Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-01-26
DISASTERS BY LAND AND SEA,
a Steamship sunk with over 900 souls
on HOard...A Railroad ain Wreck
ed and Burned, ana Upward Of 20
Lives LOst---A H'Owder-WIll Explosion
Kills 40 Cinnamon.
SEVERAL MINOR DISASTERS, INVOLVING THE
LOSS or FORTY or FIFTY LIVES.


The Sinking OF the steamship Cinibria.
The Hamburg American line steamer CHM
bria, which left Hamburg on Thursday, the
18th, for New York, was sunk last Friday
morning by a collision with the British
steamer Sultan ~ miles southwest OF Bork-
um, an island in the North sea, 20 miles
northwest of Emdn, belonging to Prussia
One of her boats landed 80 persons at Cux-
haven. The collision happened in dense
fog, and the Cmbria went down in 10 min.
utes after she was struck The Cimbria had
on board $50 passengers aud a crew number
ing 40. She ran aground before leaving the
f. be, but got of with the flood tide without
having received damage, and she put to sea
at 2:3O o'clock in the afternoon. On Friday
morning came the collision. The steamer
Sultan, which was badly damaged by the
collision, arrived in Elbe the next day. De-
tails Of the disaster show that more than 400
lives must have been lost. The Cimbria re-
ceiyod such severe injuries in the collision
that it at once became apparent that she must
sink almost Immediately. The officers, there
fore. did all in their power to save lives.
without moments loss Of time life-belts
were distributed among the passengers, and
an order was given to lower the boats. This,
however, in conseq uonce of the vessels
heeling over on her side, was found to be
very difficult on one side and absolutely inn
possible on the other As the second officer
was still engaged in cutting the spars loose,
so that there should be as much drift.wood
as possible for the people to cling to, the YES
sci went down under his feet. The passen-
gers were mostly emigrants from East Prus-
STA. Among them were six American lndi-
ans, who had been on exhibition in Berlin
for some time. The Cimbria was n first
class vessel, with iron hull aud water-tight
compartments but the rent made in her side
was so enormous that she at once filled,
Leeled over and sank. Six steamers were at
once sent out to search for survivors of the
wreck, but all except one returned with no
tidings. This one picked up lG passengers
found cinging to the rigging Of the Cimbria.
The rescued passengers say that after leaving
the Cimbria the boat was capsized and they
returned to the rigging, which was still above
water, and there remained 10 hours, freezing
with the cold and expecting that every min
ute would be their last until rescued by a
boat from the Diamant. Many Of those
who were in the boat when it left the Cim-
bria were drowned when it capsizcd and
many others, after reaching the rigging
| were obliged to release their hold and were
lost. The survivors describe the scene as
| horrible and heart-rending They say that
while they were in the rigging the lights Of
the Sultan we're clearly visible, aud that their
] cries LOT nelp must nave Dcen ntaru on bOhtu
| the Sultan, which, instead of coming to their
rescue, steamed away. Most Of the surviv-
ors present miserable appearance, having
lost everything The captain of the Sultan,
on his part, declares that he did remain for
some time at the scene of the disaster 70 rs
to render any assistance in his power.
The Hamburg correspondent Of the Lon
don Daily News, narratiug incidents on board
the Ombra after the collision says: "One
red Indian brandished his tomahawk before
an officer of the steamer and had to BE- dis
armed. The tumult WIS indescrbable One
married couple cut their own threats that
they might die together. The ships surgeon
encouraged those in the rigging to hold fast,
telling them that the Sultan would soon res
cue them, but several became delrious and
let 60 their hold. The surgeon himself leaped
into the sea, saying he would make an end
of it,"