Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-09-28
NO. 80.
Collision on the Ocean,
A STEAMER SUNK,

New YORK, Sept. 25.-The steamer
Lepanto, Capt. Rogers, arrived Sunday
from Hull, Eng, reports being in col
lsion, Sept. q, with the steamer Edam,
which foundered. Capt. Rogers says:
Sept. y, at 8 p. m, steering west, the
weather became foggy. l warned the
chief engineer that if the fog continued.
we should go slow, and to ease the
steam down at once; / also began to
blow the steam whistle at intervals of
two minutes. The fog lifted a little at
1O:0S p. m. The engine being at half
speed at 1910 p. M, heard whistle
and saw masthead light very close.
bearing west, southwest, and at the
same time made it out to be a vessel
crossing our bows from south to north.
AT 1915 we
CAME INTO COLLISION
with q steamer, which dragged right
across our bows, her propeller going
all the time. After getting clear |
stopped our engine, sounded the COM
partments and found that we were
making no water. l quickly lowered
three boats to give assistance to the
other ship, if needful. At 11:3O the
boats of the Edam, three in all, arrived
alongside, with the passengers and
crew, who were
AT ONCE EMBARKED.
AT IL 40 one of our own boats returned
bringing the chief officer Of the Edam,
the quartermaster, steward and two
passengers. At 11:45 all of our boats
had returned and were hoisted up, as
were also two of the Edam's boats.
An examination of the compartments
developed a large aperture, the stem
twisted and broken; also the bow-plates
stove. We immediately got two lage sails
over our bows, and also filled up the
the lower forepeak with bags of saw
dust, planking, etc. Early in the
morning of the 22d pilot boat was
hailed and was engaged for $500 to ac-
company the Lepanto into port, there
being now on board 125 persons. We
passed soon through the wreck of the
Edam, which seemed to blow up as
she went down.
THE PASSENGERS
rescued were made as comfortable as
possible, the captain giving up his room
to the women. The other passengers
made the most of the small cabin ac-
comdatiOns. The third engineer and
the assistant engineer of the Edam
were lost"
The Edam belonged to the Neither
lands Royal mail line, and sailed from
Jersey City, for Amsterdam, Septem-
Der Goth.
Another account of the disaster says
that as soon as the collision occurred,
heartrending appeals to be saved filled
the air. The boats were lowered and
sent through the fog in search of the
stricken vessel. Ere they returned
some thirty persons reached the Le-
pauto in strange boats and requested
to be taken on board, as
THEIR SHIP WAS SINKING
A few moments later the remainin-
ing passengers arrived and were taken
on board. The Lepanto's boats re-
turned unable to find the sinking yes
sell The captain of the latter was j.
I'll. TAFT. He called the roll of his pas
sengers and crew and found two sea-
men missing, John Van Gyt and Nicho-
las Liondecker. He carried, he said,
thirty passengers, four of them ladies,
and q miscellaneous cargo. While
calling the roll an explosion was heard,
which told them that the Edam had
blown up. The Lepanto's boats cruised
for hours in search of the missing sea-
men, but failed to find them. At day
break, she 22d, the Lepanto continued
her journey. The collision was due to
the heavy fog. A moment after the
Lepanto struck the Edam, the latter
was in visible to the former. The pas
sengers and crew of the lost vessel lost
everything.