Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-11-27
THE STATEMENT OF A PASSENGER.
PARTICULARS OF TIE ACCIDENT.

MA, Schwenzen, New York. Nov. a. for Ham
burg, arrived at Plymouth ut midnight of oath
and was sunk by collision with Welsh bark of
roikstone. this moraing. 81 were lost and l62
saved.
The steamer Pomerania came 10 collision about
midnight during fog, @ miles southwest of Folk
stone, with vessel reported to be the Welsh
bark Noel Elan of Carnarvon, Rotterdam for
Cardiff IN ballast. The Pomerania was on her
way from Plymouth to Hamburg. The steamer
| fonndered in about 10 minutes. 1862 passengers
and the crew were saved by the steamer Glengary
and landed at Dover. The vessel with which the
Pomefania cOllided is anchored off Folkstone
with her bows stove and forward compartment
| full Of water. tug has gone to her assistance
telegram says 49, persons on the Pomersuis
were saved and 80 are missing, including Capt.
Schwenzen.
| Another telegram says the collision occurred NJ
IL 40 last night, during dense fog, and the YES
sci sank 80 minutes after. So are believed to be
lost. including Capt. Schwenzen, % officer Folks
and officer Zarnow.
Further particulars of the Pomerania disaster
show that at the time Of the collision she was
near DunRenes Point, 8 miles from the shore
She was struck on the starboard side amidsbips
and .ank 10 less than 20 minutes. Distress sig.
mails were Given and responded 10 by steamer
Giengary, proceeding down the channel, which
made all speed towards the disaster, There were
| nine boats on the Pomersnis, four of which were
crushed in the collision. Five were got of. but
one being overcrowded with passengers. Ali the
boats pulled away from the doomed ship, leaving
the captain, who refused to leave the ship until
the last moment. The last boat to leave was uu-
der the chain officer, who did all in his power To
persuade the captain to leave.
After pulling for half an hour the survivors
were picked up by the Glengary. One gentle.
man was taken from the water unconscious and
restored. The Glengary stayed near the scene
till daylight, when the Pomersnia was seen with
mast above water. No other bodies recovered.
The Glengary then proceeded to Dover with the
saved and landed them at o'clock, when they
were taken to the Sailors Home and treated with
every kindness and breakfasted. The story told
by the survivors tends TO show that the greatest
possible order under the circumstances was main
tanned by the officers and crew.
The following is the narrative of Louisa Lsu-
mann of Akron, o.; "We had capital run and
get to Plymouth about O'Clock the morning of
the 10Th, and landed some passengers and took
some for Hamburg, and then ran for Cherboury
and landed passengers, nearly all Of whom were
cabin.
Those left were mostly between decks. Crew
consisted Of Ill. was in bed last night about
III 40, when felt as ii the Pomerana has struck
upon q rock. was alarmed, but did not think
at first of anything very serious, as we had kept
good lookout and the captain appeared very
careful. 1t was his 10th voyage be told u.s. He
celebrated his l25th when he was last at Ham
burg.
A few seconds after the collision the steward
and some of the crew came running to Us and
on deck and saw our ships light, but the fog was
so great that could see nothing else but thew
told me that the barque had run away.
The crew were then all busy lowering boats.
The ship was beginning to sink. In lowering the
boats there was great confusion. everybody trying
to crowd into them. One boat filed and sank
Immediately after it got into the water. Two
others were smashed BY the collision. The boats
were fastened up tight and we could not get them
undone. The Pomerania WAS sinking rapidly
There were . number of women among the pas.
sengers. | don't know now many, but have
been saved and baby. think the babys moth
err has been drowned Our captain had some fire.
works on board and let them off. We managed
to get into the boats that remained and had been
there about ten minutes when the steamer Glen
gary picked US up. She cruised about long time.
Our captain had a chance to save his life, but
would stick to the ship. 1 saw him when our
boat got away from the steamer standing on the
bridge giving commands, trying to save as many
as he could and to obtain order.
In 20 minutes after the collision the Pomeranis
went down. She did not keel over, but went down
gradually. The ship which run US down never
saw at all They told me she was Q sailing bark,
and that with northwest wind she came bowling
along and ran right into US. l thought until We
landed that we had run upon rock. II was very
thick weather.
There was good lookout on the Pomersnia all
the time She had smart sailors and there were
always two or three the bridge and two on the
forepart, from the time she entered the channel.
Our boat was so crowded that it was nearly even
with the water
$50. Dover special brought free to London,
this afternoon, LOG Pomerapia survivors-65 sea-
men and the others second and third class passen-
gers. There were no first class passengers and no
women among them. They will be forwarded 10
Germany.
A despatch from Dover to the press association
says Messrs. o. Helmer. chief eng ineer. J. Schei.
ding, doctor, c. Peters, the chief steward, and
two stewardesses, are supposed to have been
drowned.
NEW YORK, November &c. The value of the
cargo shipped on the Pomersnia from this port,
was 5000 ,l0l. The vessel was rated in Lloyds a.
No. l, 1882 tons burthen. 1t was "a draft, built
of iron in 1873, at Greenock. The dimensions
were 365 feet in length As breadth, SO feet hold,
and furnished Wild air-tig bulkheads. The mail
on the Pomerana consisted of 25, 100 letters. She
han IL 500 Mexican dollars on freight.
At the office of kumhsrt & Co., general agents,
it learned that Of the first cabin passengers,
the Russian Consul, Mr. Bodiscol and wife got OF
at Plymouth Mr.. Luckie, retiring member of
the banking house of August Belmont, accompa-
MED by his wife and three children was psssen
ger in the POmerania, but are believed to have
got off at Plymouth The family of Hon. Hester
Clymer of Philadelphia, bound on . pleasure trip
in Europe, for the winter, are among the saved.
COLLISION ON THE MERSEY.