Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-12-04
TERRIBLE DISASTER.
Sinking of the Steamship POmme
rama, off FOlkestOne.
Owing to Collision with Bark During
4 Dense Fog.
Fty.Eight Passengers suddenly Swept
4 Ont OF Time Into Eternity.

FMy.Eight Passengers suddenly Swer
| Ont Of Time Into Eternity.
LONDON, November 26.-The Ham
bHfg-American Line steamer Pom
merania, Captain Schwensen, whicl
sailed from New York on the 14th o
November for Hamburg and arrived a
1 iyrsouth at midnight Of the oath, cam
In collision last night about midnigh
during fog about eight miles south
west of Folkestone with vessel reporte,
to be the Walsh bark Noel Eilian o.
Carnarvon, from Rotterdam for Cardiff
in ballast. The Pommerania at the tim,
was on her way from Plymouth
to Hamburg. The steamship found
cred in about ten minutes
One hundred and seventy-twt
of her passengers and crew were
saved by the iron screw steamer Glen
garry, of Middlesborough, and landed a
Dover. The vessel with which tn,
Pommerania was in collision is anchored
of FOlkestone with her bows stove ia anC
her forward compartment full of water
A tug has gone to her assistance.
LONDON, November 26.-12:30 P. M
A telegram, just received by the agent,
of the Pommerania in this city, say,
that one hundred and sixty-two of the
persons on board were saved and fifty.
eight are missing, including Captain
Schwensen. The collision occurred at
forty minutes after eleven last night,
during dense fog. The Pommerania
sank in thirty minutes. One hundred
and seventy persons were saved out of a
total of 220 on board. Fifty are believed
lost, including Captain Schwensen, Sec
ond Officer Fokkes and Third Officer
Zarnow.
The agents here of the Hamburg
American Steamship Company say AZ
passengers of the Pommerania were to
have landed at Plymouth and Cher
bOurg, leaving 104 on board. Four
second and one third class passengers
embarked at Plymouth, making the
total number of passengers on board
when the disaster occurred 109, pro-
vided AZ had landed rs intended. The
agent at Plymouth says the following
passengers landed there: Miss +. Konigs,
Miss Wilson, and Messrs. Brock, Easter
brook, Hunt, Nankervis, Pearce, Pcarn
Phillips and Thomas. ten in all.
A dispatch from Dover says o. Helms,
chief engineer, j. Scheduling, doctor, G.
Peters, chief steward and two stew
ardesses are supposed to be drowned. A
gentleman named Schneider and lady
named Miss Amelie Numann were saved.
LONDON, November 26-4 p. M.-Fur.
thor particulars of the Pommerania dis
aster show that at the time of the col
lisiOn she was near Dungeness Point,
about three miles from shore. She was
struck on the starboard side, midships,
and sunk in less than twenty minutes.
Distress signals were given and respond
ed to by the steamer Glengarry, pro-
ceeding down the channel, which
made all speed towards the scene of
the disaster. There were nine boats
on the Pommerania, four of which were
crushed in the collision. Five were got
of, but one, being overloaded, with pas
sengers, was sunk; all the boats sailed
away from the doomed ship, leaving the
who refused to leave the ship
until the last moment. The last boat to
leave was under the chief 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 Glengarry. One gentleman
was taken from the water in an uncon-
scious state and restored. The Glen
garry stayed near the sbene till day.
break, when the Pommerania was
seen with her mast above water. The
Glengarry then proceeded to Dover with
those saved and landed them at 3 o'clock,
when they were taken to the Sailors
Home, treated with every kindness and
breakfasted. The greatest possible order
under the circumstances was maintained
by the officers and crew.
The following is the narrative of
Louis Laumann of Ohio: 1--WE had
capital run, and got to Plymouth at
about o'clock in the morning of the
25th inst. We landed some passengers
and TOOK some for Hamburg and then
ran for Cherboure and landed passen-
gers, nearly all of whom were cabin.
Those left were mostly between decks.
The crew consisted of Ill. We have
here at the Sailors Home l72. l was in
bed last night about quarter to II
o'clock, when l felt sudden bump rs
if the Pommerania had struck upon a
rock. was alarmed. but did
not think at first it was any.
thing serious as We had kept a good
look out, and the captain appeared to be
very careful. 1t was his 126th voyage.
d.h hol tnll IL L. &. 4.
when he was last at Hamburg.
A few seconds after the collision
the steward and some of the crew came
running to us and said sailing barque
had run into US and we were all TO 90 on
deck. went on deck directly and saw
our ships light, but the fog was 50
great that ] could see nothing else,
but they told me the barque had run
away. The crew were then all busy
lowering the boats. The ship was be-
ginning to sink. In lowering the boats
there was great confusion, every.
body trying to crowd into them.
mediately after it got into the water.
Two Others were smashed by the col
lision. The boats were fastened up
tight, and we could not get them un-
done. The Pommerania was sink-
ing rapidly. There were a number
Of women among the passengers, |
don't know how many, but eight have
been saved, and baby. ! think the
baby's mother has been drowned. Our
captain had some fireworks 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 Glengarry picked us up. She
cruised about long time. Our cap
tain had q chance to save his life, but
would stick to his ship. ] saw him
when our boat got away from the steam
er, standing upon the bridge,