The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1884-11-06
NUMBER 80.
SAFELY IN PORT.

The Passengers and Crew of the Burned
Steamship NIaasdam Rescued by the Rhein,
and Landed Safely In New York--Passen-
gers Accounts Of the Disaster.
NEW YORK. October 81.
The steamer Rhein, which arrived to-
day from Bremen, reports that on Octo-
Der oath, at seven O'Clock i'll the
evening, in latitude 40 deg, Ss min.,
longitude y deg, IL min, she fell in
with the Dutch steamer Maasdam from
Rotterdam for New York, which was all
ablaze. The Rhein took from her boats
the passengers and crew, numbering 1876
in all, and brought them to this port.
The Maasdam carried miscellaneous
cargo consigned to New York, The yes
sci was valued at S200,00 1t was about
nine p. IN. when the fire was first seen,
The boats of the steamship were picked
up one by one as the Rhein approached.
w. III. Vandentoon, agent Of the steam
ship company, says that the Rhein, with
Captain Nanderzcl Of the Maasdam and
passengers and crew, will arrive at Ho-
boken at three o'clock this afternoon.
THE CAPTAINS STATEMENT.
Captain yanderzee of the Maasdam,
burned at sea, makes the following state-
ment: eve left Rotterdam October
18th, with eight cabin and 1873
steerage passengers and crew Of
forty-live men. All went well until
the 23d when we encountered violent
gale, during which the petroleum tanks
commenced leaking, Next day at 2 p. IN.
one of the crew, in looking for
near the tank, which exploded with
loud report, the contents taking
fire and putting the ship in blaze Every
effort to control the fire was useless, so
at four p. III. | ordered all hands into the
boats. AT nine p. IN. we were picked up
by the steamer Rhein. No one was lost
or injured in the slightest degree.
James Bray, who was passenger on
the Maasdam, says:
The fire began about n. m. There was
much confusion at first, but the admirable
conduct of the Captain and crew helped to
reassure us. The appliances for extinguish-
ing the flames We're limited, but the men
worked well. When IL became necessary to
| take to the boats I'm officer was assigned to
| each boat,who saw that the women got In
| lirst and that there were casl of water and
| biscuits provided We tioated near the ship
| and at dark began firing rockets and blue
| lights. When the Rhein came up, some of
4 the women were SO prustTated from anxiety
| aboard with ropes. The Captain gave up his
| room to them, and did everything to make
/ all the rescued passengers comfortable. we
| lost everything but the clothes we wore. L
| think we loated from to IL p. m.
Abram Saut, of Montague, Mich, an
other passenger, says he thinks the boats
were out from l to l0p p. m. The sea was
quite rough. Many of the emigrants lost
considerable sums of moeey. Saut's
father claims to have had $500 in gold
in his trunk.
An officer Of the Rhein says; The sea
was heavy. When we sighted the burn-
ing vessel we changed our course and ran
down on her The first boat we reached
was the captains. We picked him up
with thirty others, including several
women and children. We soon came
across the other five boats and took all
the occupants off. Had they foated two
hours longer they must have all been lost
for heavy storm came up, which only a
staunch ship could ontride.
Castle Garden Superintendent jackson
says that the authorities will not allow
any Of the Maasdam's passengers to suf-
fer, but would assist and forward them
to their destination.