Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-04-23
CAPT. SCHWENSEN'S STORY.
Details of the Sinking of the Pommer.
ania--HOW 1t Feels to Be Drowning.
New Yotk Tribune. April r.

Capt. Hans f. Schwensen, the COM
mander of the Hamburg steamship
Pommerania, which was run down and
sunk by the Noel lillian last November,
sailed into this port on Saturday morn
ing, occupying the "bridge" of the
Silesia, which he commands while the
Westphalla is being overhauled and
made ready to be placed in his hands
next June. Flags were displayed on
the city hall in Capt Schwensen's
honor, and q committee of aldermen
went on board his steamship in the af-
ternoon to invite him to a reception in
the governors room of the city hall at
ZIP. ~, to-day, to receive the congrat-
ulations of the residents and the gov
eminent of the city Of New York. Capt.
SchWensen accepted the proffered
honor, and said in answer to the COM
p.lmentary remarks addressed to MIN
Il only did my duty as a seaman. But
| wonder how it is that [ am here. I
am glad" Conrad Popenhusen, one of
the rescued passengers of the Pommer
ania, came back with the captain.
Capt. Schwensen dined yesterday with
Mr.. Meyer, the agent Of the Hamburg
company, at the latter's residence at
Hoboken. Here he related the partic-
ulars OF the terrible scene on board the
Pommerania during the fifteen minutes
between the striking and the sinking of
the ship.
Il have scarcely ever seen q blacker
night at sea-" he said. 'It was between
the 25th and Goth of November, not
foggy, but black clouds hung over the
sky. and there was steady drizzle The
first officer and [ were having our
watch together on the bridge. This
painting on the wall shows you the
very spot where we were. We both
lost sight Of the Dungeness Light, be-
hind that cliff, and were looking out for
the East Goodwin Light, by Dover, in.
tending to change our course so as to
sail through the straits into the German
ocean. AS soon as this light came in
view fifteen minutes before midnight, |
went into my cabin to work out our po-
sltion on the chart. Barely had | ia
ken my cOmpasses in my hand when
the crash came. shaking the ship from
stem to stern. | ran on deck, meeting
the first officer, who was running to me
saying that a sailing ship had run into
us, and he thought we would sink. I
ordered the stewards and some of the
crew to wake up the passengers and get
them on deck, while the doctor and the
baker gave out the life preservers. First
Engineer Helms hurried up the hatch
way, and said the engine-room was
Hooded. He hurried back, and that
was the last we saw Of him. [ can't
describe to you the darkness and confu-
sion that reigned on that deck. Two of
the boats were stove in by the collision.
the other eight were manned and ship
ped inside of five minutes. Every Off
Ger anu seaman must have been in his
place to do this. Men, women and
children were crOwding about the boats
l saw HObOken family, husband, wife
and babe that had been placed in my
charge, and led them to the first boat
SWANS boat, the first that was lowered.
Here | saw young Clymer with three
life, preservers on his arm. and told him
to put one about his body. Then [
hurried to the other boats which were
beng filled with passengers. It was
scarcely possible to recognize anybody,
and by this time some of the lanterns
had been cut from the rigging where
they had been lashed. Then l was told
that boat No. s had been swamped,
and hurrylng to the scene found that
young Clymer had cut the rope at one
davit, since a kink in the rope had
prevented it running through the block.
He had helped his two sisters into this
boat, and when the rope was cut the
boat went down unevenly and was
sWamped. Some of those in it were
pulled into the other boats now afOat,
and were scrambled up the ships side.
The doctor was among the latter
"The first officers boat was the last to
leave the ships side. [ thought the
passengers were all off. Imagine my
surprise when going to the quarter
deck [ found there the Hoboken family
[ thought were in the first boat. They
were beside themselves with terror. [
seized the babe from It's mothers arms,
and followed by the husband and wife
ran forward, calling to the first officer
to come back; that there were other
passengers to be saved. He started
back. but the husband, who was out Of
his senses, ran aft again, and the moth
er pulling the child from me, followed
after him into the darkness. This was
the origin of the story that had tried
to save a child said to be my own. 1
at once shouted to the first officer to
pull off as fast as possible, and his boat
barely escaped being sucked down with
the ship. Third Officer Zarnow was aft
firing rockets and blue lights, which
now and then threw dim light over the
ship, then saw two or three passen-
gers running here and there. but it was
too late. The water was pouring over
the sides, and | had already in my
own mind made up my account. I
ound the doctor lying on bench on
the quarterback, and, shaking him
found That he was dead,-perhaps from
excitement and apoplexy. Then I
stumbled upon the second officer.
'Fokkes,' I cried, why are you here
and not in your boat? Captain he
answered, my boat is in good COM
mand: the carpenter's boat was stove