on instantly and which he can use without any preparation, ar any buckling or tying round his body. Forming an indispensable part of the bed, it would never be out of the way, and every person would have one or more always at hand, which he could grasp in an instant, in the dark, and throw himself into the water in a second, when it should become necessary to do so, And it should be so constructed that a person can get upon it, in the water, without the least difficulty, and lie on it easily and safely, when he is on. Such an invention has already been made and patented in this city; and the reading public have heard of it, by the name of "Life Preserving Berth Bottoms," but it has not yet been introduced, because the patent was not obtained till after all the passenger vessels which were to run on the lakes, this season, had been fitted out. These Berth-Bottoms are so constructed, that each berth would contain three efficient and ever reliable life preservers, with all the qualities above named.
Let sleeping apartment be arranged according to the hints above given, and let all the berths be provided with those Berth-Bottoms, which add very little or nothing to the expense of the bed, that no man, woman or child need ever be lost by the burning or foundering of a steamboat. These things concern the whole community, and every man should use his influence to induce the introduction of such means as will insure better safety to travellers, or steamboat travel must and will be abandoned, and that shortly.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Saturday, August 21, 1852

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EVIDENCE OF THE OFFICERS OF THE OGDENSBURGH.
An inquest was held this morning before the coroner on the bodies of those who had been taken ashore, when the following evidence was taken:
De Grass McNeil, sworn -- I am First mate of propeller OGDENSBURGH. I commenced my watch at midnight. About half past one saw the steamer. She had a light aloft and two white lights at the center and another signal light in front of the wheel house. When I first saw her she was probably three miles distant. We were steering for the Welland Canal, and I judge from her course that we should pass a half mile south of her, upon nearing her, she appeared to have changed her course, and to be making across our bows. I now ordered our engines stopped. It was about ten minutes before the collision seeing that we were likely to strike together. I ordered the engine to back, and the wheel to be put hard a-starboard. I shouted as hard as I could.
Our whistle was out of order. In about two minutes we struck the bow of our vessel between the forward gang-way and the wheel-house on the larboard side. I did not see or hear any person on board the steamer. When we struck we had nearly stopped. The ATLANTIC was under full headway. After ascertaining that our vessel would not sink we went to her relief, although we did not see any signal of distress or hear her bell ring, but on nearing we heard the cry of persons on board and in the water. We came up to her in an hour. Her lights had disappeared and her bow under water. her stern was in sight, we came alongside and took off all the persons who had remained on her till now. Our boats were engaged in picking up those who were in the water. We afterwards made a circle of a mile in circumference around the wreck, keeping the boats inside the circle and we think we got on board all the living persons in the water and on the steamer. We took probably 200 from the steamer and one hundred from the lake. The ATLANTIC remained in the same position when we left her.
Questioned by a Juror. -- If you had given the order to the man at the wheel five minutes sooner, would the collision have taken place.
Answer -- It probably would not.
The above is all we received up to the hour of going to press.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Saturday, August 21, 1852

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Frightful Collision On Lake Erie.
S T E A M E R A T L A N T I C S U N K.
Over 200 Lives Lost.
FURTHER PARTICULARS FROM THE WRECK.
We yesterday gave all the particulars of this dreadful collision which could be obtained by the several lines of telegraph from this city to Erie and Cleveland, up to the hour of going to press. Since that time several of the passengers, survivors from the wreck of the ill-fated ATLANTIC, have reached our city, from whom we gain the following additional news.
The collision occurred at about twenty minutes to 3 o'clock, on Friday morning, between the steamer ATLANTIC of the Michigan Central Line, bound from this port to Detroit, with about four hundred and fifty passengers, and the propeller OGDENSBURGH from Cleveland, bound for Oswego. They came together about six miles above Long Point and some four miles from shore.
The propeller ran into the steamer, striking her on the larboard bow, and some ten feet forward of the wheel-house, cutting her hull to the water's edge, and the water immediately rushed into the steerage cabin, where were a large number of passengers, mostly Norwegian emigrants.
The engine of the propeller had been reversed before the collision occurred, and as soon as her headway was stopped, she fell off and the steamer passed on, her machinery working all the time during the collision.
It was soon discovered that the steamer was sinking -- the water pouring into the hull so fast as to extinguish the fires before she had proceeded half a mile from the scene of the collision.
Capt. Petty was up when the collision took place and the second mate was on the watch. The propeller was steering in a direction nearly at right angles with that of the steamer, and she was only seen by the officers of the ATLANTIC about a minute before she struck.
The officers, finding that the ATLANTIC was too badly injured to float, immediately set about measures to calm the fears of the passengers, and provide means for their escape from a watery grave. The scene that followed is beyond description. The forward cabin below was occupied by about one hundred and fifty men and women, with their children, all of whom must have perished.
When the propeller struck her, her bow opened and the water rushed in in torrents, filling the cabins in an instant, and causing almost instant death to those who were sleeping there. The cabin passengers were aroused by the concussion, and at once rushed upon the deck in their night clothes, presenting a scene of wild confusion and distress. Parents seeking their children -- husbands their wives -- and friends, each other, amid the most heart-rending cries that came from every part of the boat. There was a large number of Norwegians sleeping on the main deck who could not understand one word that was said by the officers. On being awakened by the collision, they were panic struck and threw themselves, without the least preparation, into the water, where so many of them perished.
The coolness of the officers had a striking effect upon the cabin passengers, and many of them availed themselves of stools which were furnished with life preservers and other articles of furniture, and as the water gradually, ascended to the hurricane deck where they were mostly picked off safe.
In getting out the life-boat, Capt. Petty accidently fell from the hurricane deck injuring him severely.
The life-boat was filled with water, and upon recovery from the stunning effect of the fall, Capt. Petty swam off to the propeller, about half a mile, and requested it to come alongside to take the passengers from the steamer, which it did, taking from the boats of the ATLANTIC all who could be picked up from the lake and those who had remained on the hurricane deck and rigging.
After hailing the propeller, it was supposed that Capt. Petty had drowned, but he was finally picked up, having a small piece of plank in his hand which had sustained him while insensible from the effect of his fall and subsequent exertions. He came down last evening by the State Line Railroad, and is now in charge of physicians in a very low state of body and almost frantic from mental excitement.
The steamer lay in about 25 fathoms of water, and when left by the propeller, her starboard wheel-house was just out of the water. The propeller took the survivors into Erie and a large portion of them were taken on by the SULTANA to Cleveland.
A gentleman, who with the engineer and several others, were the last taken from the wreck, took to the rigging, and had among their company a lad who had become separated from his parents, who acted like a little hero. The little fellow hung on as long as he could until, from exhaustion, he was obliged to tell his companions he must let go. After consultation, it was resolved to hold him by turns, which was done until the life-boat came within hailing distance, when he was taken on board.
Those of the passengers who had life preservers with them, put them on. Among these was Mr. Aaron Sutton of New York city, his wife and little son and daughter. While Mr. Sutton was adjusting the life preserver upon his wife, some person snatched his own, and left him to his personal exertions for safety. Being an expert swimmer, he took his children and jumped into the lake, his wife following. The life preserver buoyed up Mrs. Sutton and Mr. Sutton kept his children afloat until all were rescued.
Capt. Petty, although this is his first season in the command of a steamer, bears the reputation of a thorough going gentleman. He has for two years previous acted in the capacity of first mate of the ATLANTIC, and has always been esteemed a careful, temperate and trustworthy officer. His first mate, Mr. Bludget, as well as the engineer, Mr. Buell, have both long been in the employ of the Messrs. ward, and are experienced officers. We have repeatedly this season heard the officers of the ATLANTIC spoken of by the travelling public in the highest terms and can personally bear testimony to their attention and fidelity to their duties.
The ATLANTIC was built in 1848 and owned by the Messrs. Ward, at a cost of $110,000. She was not insured for a dollar.
Immediately the news reached the city, the steamers NORTHERN INDIANA and LOUISIANA and propeller PRINCETON offered their services to go to the wreck -- the LOUISIANA which was fired up, immediately discharged her load for that purpose. The Company's boat, CLEVELAND, however, arrived from up the lake, and was instantly dispatched to the scene of the calamity. She saw nothing of the wreck on her down trip owing to the prevailing fog.
Captains Dorr and Rounds, of the Board of Underwriters, together with Messrs. Movius and Luce, agents of the M. C. Railroad Line, went out on the CLEVELAND to the west.
The following is a list of the cabin and second class passengers as ticketed from the office here. The names alone are known, without initials, and the places named, are the cities in which the passengers procured their tickets; but it is not certain that in all cases they reside there:
CABIN PASSENGERS.
Names Where from Destination.
Mr. Osborn and child New York Chicago
" Reed do do
" Field and family of three do do
" Frost Boston do
" Calkins Albany do
" Lake do do
" Fairbrother do do
" Bushnell & Brother do do
" Lawrence and family of three Utica do
" Clarki family if 3, 1 child not known do
" Russell do do
Mrs. Cornwall, sister of Elibu Burrett do
Mr. Fisher Canada do
" Shamber York Waukegan
" Britton do do
" Stanley not known Milwaukee
Miss Myers do do
Mr. Horace Carley and sister East Randolph, Vt. Detroit
" Bissell Troy do
" Brown do do
" Le Fever do do
" Kirby do do
" Johnson and wife do do
" White and wife do do
" Crippen do do
" Green do do
" Berch do do
" Montgomery and wife do do
The second class passengers, ticketed at the office were as follows:
FOR CHICAGO: Mr. Hartley and wife, Albany; Toogood and wife, Troy; Mrs. Stevens, residence not known.
FOR MILWAUKEE: Mr. Marshall of Boston; Messrs. Hall, Graves and Colvin, residence not known.
FOR SHEBOYGAN: Mr. Turner, residence not known.
FOR DETROIT: Mr. Worts, wife and two children; Mr. Summerman, Stewart, Bird and wife, Lucas and Hayes.
From Mr. Homan, Michigan central Railroad office, we received information that the following were the number of tickets issued from his office:
Steerage passengers, emigrants . . . . 217
Deck passengers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Second class passengers . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Cabin passengers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Aside from these Mr. Homan thinks there may have been 125 persons on board, including the crew, making about 450, and reducing the probable loss to about 200. This, however, we fear is a little under the mark. The emigrants were Norwegians, who came through by Lake Ontario steamers from Quebec, and about 75 or 80 of them were left on the dock, the agent refusing to suffer them to get on board. They now mourn the loss of their friends. There is reason to hope that many may yet be saved on the life preservers, with which the boat was well furnished. The Clerk had no opportunity to save the books, papers, or money, the water was on the first deck before he could get out of his office. The Express Company Livingston, Fargo & Co., had $30,000 on board. The boat $1,000. John M. Murphy was the Express agent.
The following was the proceedings of a meeting of the passengers on board the propeller OGDENSBURGH, after the collision.
At a meeting of the survivors of the steamer ATLANTIC, held on the propeller OGDENSBURGH, Friday morning, the 20th inst. Hon. David S. Walbridge, of Kalamazoo, Mich., in the chair as secretary. On motion it was Resolved, That the thanks of the meeting be and the are hereby tendered to Capt. Robert Richardson, of the propeller OGDENSBURGH, and to his gallant officers and crew, for their presence of mind and self sacrificing efforts in rescuing us from our late perilous situation from the wreck of the ill-fated ATLANTIC, to whom, under God, we owe our preservation from a watery grave.
The following are the names of the Cabin passengers saved, as far as ascertained, others however, may have been saved:
L. D. Crippen, Cold Water, Mich.; David S. Walbridge, Kalamazoo, Mich.: Richard M. Smith, Penn Yann; Abner C. Ellis, Sandwich, C. W.: A. Reed, Fermington, Ill.; Walter Osborn, Niles, Mich.; E. G. Everett, Greenfield, Mass.: A. Calkins, Belvidere, Ill.; J. L. D. Bissell, Mobile, Ala.; J. J. Browne, Mobile, Ala.; S. V. R. Graves, East Hamburgh; A. Colvin, East Hamburgh; J. Shawler, Clifton, N. Y.; J. Heartley, Lasalle, Ill.; R. White and lady, Orvuille, Vt.; W. J. Hall, Albany, N. Y.; Alfred Clark, not known; G. E. Bushnell, Green Co. N. Y.; Robt. Montgomery, N. Y. city; J. W. Snook. Madison, N. Y.; Mrs. F. H. Harris, Detroit; Wm. Hogan, Detroit; Rev. Sam Haskell, Detroit; J. L. Wright, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Mrs. L. Buckley, Battle Creek, Mich.; John F. Blake, Meriden, Ct.; George R. Givan, Clerke; Miss Myers, Frankfort, N. Y.; Miss Auld, frankfort, N. Y.; Mr. Titus and son, Detroit; Mrs. Cornwell, Chicago; Mrs. Ellis, Chicago; H. J. Wilson, Detroit; AAron Sutton, N. Y.; 2 miss Suttons, Detroit; Masrer Sutton, Detroit; Mr. Kirby, Detroit; S. Haskell, Detroit; Theo. Titus, Detroit; E. H. Titus, Detroit; B. F. Lawrence and wife, Belvidere; J. Paddock and wife, Oakland; W. Bildsall, Grand rapids, Mich.; J. Aylsworth and wife, Ill.; J. Lawrie, Belvidere, Ill.; A. H. GReen, Green Bay; Wm. J. Hull, Albany; J. Stanley, Staisburg; Miss Bunyea, Henrietta; W. E. Goggett, Chicago; Josiah Brock, Wright Brockley, L I; C. L. Peck, Rome; Mr. Brockway, Kenosha; Capt. Turner, Oswego; Emory Cobb, Chicago; Bella Dingwall, Buffalo.

LOST -- Abigale Stanley, 18 years old; Mary J. Scammon, Mil. 12 years.
Most of those landed in the State Line cars at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, in a destitute condition.
The clerk of the SULTANA telegraphed last evening that it would be impossible to get the names of the passengers taken from the pier at Erie.
The steamer CLINTON returned to Erie last night and reported the ATLANTIC down out of sight.
GENEROUS -- We learn that the State Line railroad brought many of the survivors of the disaster to this city yesterday free of charge. The citizens of Erie with their proverbial generosity extended every aid in their power to relieve the destitute condition of the passengers landed there from the wreck.
The several Telegraph offices also tendered the free use of their lines for the transmission of messages from the destitute to their friends.
Mrs. Millar and two other ladies saved from the wreck, ascribe their safety to the prompt and fearless efforts of Mr. L. D. Crippen, of Michigan, in their behalf. Two of the ladies he rescued from the water, and the third was unable to escape from her state room until, at the expense of severe wounds upon his hands and feet, he broke in the window and aided in her escape. Such acts reflect well upon human nature, and help to relieve such a picture as is represented by him who snatched the life preserver from its rightful owner in a moment of peril.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Saturday, August 21, 1852

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MORE PARTICULARS OF THE LOSS OF THE ATLANTIC.
Information was received in town yesterday, that bodies had begun to appear on the surface of the lake. Mr. Ward, the owner of the ATLANTIC, on Saturday night, left a boat, well manned, to reconnoiter the scene of the wreck, and pick up such bodies and property as might be found floating. Yesterday the steamer St. LOUIS with a sail vessel well manned, went to the place where the disaster occurred. The steamer proceeded to Cleveland and the vessel and men to remain in the vicinity of the disaster. Several persons having friends on board the ATLANTIC, who were probably lost, went on the St. LOUIS to recover the bodies and effects, if possible.
Mr. Henry Wells of the Express who also went up to make arrangements to recover the $30,000 lost, which we may sincerely hope may be accomplished.
We should think that Mr. Ward would send a steamer well manned and supplied with small boats, to remain around the wreck for several days, that the bodies and property that may wash up be properly taken possession of and cared for. It is a duty he owes the public and those who have lost friends, to do so under the circumstances.
The steamer CLEVELAND which left here Friday noon, for the scene of the disaster, returned to port on Saturday evening. They were unable to find the wreck of the ill-fated steamer. They however, found some portions of her upper works, stools &c., floating about in the lake. But one trunk, was picked up, and that was marked, "Geo. Fisher, Byron Co., Ill.," which contained some wearing apparel, and seven or eight daguerean likeness.
The second mate of the ATLANTIC on the night of the collision with the propeller OGDENSBURGH the 19th inst. It was my watch on deck, the weather was smoky from the time of leaving. I saw the Long Point light two miles, and think I could have seen a steamer's light one mile. Fifteen minutes after leaving Long Point light which we passed at 2 o'clock, made propeller's light nearly a point on our larboard bow. We were steering S. W. by W. our usual course, when I saw the propeller's light which was very dim, I put the wheel "a port" and kept her off W. S. W. In two minutes after, the propeller struck us twenty feet forward of the wheel on our larboard side. I saw no signal light of red or blue on propeller until after she struck us. Heard the engine bell of the propeller about this time.
As soon as we were struck I gave the order to the wheelsman to steer for shore, which was within four miles. I then ran down on the main deck to see if I could discover the extent of the injury, and returned immediately to the upper deck. Mr. Blodgett, the !st. Mate, was then at the pilot house. I told him she was sinking, and he ordered me to run below and see if she was filling. I then went into the steerage, which is forward and found no water on her floors, but could not get up the hatches to look below. I then returned to the fire hole and saw the water rushing in, in torrents, carrying with it coal, ashes, &c.
I then went to list her with passengers and freight to the starboard, in hopes to relieve the leak, but found it impossible, as she was fast settling forward. I then returned to the hurricane deck, and heard Capt. Pettey give orders to those congregated there to keep quiet. Orders were then given to get the two boats, which were on the hurricane deck ready, and also the working boat. The steamer settled gradually, and I should judge it was all of twenty minutes before the water came up to the hurricane deck. I should think it was at least half an hour after we were struck before the propeller came within hailing distance. Had the propeller, when we first saw her, put her wheel "a port," we should have cleared her.
James Carny.
Below we give a statement of one of the wheelsmen on the ATLANTIC at the time of the collision:
Morris Barry -- was wheelsman on the night of the 20th when run into by the propeller OGDENSBURGH. We passed Long Point light at 2 0'clock on our usual course, S. W. by W. Should think in twenty minutes after, the 2nd. Mate, who was on watch, called my attention to a light on our larboard bow -- should think from one half to one point.. It was two small lights very dim, couldn't tell what it was, but I saw no signal lights supposing it to be a vessel. Had no idea on what course she was sailing. Saw no signal light until after we were struck and the propeller had the second time come up to the steamer to take off the passengers, which was about an hour afterwards. As soon as the light was seen the second mate ordered me to put the helm hard a port, making our course when struck W. S. W. It was probably three minutes after we saw the light before the propeller hit us. She struck us on the larboard bow above the forward gang-way, soon as we were struck the 2nd. mate ordered me to steer for shore, which was I should think, three or four miles off. I remained at the wheel until the engine stopped. Should think it was fifteen or twenty minutes after we were struck before she settled into the water to the hurricane deck. Should think it was all of an hour before the propeller came to pick up those in the water.
The bell of the ATLANTIC was rung as soon as we found she was sinking, and at intervals afterwards by the orders of Capt. Pettey and the first mate. Every exertion was made to signal the propeller to come to our assistance. At the time we were struck there was in the Pilot house with me, a Captain of some vessel on the lake. His name was, as I've since understood, Captain Brigham. I remained on the steamer and was taken off onto the propeller after she came along side with the others who were saved. Should thing there were 150 persons on the wreck taken off at the time I was. I heard the bell of the propeller just as she struck us, but whether it was to back or slow her, couldn't say, Had the propeller put her helm "hard a port," at the time we saw her we should have cleared her, or at all events only rubbed.
Morris Barry.
The schooner De WITT CLINTON from Erie reports having found a large amount of valuable property in the lake belonging to the ATLANTIC.
We are indebted, for the following statement of Mr. A. Calkins, to Mr. C. H. Baldwin, Route Agent on the Buffalo and Erie Railroad. It was handed Mr. B. by the author, for publication:
Statement of Mr. A. Calkins, of Belvidere, Ill., formerly of Geneva, N. Y. -- one of those saved from the wreck of the ATLANTIC.
I was on board the ATLANTIC about 9 o'clock on Thursday morning. I purchased the first ticket sold for the trip for myself, and another for Mrs. Cornwall, a sister of Elihu Burrett, the learned blacksmith, who was under my charge. I left the boat until about 3 P. M., when I returned. At that time there was at least a hundred passengers on board. We took tea at the Western Hotel. About sunset, after I had again returned to the boat, I heard the clerk inform a lady that all the state rooms above were taken. He gave her a side room on the main deck. She was among the lost. There was at this time 200 or more on board. I had expected 100 laborers to come in on the emigrant train, to proceed to Freeport, Ill., to work on the Illinois Central railroad, on which I was interested in a contract. I noticed a large number of emigrants on board, and supposed those were among them. I remarked to Mrs. Cromwall that she had no idea of the number on board. At her suggestion I went with her below. We went a step or two down the stairs, proceeding to the emigrants cabin. It was literally crammed with human beings. We were unable to get further and returned; this was before the evening trains had come from the east. A large number of cabin passengers came from those trains, and I should judge that when we left the dock we had at least 200 first class, and 300 emigrant passengers on board. I retired when about five miles out and soon fell into a quiet slumber. I was awakened by the shock produced by the collision. I occupied No. 3 on the larboard side.
The first I realized the berth above me came down with its occupant, Mr. Laurie, of Belvidere, Ill., and we both went on the next, occupied by a stranger to us, who, I suppose, was lost, as I have not seen him since. I next heard an awful scream from a hundred voices, which now rings in my ears almost as vividly as then. I perceived that the outside of my berth was carried entirely away, and why I din not fall out into the water I cannot tell. I now extricated myself and those around me from the rubbish.
The water had now risen over my feet on the upper deck, and a cry arose that the vessel was sinking. I endeavored to put on my pantaloons and partially succeeded. We now started for we scarcely knew where, and I was carried by the crowd overboard. I sank with numbers clinging to me, perhaps 16 feet. I could not swim. At this instance I caught hold of a rope by means of which I regained the wreck. I next made my way under the water to the mast of the steamer. I was next pushed from the mast; there were numbers clinging to it. I now caught hold of another rope, but soon pulled, by at lease four persons clinging to my legs from my hold. The marks of the grasps of those poor wretched beings are still upon my ankles. At this instance I saw the clerk clinging to a rope. At my request he kindly offered me his hand, and succeeded in gaining his position. Four persons were hold of my legs. The vessel now sank very fast. We clambered up the rope, and as I did so, those hold of my legs relaxed their hold and sank. At this time I had the satisfaction of reaching out my hand and rescuing a fellow sufferer, who was almost gone with exhaustion. At this time the clerk assured us that a vessel was coming to our relief. He continued to encourage and cheer those about him until we were rescued. He assisted me into a boat, and I was informed that he was the last man who left the wreck. The bell of the steamer was not rung after the collision nor was the engine stopped until the fires were put out. I heard no orders from any one. I thing about forty or fifty cabin and one hundred steerage passengers were rescued by the propeller. The stool life preservers proved entirely worthless, but I think all who had the India Rubber ones were saved.
Almon Calkins.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Monday, August 23, 1852

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Steamer SULTANA, Aug., 20 -- 1 P. M.
At a meeting of passengers surviving the wreck of the ill-fated steamer ATLANTIC, which in consequence of a collision with the steam propeller OGDENSBURGH, sink on the night of the 19th inst., Mr. Aaron Sutton, of New York, was called to the chair, and Mr. J. Taylor Wright, of Brooklyn, was chosen Secretary. The following Resolutions were then read and unanimously adopted:
RESOLVED, That our sincere thanks are due to Capt. R. Richardson, officers and crew of the propeller OGDENSBURGH, for their prompt assistance in rescuing us from a watery grave, and also for their kind attention to our wants while on board their boat.
RESOLVED, That we feel gratitude, and are desirous of expressing our warmest thanks to Capts. G. W. Appleby, of the steamer SULTANA, for his kindness in taking us from the propeller, and forwarding us to the port of our destination, and also to express our gratitude for the many attentions of himself, officers, and crew, in administering to our wants and necessities during our passage to Detroit.
RESOLVED, That we feel deeply indebted and grateful to the passengers on board the steamer SULTANA, for their self-sacrificing exertions to render every assistance in their power to make us comfortable, in providing dry clothing and such articles of comfort as was at their command.
RESOLVED, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to Captain Richardson, of the OGDENSBURGH, and also to present a copy of the same to Captain Appleby, of the SULTANA.
Aaron Sutton, Chairman. J. Taylor Wright, Secretary.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Monday, August 23, 1852

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STATEMENT OF PASSENGERS.
We give below a statement of the facts connected with the loss of the steamer ATLANTIC, from the passengers. It will be seen that they condemn, in strong terms, the conduct of the Captain and his crew, with the exception of Mr. Givon. It is due to the public that a thorough investigation should be made.
We, a portion of the survivors of the unfortunate steamer ATLANTIC, conveyed to our destination by the kindly liberality of Gen. Charles M. Reed, of Erie, who offered us passage upon the KEY STONE STATE, Capt. Stone commanding, which gentlemanly officer received us with the warmth and sympathy of a true heart; believing it to be a duty which we owe to the public, to present to them the facts, which came under our observation, take the opportunity afforded by your columns, in giving our opinion of the cause and subsequent events connected with this disastrous calamity, knowing that many conflicting statements that have been and will be made, we, the undersigned, after a careful examination of each other's views, solemnly declare the following statement to be correct, to the best of our belief:---
At the time of our collision with the propeller OGDENSBURGH, we were all in our state rooms, and awaking, rushed out into the cabin, where all was soon in a dreadful confusion, by light having been put out by the cabin boys, and the cry of "fire," and "we are sinking," screams of women and children making the scene too heart-rending to describe ! A large portion of us remained in our berths some moments after the collision, although wakened by the shock, yet hearing the engine still in motion, and no bells being rung, or other instructions being given whereby we might have been apprized of the calamity, and the awful struggle in which we were so soon to be precipitated.
The total incapacity displayed by the officers of the steamer to direct any method for the preservation of the lives of those placed under their care shows too clearly their unfitness for the positions they occupied; suffering the hands to seize the boats and capsizing the life boat that was launched first by the Captain's own hands, rendered useless by the want of coolness and presence of mind. Thus by the incapacity of men holding the position that these individuals occupied, who it was expected would be equal to any emergency, hundreds were hurried in a moment into eternity. In speaking of the officers of the boat it is with pleasure that we make an exception of Mr. Givon, the Clerk of the boat, who, cool and collected, remained upon the wreck and was the last man to leave it. To his noble exertions in their behalf several are indebted for their preservation from a watery grave.
The boats were of no benefit. The first was capsized by the Captain in lowering it into the water, a portion of the crew seized the other two and amidst the piercing and agonizing cries of the sufferers, who saw their last hopes cut off, left the sinking steamer to her fate. The night was starlight and the lights of the propeller could be distinguished some two miles off; which afforded a faint hope to the few that yet remained huddled together upon the stern of the hurricane deck. The passengers were divided into two groups. The one astern mostly cabin passengers. A large portion of the emigrants were forward, and were thus drowned in a body, as the bow of the steamer sank beneath the yawning waves. The boat filled rapidly -- but about twenty or thirty feet of the hurricane deck remained above the water to support the surviving few. Had she then sunk, as probably would have been the case in a hundred instances of the kind, some fifteen or twenty alone would have been left to tell the tale of the dreadful catastrophe.
We would call the attention of the public, particularly to the fancied security which was offered to the passengers by the so called Life Preservers -- stools with a tin pan under the seat -- which unto many who trusted them for preservation proved Life Destroyers.
We can not speak out our indignation at the owners of the Boat, who thus would wantonly tamper with human life. It was bad enough at least for helpless persons to be forced into the waves in the hours of darkness, even if they were assured of safety by having a life preserver in their possession; but to this foolish contrivance many resorted, thereby neglecting to secure floating material that would have supported them.
We call it nothing but deliberate manslaughter for any man to suffer such useless things to be put upon a boat merely for the purpose of giving a fancied security to the passengers.
Had Mr. Ward taken five hundred dollars from the gilding of the cabin, and purchased
loose plank, which could have peen piled upon the deck, or life preservers that would have been of some use, he would not have the deaths of over two hundred persons weighing upon his soul. There can be no apologies offered for the neglect; and had it not been for the kind and ever-watching Providence of God, who held us all in the hollow of his hand, we should now be in eternity.
Had the engine of the ATLANTIC been stopped, as it should have been, there would have been but a few lost; but such was not the case, as we must have gone some two or three miles from the propeller before we stopped. We understand the propeller had reversed her engine, which helped to widen the distance. To the decision of the Captain of the propeller we owe our lives, who, although his own boat was leaking badly, immediately returned to our assistance. As the ATLANTIC did not stop he supposed she had received no injury. He acted like a man and a true sailor, and we feel that to his coolness and decision we owe our lives.
We suppose that there was rising of two hundred persons on the boat; and about one hundred of whom got on board the steamer SULTANA. Our number making the balance of those saved were thrown upon the kind hospitality of the citizens of Erie, to whom we feel under boundless obligations. Their homes and purses were tendered us, and no attentions were spared to contribute relief to our distressed condition. We must mention the names of Gen. Charles M. Reed; James H, Taylor of Buffalo; Mr. Lowry; Mr. Wright; Dr. Wood of the Navy; Rufus Reed; the families of Mr. Henrod, Capt. Young, Lieut. Dove; Masy. Bates; Wm. H. Treadway and James H. Taylor, to Messrs. Brown & Reeds Hotel, all of whom and numbers of others, threw open their doors ready to befriend us, only waiting opportunities. Mr. Warren supplied the whole community with hats from his store; and every one who came to see us, brought a bundle of such necessaries as they supposed we would be in need of, and they came as fast as horses and carriages could bring them.
John Lawrie, Belvidere, Ill. Robert Montgomery, New York.
Horace N. Carley, Detroit. John Aylsworth, Lasalle, Ill.
B, F. Lawrence, Belvidere, Ill. Almon Calkins, Belvidere, Ill.
Theodore Titus, Detroit S. D. Clark, Freeport, Ill.
E. H. Titus, Jacksonville, Florida Anna Heald, Frankfort, New York
Mrs. S. C. Clark, Freport, Ill. Miss Lucinda D. Myers, Frankfort, Ill.
Miss Elizabeth Montgomery, N. Y. Miss Jane Carley, Detroit, Mich.
Mrs. A. Aylsworth, Lasalle, Ill. Mr. J. Hall, Albany
Miss Sarah M. Clark, Freeport, Ill. C, H. Green, Green Bay, Wis.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Wednesday, August 25, 1852

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THE "ATLANTIC" DISASTER.
We have hitherto refrained from expressing any opinion as to which of the vessels were by the right, or in the wrong, in that collision; nor will we, until fuller and more reliable statements are made, or until evidence, sworn to, is laid before the public. But the culpable indifference shown by the owners of the ATLANTIC with regard to the recovery of the bodies of those who were lost on the late terrible collision, demand the censure of every citizen.
All the proprietors appear to care about, is the loss of the steamer -- the best means of supplying her place, and how she can be recovered. The feelings of friends and relatives have no weight with, or at least, they are treated by them as nothing.
The fatal catastrophe was known here at an early hour on Friday morning, and a boat should have been immediately despatched to the scene of the disaster. Many of the passengers had large quantities of money on their persons, and when they are washed ashore, they will be stripped, robbed and buried, and all means of identifying them will be lost or made away with. The first south wind which blows will wash a large number of bodies ashore, when it will be impossible to prevent their violation. Instead of being done, we were informed on Saturday by persons who had lost relatives, that they had begged of Mr. Ward to send a vessel out to recover those bodies that might drift ashore, and they not only received no encouragement, but were growled at.
Friday and Saturday passed away, and it was not until Sunday night that the friends of those who were lost were told that they might take passage on the superannuated old boat, the St. LOUIS, which steamer would leave them on the Canada shore, in the vicinity of the wreck, but with no house or other shelter within twenty miles.
The St, LOUIS left on Sunday evening, but being too old and frail to stand a breeze, was compelled to put into Cleveland without going to the Canada shore, and those who had gone out in search of their friends returned to this city by stage, last night, having come down the Lake Shore Road. They left last night in the KALOOLAH for the Canada shore.
We shall have more to say in relation to this matter tomorrow.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Thursday, August 26, 1852

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Mors. Mailerert and Mr. Sears arrived in town yesterday on their way to the ATLANTIC, which boat they will undertake to raise. They come at the instance of Messrs. Livingston, Fargo & Co. The party left yesterday for the scene of the disaster. Mr. Wells is on the ground since Tuesday morning. He writes that neither bodies or property have yet arisen to the surface.
The Cleveland True Democrat, of yesterday morning says the wreck of the ATLANTIC has been found in one hundred and sixty feet of water.
Buffalo daily Republic
Thursday, August 26, 1852

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DISTRESSED EMIGRANTS. -- The Cleveland, Chicago and Milwaukee papers speak of the distress of the foreign emigrants, saved from the ATLANTIC, as being severe in the extreme, having lost everything they possessed by the disaster. The Daily Winsonsin says the benevolent citizens of Milwaukee have been successfully appealed to, and liberal sums of money and clothing are expected to be raised for them.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Saturday, August 28, 1852

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THE WRECK OF THE ATLANTIC. -- Mr. A. T. Patchin, mail agent, of this city, who has just returned from the place where the ATLANTIC went down, gives us the following items of intelligence:
The wreck lies four miles above Long Point, and three miles from lake shore. She is in twenty-seven and a half fathoms of water; her upper deck being twenty-one and a half fathome below the surface. A small schooner is moored over her, with signal lights at her mast-head. When she went down, all the northern Michigan mail was on board and went down with her. Mr. Patchin has been to see what prospect there is of recovering these mails, but returns with no hope of success, unless the wreck is raised.
Mr. Mailefert, of Hell-gate-rock-destroying notority, has visited the wreck, or the point where it lies, and believes it praticable to raise her. He has returned east for his sub-marine aparatus, to raise the safe of the American Express Company.
Mr. Patchin further informs us that a number of piratical cruisers, from Buffalo and other places, are prowling in the vicinity, supposed to be watching for opportunities to plunder the dead as they rise to the surface. But four bodies have yet been recovered, since the day of the disaster.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Monday, August 30, 1852

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STEAMER ATLANTIC. -- Captain Ward published the following card in the Detroit Free Press, of yesterday morning, which ought to set the "stool difficulty" at rest. It was in reply to a communication from a gentleman, who was on board of the ATLANTIC, condemning them:
Dear Sir -- If the "tin-bottomed stools," or what are called "Ward's Life Preservers," are really valuable, it is very important that the public should know it. They were very thoroughly experimented on, and their efficiency proved by about twenty boys and men yesterday in the presence of a large number of spectators, in front of the railroad depot. They jumped into the water with them and floated off without the slightest effort and remained in the river as long as they chose. But Mr. Ellette H. Titus, who says he is a good swimmer, found them at the sinking of the ATLANTIC, "worse than useless," mere "traps." Now I propose to bet Mr. Titus or any other man one hundred or five hundred dollars that one man shall have his feet tied together, and also his hands tied, and jump into the river with one of these stools and remain there half an hour without any other assistance. I also will bet $100 or $500 that two men shall each have his feet tied together, and the two shall jump into the river, with one stool between them and remain in the water half an hour, or as much longer as is necessary to convince any reasonable man of the efficiency of this life preserver. ------ E. B. Ward.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Friday, September 3, 1852

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Mr. Wells, of the American Express Company, yesterday morning, despatched the steamer FOX to Long Point, provided with diving bells, marine armor and apparatus for descending to the wreck of the ATLANTIC, and recovering the safe containing the money belonging to the company. Arrangements are also to be made for raising the boat, and the whole affair is to be under the immediate superintendence of Mons. Mallefert, of New York.
ALSO
The steamer ATLANTIC as she now lies in twenty-five fathoms of water, with her appurcenances, furniture, etc., was offered for sale this morning in the retunda of the Merchant's Exchange. She was put up at $10,000, and there being no bids above that sum, she was not sold.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Tuesday, September 7, 1852

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THE STEAMER ATLANTIC. -- Mons. Mailefert made an experimental trip to the wreck of the ill-fated ATLANTIC with the steamer FOX. Mr. John Green, a diver of Silver Creek, went down to the depth of 105 and found himself entirely comfortable at that depth -- but the pressure upon the hose was such as to give cause to fear its bursting, and he was drawn up. A sufficient amount of hose is now being prepared to withstand the pressure, and a further will be made today, should the weather prove favorable. We understand Mons. Mailefert is confident of success in not only being able to recover the safe, but also to raise the vessel.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Monday, September 13, 1852

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M. Mailefert and his companions returned from Long Point last evening, after a second successful attempt to reach the wreck of the ATLANTIC, although from unavoidable circumstances nothing has yet been accomplished towards raising the Express Company's safe or commencing operations upon the wreck. We have been furnished by Mr. John Green, the diver, with a very interesting account of his decent. Notwithstanding the somewhat unfavorable condition of the weather and the roughness of the water, it was determined to make an attempt to reach the wreck on Saturday morning, in order to test the capacity of the new hose. Mr. Green therefore arrayed himself in the marine armor and started on his second trip to the bottom of Lake Erie. He descended without any difficulty and landed directly in the interior of the steamer's smoke-pipe, the top and sides of which he felt with his feet and hands. He was then elevated again some little distance, and alighted the second time on the braces, following down until he got onto the cross-braces. He did not however succeed in making a firm footing on the deck, owing to the unsteadiness of the small steamer used upon the occasion, which communicated too much motion to the hose and ropes. There was much risk of the intrepid diver getting entangled in the ropes and wood-work so as to be unable to extricate himself or to tear the dress, and being again elevated, he descended a third time along side and clear of the wreck. He now went down fourteen feet below the upper deck and even with the guards. His head being "one hundred and thirty-nine feet below the surface of Lake Erie. This is the deepest dive ever made, one hundred and twenty-six feet being the greatest depth ever before reached. The new hose was found to be perfectly successful; the diver felt quite at ease and went down and up without the slightest injury to dress, pipes or man.
The marine armor consists of a perfectly air-tight India rubber dress, topped by a copper helmet with a clear, thick plate of glass in front. The pipes which supply and exhaust the air, lead from the top of this helmet. The pumping requires much labor; four, and sometimes six men being employed upon it at the same time, and compeller to work hard at that. A great pressure of air is experienced by the diver upon his lungs, equal to 75 lbs. to the inch, and very few individuals could bear it for any length of time. When first going into the dress the sensation of oppression is very overcoming, but passes away in a great measure after entering the water. When a depth of ten feet in reached in the descent, the dress becoming entirely emptied of air and collapsed to the body, causing a pressure all over the diver equal to the heft of a ten pound weight, excepting as to the head, which is protected by the copper helmet. The difficult in breathing now becomes great, and a painful sensation is experienced by the diver, the jaws becoming distended, and the head seemingly splitting. This continues until after descending another ten or twelve feet, when the pain is relieved, the diver feels comfortable, and experiences no further inconvenience. When about sixty feet below the surface, hundreds of legitimate inhabitants of the water surround the diver, nibbling at their strange visitor as though he were "food for the fishes." After reaching seventy-five feet, all is perfectly dark - a black, impenetrable darkness -- and an electric flame plays around the inside of the helmet, caused by the friction of the pump. At about one hundred and sixty feet the water is very cold being in the present season within four or five degrees of freezing.
M. Mailefert has returned in order to obtain a larger steamer and to wait for settled and calm weather before making another attempt. He has not the slightest doubt that the next effort will be crowned with success. Mr. Green, the diver, has proved himself capable of doing the work effectually, and must rank as one of the first and most useful "under water" men in the country. two excellent divers beside Mr. Green are in company with M. Mailefert. We shall look with much interest for the result of the next trial, but that it will be successful we have no doubt. --- Com.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Tuesday, September 21, 1852

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The Buffalo Commercial says that the American Express Company have contracted with Albert D. Bishop, of the city of Brooklyn, to raise the stm. ATLANTIC and bring her into drydock within 3 months from the opening of navigation in the spring. Mr. Bishop is the patentee of the Boom Derrick, and is, we understand, at present constructing one of large dimensions in Buffalo, and which will be made to raise the ATLANTIC. The Express Company agrees to pay Mr. Bishop the sum of $25,000 on the safe delivery of the ATLANTIC her cargo and the furniture at the drydock, Buffalo. The Company have already spent between $3,000 and $4,000 in finding the steamer and experimenting with a view of securing the chest, and having become satisfied that it cannot be recovered without the raising of the steamer, have been induced to enter into the above contract.
Detroit Daily Advertiser
November 12, 1852 2 - 2
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HEAVY DAMAGES CLAIMED. -- On the 27th of October, says the Cleveland Plain Dealer, an attachment was issued from the district court of Ohio in the name of Eber B. Ward, Samuel Ward and Stephen Clement, owners of the steamer ATLANTIC, against the propeller OGDENSBURGH, John H. Crawford and Philo Chamberlain, owners thereof, and all the appurtenances of the vessel together with all other personal property of the said owners.
$100,000 damages are claimed for the loss of the ATLANTIC.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Monday, November 22, 1852

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A moveable boom derrick of huge dimensions, is being constructed by Mr. Bishop, on the Creek, and is nearly completed. It is with this machine that Mr. Bishop proposes to raise the stm. ATLANTIC. Mr. B. entered into a contract last fall with the Express Company, to raise the ATLANTIC, and an attempt will shortly be made so soon as the apparatus for the work is completed.
Buffalo Morning Express
June 14, 1853
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The stm. BALTIC left Buffalo on Monday morning for the wreck of the stm. ATLANTIC having in tow the Derrick recently erected by Mr. Bishop. Mr. Bishop is said to be confident of success in his undertaking.
Detroit Free Press
August 24, 1853
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As everything connected with the attempted raising of this steamer is of interest to a large portion of our citizens, we give the following account of the proceedings thus far, which we take from the Buffalo Rough Notes of Tuesday by whom it was obtained from a person engaged at work on the derrick: "The boat employed in the work left Buffalo on Monday morning, August 22d. When they arrived in the vicinity of the wreck, the wind had increased so much that they found it necessary to go under Long Pt., where they arrived at 7:00 P.M.
The next morning they endeavored again to go to the wreck, but, the wind still being too high, they went into the Cut above Long Pt., where they remained until Tuesday morning. They then proceeded to the wreck, and got to work at noon, from which time till 3:00 A.M. of Friday, they were busy in making fast to the stern of the ATLANTIC. From this time till dusk at night, they were actively engaged in the endeavor to get chains under the bow of the boat, which they were unable to do in consequence of its being deeply imbedded in the sand. The wind freshening again, they were compelled to put under the Point once more, leaving the chains on the bottom connected by ropes with buoys at the top, which would enable them to take up the chains and make fast to them at any time. Proceeding again to the spot on Sunday morning they found all the buoys swept away and hence their labor thus far was fruitless. They came on immediately to Buffalo to procure a new supply of chains, &c., which they secured on Monday, and on that night proceeded again to the scene of their labors.
Detroit Free Press
September 1, 1853

The latest news from the ATLANTIC is that the workmen had succeeded in passing the new chains under the wreck, but as yet they have made no progress in raising it. The chains have become entangled, and very little headway can be made at present. It is thought another steamer will be required to assist the BALTIC in the operation.
Buffalo Morning Express
September 7, 1853

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THE WRECKS OF THE STEAMER ATLANTIC AND ERIE. -- We learn from Mr. John Green, the celebrated direr, that he, in company with Messrs. Wells & Gowen, of Boston, submarine contractors, will commence operations in a week or two, to raise the wreck of the steamer ERIE
Mr. Green has recently visited Boston and consulted with Messrs. Wells & Gowen in relation to operations, which they intend carrying on during the coming summer on Lake Erie, and has received from them armour and machinery requisite to do the work. He has spent most of the past week at the wreck, and has now a vessel with several men on board stationed over the ERIE, guarding it and to prevent other parties from taking possession of it. Mr. Green left this city last evening, for the purpose of placing additional buoys and of "hitching "chains and cables to the wreck.
Mr.Green is an indefatigability, industrious and persevering man, and we have every confidence in his success. All he has hitherto required to prosecute his labors successfully, was "material aid," and we are pleased to learn that he has received the needful from his Boston associates, and we have every reason to believe that with the aid and under the direction and assistance of these gentlemen, he will not only raise the ERIE, but also the steamer ATLANTIC. Mr. Green has been busily engaged for some time past in constructing a derrick, somewhat similar to Bishop's, but more in accordance with the plan of the Boston firm, which, we learn, is now nearly completed.
From a letter received yesterday, by Mr. Green, from Messrs. Wells & Gowen, we learn that one of these gentlemen will be here in a few days to aid in the work. They have at present several large contracts on their hands; among which we might note one to recover the cargo and machinery the steamer HUMBOLDT, wrecked near Halifax, and also to save the cargo of the ship STAFFORDSHIRE. We also learn from this letter that these gentlemen intend attempting to raise the steamer ATLANTIC and several vessels, now lying at the bottom of the lakes; also, in fishing up some of the numerous locomotives that have been lost overboard, during gales within the past year or two. We are informed that several parties have in comtemplation operations on the wrecks of the ERIE and ATLANTIC during the present spring, but Mr. Green and his associates are the first at work, and we trust that their labors may prove successful.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Tuesday, April 25, 1854

Mr. Isaac Coffin, the capable and driving agent of Wells & Gowan, says the Buffalo Democracy, of the 25th, having got through with the wreck of the ERIE, started on Friday for the wreck of the ATLANTIC, with the purpose of bringing up the safe of the American Express Co., sunk with the ill-fated craft. Mr. Coffin takes with him a couple of experienced and courageous divers, and if the weather does not prevent, that safe is safe there no longer.
Cleveland Leader
September 27, 1854 2 - 2

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WRECK OF THE ATLANTIC. -- Green, the diver, has been down to the wreck of the ATLANTIC -- found himself upon the wheel house, felt his way to the state room in the after part of the boat, and attached a line to the window of the same. This room is supposed to contain the safe of the American Express Company. He remained under water forty minutes, and brought up with him pieces of the wreck, some of which were brought down by the PLYMOUTH ROCK on her last trip. He only waits for warm weather for another trial, and entertains no doubt of his success in obtaining the iron safe of the Company, and with it the treasure. The samples of wood from the wreck are so water soaked as to sink at once when put in water.
Buffalo daily Republic
Thursday, August 30, 1855

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The steamer PLOUGHBOY brought to this port this morning the intrepid diver Green, whom she picked up in a disabled condition near the wreck of the ATLANTIC. Mr. Green had been down to the wreck, and had found the chest containing the treasure, but his legs became paralyzed in consequence of the pressure of the water, in which condition he was brought here. He is wholly unable to use his lower extremities at present, but we understand may be expected to recover in a short time.
P. S. -- We have since learned that Mr. Green attributes the accident to his having gone into the water in a heated state and covered with perspiration. He had been down in the morning for a long time without experiencing any injury. He is rapidly recovering the use of his limbs and will soon be able to resume his duties.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Friday, August 31, 1855

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The New Haven Journal contains an interesting letter from Port Dover, C. W., relating the discovery by Green, the celebrated diver, of the ill-fated ATLANTIC's treasure chest, from which we extract the following:
You no doubt have heard of the many unsuccessful attempts to obtain the money chest lost with the steamship ATLANTIC, three years ago -- said to contain $60,000. The statute, I believe, limits the claim of ownership of property thus lost to three years. In this case the time limit expired on the 20th inst., and Green, the celebrated submarine diver, reached here on the 21st, in the canal boat schooner YORKTOWN, Capt. Patterson, on his way to the wreck, 25 miles distant. They returned yesterday, and being well acquainted with Capt. Patterson, I obtained the following account from him: " About 10 o'clock (says Capt. P.) on the 24th, all being ready, Green descended by means of a line, which having a grapple on the end, became attached to something below. He was dressed with three pair of flannel drawers, three shirts, also flannel, three pair of woolen pants, three coats, and three pair of woolen stockings, surmounted by his submarine armor; on his feet he had a pair of stodgy shoes, with a lead sole 1/2 or 5/8 of an inch thick, and a belt of 80 lbs of shot around his body, to sink him, (and the breast piece cannot weigh less than 50 lbs.) Taking hold of the line he descended, finding it perfectly so that he could see all around him to the depth of sixty feet, when it grew dark, and for the balance of his fearful journey amid the caverns of the deep, he was guided solely by the line, until at a depth of 140 feet, when he struck bottom, or something which he soon made out to be the wheel house, of the ill-fated boat; grouping-along, he slid on the hurricane deck, from thence to the guards of the boat; by poking around he discovered the precise position of the boat and found himself not far from the sought for office, and made fast the end of the line which he carried down with him, to a stanchion near the gang way, and giving the signal he ascended, carrying with him a piece of the wheel-house which he had secured, (a piece of which, about 8 inches long, 4 inches wide, and 1-1/4 inch thick, was sawed off and presented to me by the captain of the YORKTOWN.) He had gone down, in all, 152 feet, and remained just 40 minutes. After resting, he again descended, having just partaken of a hearty meal without removing his dress, save the head piece.
His excitement was intense at his great success thus far, and when he descended the second time he was quite hot, (the day was intensely hot.) Descending by his second line, he soon stood on the deck, feeling his way along, he reached the "third" window, which being unbroken he shattered it, and reaching in his hand at last laid it upon the much coveted safe, just in the position it had been described to him. Not being able to reach far enough to make his line fast, he again ascended for a hook to hook through the handles; reaching the deck he made known his success and requirement, and as no hook was ready, sat down until one could be secured to a line. As they were about ready he rolled over, saying he was sick. They stripped him, and did all in their power for him, but were finally obliged to buoy the lines and make sail for this place, for medical attendance.
Buffalo Daily Republic
Saturday, September 8, 1855

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WRECKS IN LAKE ERIE:-The Detroit Post, of Saturday, remarks, "There are at different points in Lake Erie wrecks which, though many years since they were deposited, are yet in an excellent state of preservation. From Captain Hackett, of Malden, who has just arrived at this port from a wrecking expedition around either shore of said lake in search of lost anchors and other lost property, we are placed in possession of much that is of interest on this point. During the season of 1835 the fine steamer WASHINGTON, commanded by Captain Augustas Waller, was wrecked on Long Point, on the first trip she ever made. She was a fine steamer. Notwithstanding 55 years have elapsed since the event, the boiler and a considerable portion of the wreck lies in the same position, and if recovered would serve in some capacity for years to come. Not far distant from the WASHINGTON, lies the ATLANTIC, which in a still day, is plainly visible, and aside from the disappearance of her upper works, has met with little or no change. At Long Point Cut there are yet remaining a considerable portion of the schooner CONDUCTOR, which was sacrificed in the terrible gale of November 1854. Below the Point are the CORINTHIAN and the ARCTURNS - the former with her decks entirely gone, but otherwise in apparently good condition, the latter much the same as when visited last spring. Further down Lake Erie, and in the vicinity of Point Abino, may be seen the schooner PENNSYLVANIA or what is left of her, which met her fate in the gale of October 1844, with the loss of all hands. Captain Hackett in his peregrinations during the past six weeks, succeeded in rescuing no less than fifteen anchors of large size, and a large quantity of valuable chain, as a reward for his labors in a perilous undertaking.
We hope to be placed in possession of further interesting reminiscences.
Chicago Tribune
Monday, July 27, 1868

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The Western Wrecking Co., of Cleveland, are engaged in preparations for the raising of the stm. ATLANTIC, which was sunk off Long Pt. some 20 years ago by collision with the prop. OGDENSBURG. The company have secured title to the wreck, and have made extensive arrangements for raising it. The Cleveland Herald says: The wrecking stm. ALICE STRONG, Capt. McGroder, expected to leave Wednesday evening for the wreck of the steamer ATLANTIC, sunk near Long Point.
Buffalo Commercial Advertiser
May 30, 1873 3-5

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It is reported that there is a large raft of buoys over the wreck of the stm. ATLANTIC, 5 miles southwest of the the lighthouse and 3 miles from the shore, at Long Pt., and vessels are warned from running into it.
Buffalo Commercial Advertiser
July 21, 1873 3-5

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The long looked for event of raising the wreck of the stm. ATLANTIC, which was sunk off Long Pt., Lake Erie, by the collision with the prop. OGDENSBURG in 1852, by which disaster many lives were lost, has at length been virtually accomplished by the company which took in hand the undertaking. The tug W.A. MOORE, which passed near the wrecker on her last trip up, reports the wreck raised near the surface and the steamers towing it under the point into shoal water. From thence it will be towed to Buffalo for further disposition. A large amount of treasure was lost with the steamer, a portion of which was subsequently salvaged. The ATLANTIC came out new in 1849, was 1,250 tons burthen, and comparatively new at the time of her loss. She was built at Newport on the St. Clair River, and formed one of the Ward's Line of steamers.
Detroit Free Press
July 30, 1873
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