The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-07
sAMBRo's sRPULCHRE,
Latest News from the Wreck of
/ the Danl Steinmann.
AN ERROR WHICH RESULTED IN
THE Loss OF IVA LIVES.
Details of the Disaster Told by the Cap
fain and Others.


line, which occurred Thursday night OF Sambro
Island, confirm previous dispatches. This disaster
at the very entrance to Halifax harbor, has been
paralleed In horror only once before in the history
OF shipping catastrophes the coast of Nova SEQ
tia, the previous one being that of the steamer At
lantic, within half dozen miles of the spot where
the Daniel Steinmann struck and went down. All
day Thursday the weather had been thick and the
sky threatening, and as evening came on the wind
gathered slowly in strength. Heavy rain fell, and
as darkness set in fash after fash of lightning IL
Illuminated the night and peal after peal of thunder
shook the foundations Of the city's buildings
Toward 10 O'Clock the thunder and lightning
ceased, but the rain fell in torrents until carly
morning, and the wind blew gale. Within their
dwellings, the population little dreamed of the
dreadful tragedy being enacted almost at their
doors.
OSambro lighthouse, situated.on an island bearing
the same hame 20 miles to the southeastward OF
this port Is one of the first points made by vessels
approaching Halifax from the eastward. 1t is the
outermost harbor light, and warns the passing mar
iner of his close proximity to of the most dan
gerous portions OF the coast of Nova Scotia. Be-
side the light, which is stationary fog horn Is sit
uated there. The island stands about three miles
from the mainland, and running out in all direct
ions, to distances of 500 or 900 yards, are many
lodges hidden ty the water, beside numerous huge
rocks rising even at full tide high above the sea.
In stormy weather. immense breakers roll in on ali
sides of the islands beach. and to Apr roach the
coast is fraught with the greatest peril.
Thursday nights storm ragged about Sambro
with tremendous fury, ana the light was enyeloped
in a dense fog. At about 10 o'clock the White
Cross line steamer Daniel Stenmann, Capt. Scboon-
hoVen, lowering about the bay entrance, watching
for a sale opportunity to make the harbor, miscal-
culated her position and struck with terrible vo-
lence on Mad Rock sboal Sambro light was ablaze
Tho horn krxft
to and unheard by those on the Inflated craft I'm
medately backing of, with torrents of water pour
ing in below thei Daniel Steinmann drifted nearly
100 yards to the northward, and thed, in a few mo-
ments after receiving the first shock she struck on
Gardner shoal. With a second and larger hole in
her bottom, the sea soon filed her. and in less than
five minutes after the first alarm the vessel had
sunk. In the meantime, efforts were being made
by those deck to launch the lifeboats, but only
five of the crew and two passengers jumped. Before
others could Efollow etheir example,i the
boat broke away and drifted from the ship.
At about IL O'Clock the men on Sambro Island OBJ
served boat making for the shore and with torch
es it was guided around to portion of the beach
facing the mainland where the water was somewhat
calmer than elsewhere. landing was effected
with difficulty, and the boats occupants who were
all men, were cheerfully provided with shelter. The
first intmation of the terrible disaster was thus
brought to the lighthouse men, and sharp lookout
was Kept during the night for additional survivors
None, however, appeared; but as daylight broke
two people, man and boy, could be seen clinging
topsail yard. Everything else submerged. A
boat, manned by military attaches of the station,
at once put off, and in short time the two temsin-
ing survivors, badly exhausted and in deplorable
condition, were placed safely on land. The man
proved to be Capt. Schoonhoven, and the boy was
one OF the steamers passengers. Nine people have
been saved from the wrecked ship, but l24 had met
watery grave, 80 of them being passengers. The
storm had by this time abated siderably but the
heavy fog still hung over the water, and the sea
continued in rough state. About o'clock one of
the harbor pilot schooners managed to touch for a
moment at Sambro island, and to one of those on
board Capt. Schoonhoven gave message, which in
the afternoon announced the loss of the ship. The
pilot boat reached the mainland, and word was tele
City. ''''-
Below is a list of the passengers intending to
land at this port. none of whom have been heard
from: Hendr Bravenhoer, aged 80; Cornchia
Bravenhoer, 30; Pic.ernella Bravenhoer, IL; Adri-
ana Brayenhoer, 8; Joanna Bravenhoer, 8; lara
BravenhVer, 4; Aria BraveHhoer, l. Paulus Kra-
nandonck, 30; Maria Kranandonck, SO; Cornelia
Kranandonck, 10; Hildegrunda KraDandonck, g.;
Aria Krana donck, 4; Aart Kranandonck L. Mar
tin Stock. 60. All the above were laborers and
their families belonging in Rdderkerk Holland
Georg Sickle, 49, of Gunther, Prussia. The last
two named were bound for Montreal, and all the
etners Ior SnerproqEe, Sson Iosl me names
her passengers to be landed at New York had been
forwarded to the agents of the White Cross line in
that city from Antwerp. Small sailing vessels and
roWboats lowered about the wreck all the morning
In search of bodies but after noon the sea becane
go rough that the work had to be discontinued
Five bodies were recovered, one of which has haen
identified by Captain Schoonhoven as that of Will
liam Lampre, his chief officer. One of the others is
that OF young man on his way to New York, to en-
another was that of boy. The government steam
er Newfeld arrived up this evening, with ali the
rescued except the captain, who remains at Sam
bro.
Capt. SchOOnhoven Narrafcs she Details
of the Wreck.
Cant Cchoonhnvar on hafnr ;n+o.-;.-uas =.
sented the following statement respecting the
catastrophe, which he had prepared: "on the Sd Of
April, after a voyage of 1879 days from Antwerp
at p M, the bearing of Chebucto by dead reckon.
ing and the soundings was West one half South by
compass, distant 25 miles. There was a dense fog
and heavy rain. The steamer proceeded SLOWLY.
steering West onequarter South and sounding
every hour. At about 9.15 p. m. we saw through
the mist faint light about two points off the STAR
board bow, disappearing out of sight at times for
four to five minutes. Taking it for Chebucto.
steered for it, sounding 80 fathoms, and 10 or 20
minutes later saw that it was the fixed light of
Sambro, appearing clear and, at the sams time.
seeing a faint show of what took to be Chebucto
light about four points on the starboard bow. I
sounded 26 fathoms. Put the helm hard a-port
but it was too late. just before the ship struck on
the rocks, we had twice heard the fog whistle of
Sambro
The first shock was light, the second heavy. car
rylng away the steering gear, and could longer
get the engines to work. Next we drifted over the
rocks and anchored the ship lying to pretty quietly
and in little sea. l ordered the chief and second
mates to lower the boats and get the children and
female passengers in first. While saw this oo;no
on, having already one boat In the water the crew
working with Will, saw the ship coming nearer
the breakers. Again I ran forward to see if the
chain cable was not broken. Before getting there
a monstrous sea broke over the poop washing every
passenger-children and women-who stood on
deck, overheard. This was followed Immediately
by an awful crash, and the ship went down as ouick
as lightning, stern first, carrying every one down
who was on the deck and bridges ran mn the fore
rigging, but was washed out before getting half
way up, but succeeded afterward in Catching the
topsail yard, which stood just above water A mo-
ment afterward a passenger was able to ioin me-
The night was foggy and rainy. We saw nothing
more. The next morning we were gallantly res.
cued by the men on Sambro Island, about 8 a. m.
in of our own boats there being no life boat ar
rocket apparatus on the island. Some of the crew
had already succeeded in reaching the land through
the surf The number of passengers drowned was
80; of the crew 33. The number of passen gers
saved was three of crew 6.
Further questioning ELECTED from the captain the
following additional information 1--WE had q fine
passage till we reached the banks, where we saw
some patches of field ice. Thence we had almost
continual fog with rain. We got our last obserya-
ton on the morning of the I'd. We had full gem
eral cargo of about l 400 tons. The steamer was
drawing 20 feet inches aft, and 8 feet forward
1t was storm from the eastward when we struck.
with thick fog and rain. 1t impossible to save
any papers whatever l stayed on the foretopsail
yards but had to go farther up to clear the break of
the sea- and stood in the ratlines for eight hours
with the passenger. We were afraid to laah orr
selves for fear the mast would break away We
Just held on, ready to jump. A heaying line was
finally thrown TO us, and we jumped into the water
and were pulled through the surf into the boat The
oHcers who were lost were as follows: W. Lamfer
chief mate; W. Busphe, second mate; Gerard &c.
nard, boatswain; all Germans, married, belonging
In Antwerp. Eckman, chief engineer, and Klofier
second engineer both of Holland; Brasil third en-
gineer, of Antwerp; Bournon, chief steward Ger
The survivors Of the catastrophe were: Henri
Schoonhoven of Antwerp, captain Fritz Wick of
Stralsund, Prussia, boatswain; Eugene Nickola of
Mutfort, Lunenburg Sacco Nicola Vicenzo of Sa-
lormo Italy; John Niederman of Eeenhofen Ober;
Bayern Otto Krause of Evittchendorf near
SchwaTzeburg; Frank Florentine Disson of An
twerp; Charles Won Louis Of Antwerp and Peter
Pringer of Antwerp.
The wreck has broken in at least two parts The
DOW, heading toward the westward, has the fore
mast standing, while the mzzen, evidently attached
10 the submerged stern, is farther west
story of the Light Keepers Brother.
Alexander Gilkie's narrative was as follows: my
brother Alfred is keeper of the light. The regular
inhabitants of the island the keeper, his wife
and three children, myself and another brother,
Stewart the bombardier, four gunners of the royal
navy and Alexander Housman, the engineer in
charge OF the fog whistle. AT the time Of the dis
aster, the keeper and the bombardier were in Hal.
flax on duty, in making their regular returns, etc.
Inere were at the time two boiler makers on the
island, engaged in repairing the boiler of the fog
whistle. was in charge of the fog whistle from
till $50 O'Clock, having relieved the engineer
afE 1saNIz