Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-04-18
THE SINKING OF THE sTEINMANS.

p,rt;cu1ar. Concerning the Dis
astcr-One Hundred and Twenty Nine
persons Known to Have Perisheo !"
tho G,le--Thc Captains Story.
HA11rAx, N. S., April Ninety one
rassengers. thirty-three sailors and five OH
GERS were lost on the Daniel Stelnma''n
when that vessel sank off sambro Island
Thursday night. The agent OF
fine White Cross Line on SATURDAY
reached the island where the Captain
and eight other survivors were. From the
Captain the story of the wreck was oo-
tanned. It appears i'll the Two Gays
nrior to the disaster the weather iiaa
been so foggy that he could get no
reckonipgs. About ten o'clock Thursday
night he saw a light. which seemed ABOUT
FIVE miles away, owing to the fog, ana
which he thought was Cherbucto light. AS
he approached he saw that he was almost in
Sambro. Before he could give any orders
the steamer struck twice and began sinking.
He tried to run her ashore, but she Went
down. AS soon as she struck Inc ordered
the passengers on deck, but they were swept
overheard and drowned by the heavy seas.
Two passengers and five of the crewmanaged
to get out a boat and reach the shore. The
shins settled stern first. The Captain, who
was at his post, threw off his boots and coat
and took to the forward rigging. She sank
faster than he could climb, and he let go OF
the rigging. Finally lie managed to get
to the topgallant yard, where he clung
with one of the passengers until
five o'clock Friday morning, when they
were rescued by a boat from the island.
The Captain declared that the first
shock was light, but the second heavy, and
that the steering gear was lost then. lie
did not hear any fog-signal during the
whole OF the time. After the second shock
the steamer drifted over the rocks and
anchored. There was little sea, and the
Captain ordered the mates to lower the
boats. just then a monstrous sea broke
over the poop, washing overheard every
passenger on the deck. Then came all aw-
full crash, and the ship went down like a
flash.
Three surviving passengers of the Daniel
Steinmann have arrived in this city. They
say the vessel struck but lightly, twice. The
Captain then summoned all on deck and
directed them to prepare to enter the boats,
if such would be necessary. One boat was
launched and all made a rush for it, though
good discipline was maintained among the
ships crew. The boat was we'll filled, and
attached to the steamer by y rope. When
some OF lnOSe OIL DOaTQ were aDOuC cuItiIlS
the line the steamer suddenly sank, drag
cling the boat and its occupants down with
it. The boat turned over and over, and
every person in it was thrown out and
drowned. When the stern of the vessel
sank the cries and screams of women and
children were heartrending for a few min
utes.
Reports from the wreck up to last even
ing say the vessel remains in the same
position. The water was comparatively
smooth yesterday, and a large number of
boats were graphing for the bodies. Three
only were secured, making eleven in all so
far found. The first body recovered was
that of a little girl six years old, one of
whose eyes had been almost torn out.
All the bodies were so terribly mutilated
they could not be recognized. The faces
are smashed in, the eyes torn out, and the
remains otherwise disigured. Three
schooners with a diving crew go to work
to-day if the weather is favorable. The
official investigation into the loss of the
steamer is expected to begin Tuesday.