Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-10-21
rae UNFORTUNATE JEANETTE.


WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct 90.
Lieut. Danenhower resumed his narrative
before the Jeanette board this morning. He
said about P. NJ. June 18th, heavy ice
pressure was felt The witness saw Mr..
Dunbar come on dc OK from the " ardroom with
his kDapsack and felt that a crisis had come.
He went below and caught up his own wit
ness) knapsack and threw it into the cabinet.
at that mement met DIR. Amber who said
loudly: tsThe order is to abandon the ship"
Witness then threw his knapsack over tine
starboard rail upon the ice and returned to
get the other things, but found the water
half way up the wardroom ladder. He then
went to Mr.. Chip. who was sick in bed at
the time, and succeeded in getting him out
His (Mr. Chips) room was on the port side
of the poop cabin, the forward room. At
this time all hands were employed under d.
rection OF the captain, who stood on the
bridge getting ous the pemmican, camp gear,
ammunition and other stores, which were
principally in the deck house forward.
Another party of men were also working in
the after hold until the water rose too high
for them to remain there. There was also a
detail of men on the ice placing stores in .
safe situation As they came from the ship.
few minutes previous the ensign had been
hoisted at the mizzentop. just before Chip
icpottcu " thc SUI SCOu iC Vac iVt
work and requested to be recommended to
the captain for light duty. The surgeon
promised to do so and in the meantime re-
quested witness to assist him in breaking the
medical stores and liquors, which witness
did. slowing them in one of the boats. At
about Z. NJ. the order was given by the
captain for everybody 70 leave the ship.
The water was then level with the spar deck,
the ship heeling % degrees to the starbOard.
During the pressure and before she was
crushed the ship had turned and seemed to
lift little, sometimes at the bow and some
times at the stern, when she was finally hove
over to starboard the ice coming above her
doubling seemed to hold her down and the
pressures were felt in her timber heads.
DIR. Amber at the time told the witness that
he entered the wardroom to get some stores
and on lifting latch cover found the water
coming into the ship, and upon his Am
bler's) reporting this to the captain, the order
before mentioned was given. Every one left
the ship and The order was given to camp and
prepare coffee. This was after the boats,
provisions and stores had been shifted TO
large foe piece. about go yards off the star
board bow. This was done at the suggestion
of Mr.. Dunbar, the pilot, as the ice in the
vicinity was to much broken to afford a good
or safe place for the company. The sun had
been above the horizon at midnight since May
and the light was very good except in very
cloudy weather. The snow at this time
p feet deep and the thermometer 10 to 20
degrees above zero. When the order
gwen to camp, DIR. Amber relieved witness
from care of the medicines, liquors. etc, and
he (witness) took charge of No 3 party and
went to work to collect the boats outfit for
the journey, as each partys gear had been
previously marked and slowed in a state of