Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-05-20
The wreck Of the steamer Schiller.

The wreck OF the Ste6mcT 0cnfiscrs
NEW YoEK. May 8.
The Eagle line steamship Schiller,
Capt. Thomas, which sailed from New
York April 20 for Hamburg, by way of
Plymouth and Cherbourg, has been
wrecked off the Scilly Isles. The steamer
sailed from here with 149 cabin passen-
gers. The Sicily Islands, group Of
about 14O islets and rocks, lie off the
southwest coast of England, about
thirty miles from Lands End, and in
latitude fifty north, longitude six west of
Greenwich. The larger of the group are
st. Mary's, Tresco, ST. Martins, Brechar,
ST Agnes and Sampson. The aggregate
area is 5,770 acres. The islands rise
abruptly from deep sea in limited cir
conference of thirty miles, and consist
for the most part of solid, uninhabitable
granite. In few places the soil is suf-
ficiently fertile to enable the few people
who attempt existence there to raise
small crops of rye, oats, barley, etc. The
chief means of subsistence, however, are
| fishing and the manufacture of kelp.
The location has always been dam
gerous one for shipping, and many hor-
rible wrecks have taken place in the
vicinity. A large lighthouse rests on the
| little Island st. Agnes, but has often
proved an inefficient protection. One OF
the noted disasters which have been
caused by these islands was the sinking of
three hne-of- battle ships, under Sir
Cloudesley Shovel, on the 22d of October,
1907.
LONDON, May 9.
The following additional particulars
of the disaster have been received: A
heavy fog prevented observations on
board the Schiller since Tuesday. In
consequence of the fog the engines were
put at half speed and sail reduced at
nine o'clock Friday night. At ten
o'clock the same night the ship struck
the ledge. Great panic prevailed. Capt.
Thomas is highly praised for his conduct
during the terrible scenes which fol
lowed. Two boats were filled with
men, who refused to come out.
The Captain fired his revolver over
their heads to drive them out, and
then fired at them, but without
effect. Afterward the ship was washed
with her broadside to sea, and all on
board these boats persisted. The tackle
at the stern was released too soon, leav-
ing the boats suspended by the bows.
Three boats then got away. One, a life.
boat, was so badly injured that she sunk,
and eleven of the people on board were
rescued by other boats.
| The fog lifted an hour after the steam
er struck, and the lights were plainly
visible. Two of the boats on the steam
er were crushed by the falling of the
funnel. Rockets and guns were fired
from the steamer until the powder be-
came wet.
The deck, which was crowded with
people, was swept away at two a. IN.
The Captain gathered some OF the sur
vivors on the bridge. All were gradu-
ally swept away by the fiood-tide, which
took the doctor and Captain last
The rigging which remained above
water was crowded with passengers and
80 a. m. and, being of iron, sunk with
all who had taken refuge on it. The
| foremost gave away soon afterward.
The lifeboats and wreck stuff saved
the lives of some who drifted miles away
One man was rescued after being in the
water ten hours.
Two boats from ST. Agnes arrived q
| short time before the masts fell. They
were unable to approach the steamer OF
account of the shoals, but picked up
|
The passengers say Capt. Thomas left
the bridge at three q. m. TO assist those
on deck and when he reached the deck
was swept away by heavy sea. AL
concur in saying that he exercised the
greatest care and was not abed for five
nights previous TO the disaster. The sea
began to break over the vessel half ar
hour after she struck, and the tide rose
twenty-five feet before daybreak. Only
one woman was saved. The survivors
who were landed at Tresco escaped IL
the Schillers own boats.
A special dispatch from London on the
9th to the New York Herald says the
total number of lives lost is 311. o.
these over 100 were women. The specia
says: "The survivors were taken day
from PenZance to Plymouth, henct
they will be sent forward to Hamburg
where there is the greatest excitement
1t is asserted that life-saving belts were
issued to the women. 1t is certain thai
most of the passengers found none. Al
order was given that the first boat should
take the women and children. This
boat capsized. POLICEMAN says sever
boats were launched and only two lived
The others were STAYED and swampeC
Immediately The cries for help LASTED
until three o'clock. The last voice hearC
was that of little child in the cabin. Il
is not probable that the boats could have
lived, even if they had been successfully
filed. The whole number saved is forty
four. Thirty bodies have been recov
cred"
The Fatal RaIJOOn Ascension In France