The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-01-09
THE VILE DU HAvRE DISASTER.
Statement OF Capt. Surmont-C0ntra-
dict0ry Statement of 40 Passenger-
Extract from the Log-book of the
Loeb Erue.

/ statement Passenger
Extract from the Log-book OF the
! I0ch Erne.
NEW \ DIRK, Dee. l9.-Capt. Surmont of
the Vile du Havre has made "A statement
concerning the disaster 10 that vessel and
those on board. but il adds little 10 what
was previously known OF the tragical oc-
currcnce.
CAPT. sURMoNT's STATEMENT.
81 got up from the sofa at and left my
cabin. At this moment ship under full
sail showed herself all at once on our path.
and | had hardly time 10 jump on the
bridge when the Vile du lIavre was struck,
right IN the side opposite the main-maist.
The damage was enormous, being a hole
Of ut least sixteen feet rendering il certain
that the ship could remain very little time
aiioat The engine was stopped at once
and the valves were opened. The water
rushed in so quickly that there was not
time To close the door OF the bulkhead
which separated the engine from the boil
ers. Besides the bulkhead of the coal
bunker had been forced into the engine
and the water poured in that way into the
boiler. | estimate there was not more
| than twelve minutes between the collision
and the sinking of the ship. Capt. Robert
son of the Loeb Erne, who says he saw
me, says ten minutes others say fifteen !:
but there j. only two or three minutes IN
question. | must say that in that short
interval the passengers were examples OF
GOODNESS, calmness and resignation. and at
the dreadful time of this lamcntahle occur
renee. when three hundred and thirty-five
persons Were justly alarmed ut the thought
of certain death at any moment, and their
uuly hope OF safety was disappearing,
the women were the first TO give the cX-
ample
Capt. Surmont's story of the failure to
get boats afloat does not differ from that
told by telegraph. The rapid filling of
the vessel and the falling of the masts, were
the causes. He also says:
II have had the satisfaction. since the
wreck. of learning. by Questioning the
survivors of the crew. that every one was
at his post that each did his duty. and
that all went down with the vessel and
were picked up from the sea. The loss of
the unhappy officer who commanded the
watch az the moment OF the collision,
renders me unable to give an exact account
of the occurrence before taking command
myself; but | can declare that the Loeb
Erne. 10 which showed my ships side.
and which consequently had nothing 10
fear from me. struck directly against my
vessel AT the risk of smashing herself.
ward. tor il was almost so already. this
terrible collision might have been avoided.
4 PASSENGERS STATEMENT.
The Tribune publishes a letter dated
Paris. Dec. >, from Rudolph A. Wiithaus.
Jr.. passenger on the Vile DIN llaVre. who
says when he reached the deck after being
awakened by the crash. he took IN the stu
alton at a glance. and says: II then made
up my mind for the worst and went an 10
see what chance there was for me IN the
boats. for two or three were already ia the
water. and n came an | saw them pull
of TO the ship which had run Us down and
which fortunately had kept atloat and hove
10 about half mile under our stern.
These two boats were filled entirely with
French sailors aud frcmcn. some forty
men were making frantic and useless efforts
10 get another boat over the side. and half
of these cOwartlly raScals were already in
the boat. Seeing that the crew was en-
tircly dcmorllized, gave up all hopes of
being saved from the steamer by boat. and
looked around me for some means OF keep
ing ailoat when she should 90 down.
Then ! saw man near me hammering AT
the tafirai with capstan bar trying to get
liic-prescrver loose
Witthaus procured a sailors knife. cut
loose a number of liie-prcscrvcrs, one of
which he secured himself. fixed il on and
jumped over the stern. He came to the
surface to see the steamer disappear. got
hold OF piece of the wreck in company
with two French sailors. and was finally
rescued, half naked and nearly frozen. by
the English boat His subsequent story Is
substantially the same a. already published
by other passengers.
STATEMENT OF CAPTAIN ROBERTSON OF THE /
LOCn ERNE.
Following j. the official statement of the /
collision between the Loeb Ernc and the
Vile du llavre. taken from the lOg-book I
of the Loeb Erne:
November p. ? a. M, latitude l6 de- /
greeS ~ minutes north. longitude - de-
grecs minutes west. Wind >. =. W.. 4
true. Ship braced up on the port tack. /
heading 10y standard compass y. w. by W., \
or w. }. \ steamers masthead was seen \
from one 10 two points on the port bow.
our side-lights out and burning brightly. 4
Shortly after saw the steamers three lights. 4
She was coming straight for us almost inn \
mediately. She showed only her port and \
masthead lights. and was steering appar-
emily TO pass under our stern. After \
short time we rang our bell and ported |
helm. n We thought she was coming too \
near, the steamer still showing only her \
port light When close the bow /
the steamers helm was starhoard /
and she was across our bow.
collision was inevitable. Order was given
10 back our aflcryards. but before the
braces could be let 30 the two vessels came
IN collision. the Lock Ernc striking the
steamer ainldshps. The ships immediate
" separated. We threw our aftcryards
back. Half the crew then shortened sail
and the remainder cleared away the port
liie-boai. The carpenter being az the
pumps, reported that the ship was making
no water. and then went forward and
found the bOwsprit gone and the bow
smashed completely in by the collision.
The bulkhead was apparently uninjurcd.
A boat from the Vile du llayre then came
alnp orSiIa containing an affiaer auI fnur