The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-12-13

gle, where, most fortunately, encoun- |
tered spar, aided By which hoated |
for an hour and akalf. Iseemed to be utter
" alone on the surface of the water until at |
last the lights of steamer, that proved to
be the City Of Amsterdam, came in sight. |
| shouted. l was heard. A boat was
sent and was taken on board the steamer
in a semi-unconscious state. My watch stop
ped at 1903; thus l am able to fix the
time exactly"
The captain will remain for the present
at Hamburg on account of his illness grow
ing out of the shock to his nervous system.
His physicians encourage the hope that he
will soon be out once more, restored to
health. Capt. Schwensen details the
events following the collision. which occurr-
ed while he left the bridge for few mo-
ments to visit the charthouse In order to
examine the course. He exonerates First
Officer Franzen from blame. Respecting
| the conduct of the officers and crew after
! the collision" the captaingc continues, L
can only speak in terms of the highest
praise, NV orders were carried out calmly
and effectualIy. The report that some of
the crew attempted to save their personal
l property and neglected to attend to the
proper equipping Of the boats or to the
safety of the passengers is, according to
my information, utterly unfounded. Into
the last boat that pulled away | saw pas
senger hurl an iron. cornered Golfer clear
from the deck, knocking a hole in the
boats bottom and endaDgering the life of
every passenger in the craft.
Chief Officer Franzen ives on deck dis
Itributing ife-belts and experimenting the
. lowering of the boats until within a few
: seconds of the sinking OF the Pomerania.
/ DIR, Schneiding, the surgeon, was also dis
! tributing life belts. Chief Engineer Helms
! assured me, soon after the collision, that
D the steam had been shut off in consequence
[ of there being so much water in tae engine
o room that nothing could be done. Second
1 Officer Fokkes was on deck to the last anC
e declined to enter the boats, refusing t
t leave bis captain. Third Officer Zarnor
o was at his post till the sinking of the ship
: firing rockets. Thus it will be seen thai
e the first engineer second and third officer
i and the surgeon persisted while doing thel
d duty. AS to myself, say nothing, only
J. that | was saved by miracle"
v The words of praise which the captain
\ speaks in behalf of his officers conduct il
Il the moment of trial are touching and gen
d erous, coming as they do from the lips OF
D commander who lives to hearit said of hin
% that he went down with his ship and woul
IF not leave her while she floated. 10 con
e clusion, Capt Schwensen says; Il do no
IS wish to be understood as singing any on
ir man out for more praise than another.
re do not know a man of the ships compan.
D. who did not do his duty. The Pomera
D. MAS decks were only a few feet above tn
q. water when the last boat left the ship
h. side by my express orders, aud just j
TO time to escape the terrible vortex ths
be followed the sinking of the vessel.
ID seemed Niagara in the ocean,"
III 1t will be gratifying to the friends {
I'd Capt Schwensen in America to know tba
err the steamship company has declared i
or full confidence in the unfortunate con
a mander, and has offered him the cCmman
of the Westpbalia, now building and e!
pected to be ready for sea 10 the sprip