Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-08
LOST OFF SABLE ISLAND.
Tag AMSTERDAM RUNS ASHORE.
Driving Upon n sandbar st Fall speed IN
a Feg-Feur Persons Drowned-Seenes and

Incidents.
A Herald special from Halifax, n. s.,
says. Nv the arrival nj 10 O'Clock tonight
| Wednesday, OF the Government steamer
! Newfeld from a visit to Sable Island the
first intelligence Is received of the less oil
the steamer Amsterdam while on her
passage from Amsterdam bound to New
York. the disaster being accompanied by
the drowning OF four people. The steamer
sailcd from Amsterdam on July 18Th. ana
the weather for the succeeding two weeks
continued fair and moderate. Al the be-
ginning Of the last week. however. dense
fogs prevailed. during which The com.
mander, Captain Lucas, found IL impossi-
bic 10 make any observations.
GRouYDED On A BAR.
The consequence was that the vessel
drifted some thirtyhye miles out OF her
course, and shortly before 10 O'Clock last
Wednesday night she suddenly grounded
on an unseen saDdbar. At first II was sup
POSED she bad struck an iceberg the half
observed white caps Of the immense break
ers made out in Ne dense darkness having
the appearance OF these huge floating dan
gers to Atlantic navigation. The shock
was not heavy one, but It proved sutii
/ cient TO rouse from their rooms those OF the
passengers who had retired.
EXCITED PASSENGERS.
A few seconds after striking the deck OF
the ship was alive with excited people. All
on board. numbering $50 souls. crowded
! the deck 10 await what was 10 follow. For
! moment, however. there was no immedI-
ate danger. though many exhibited great
/ fear OF being overwhelmed by the immense
waves breaking about the ship that seemed
/ to threaten destruction and death to all.
| Fortunately there was but slight breeze
| blowing at the time. so that the peril OF the
! people was not nearly as great as it has so
! often proved TO others stranded on the
! treacherous sandbars OF This island. Cap.
/ tain Lucas soon discovered his position,
| though lie was not yet sure Of the exact /
/ place he had struck.
THE CARGO JETTIsONED.
/ lie ordered the crew to throw open the
matches and jettison the cargo with all pos
sible rapidly. The command, had no
sooner been given than those OF the pas
sengers able 10 do so went to work and |
willingly assisted the members OF the /
crew. Ton after ton OF the freight IN the F,
steamers hold followed each other over |
/ the side into the sea. but not stir or !
SILVER was there Observable TO the ship cX-
y
/ ing against her. The labor of throwing the /
cargo overheard continued until long after
daybreak, but ii was Of no service, the Am |
sterdam. holding tight fast, caught in ;he
sand. When dawn approached and day
came the log dispersed somewhat. so that
land could st be made ont some fifteen
miles 10 the west.
TO TIE BOATS.
At O'Clock in the evening one OF the /
boats. which, in the mean time, had been
got ready for immediate launching, was
dropped into the water with thirty five OF
those on board. including IN officer In
charge, and she was headed toward the
distant shore. Others followed as speedily .
as possible, until the sixth and last had /.
been successfully manned aud chi away, /
and tue steamer had been totally abandon. /
cd. The first boat reached shore in safety ?
after an eXhaustinc row 81 five hoIrs /
through the rough sea and breaking surf. 7.
The second one met with a sad mishap Just
A. II approached shore. It was a short dis. /
lance behind the leading boat. and, IN en- .
doavOring TO avoid collision. just ~ heavy
sea was breaking it was sWampcd aud ill .
were swept into the wafer. Some managed .
I to reach land in IN exhausted state and some
were picked up by the other boat. but four
I VI llitii' lNb SNltlfHi'n anu 'iif itAN pa"
/ sCrger and one Of the steamers fremcn,
were drowned.
PASSENGERS STORY.
Mr.. Constantn Ludwig, freight agent
and representative Of the firm Of BriSyh X
/ Rothcnstein, Of Berlin, one Of the largest
forwarding houses in New York. was one
Of the cabin passengers on board the Am.
>tcrdam. with his wife and three children.
IL al f.liatviutr q Ia l.a.1
steamer. the passage across and the Incl
dents OF the disaster:
1--WE sailed from Amsterdam at nOol on
Saturday, the 18Th ultimO. with twelve "a
loon passengers and 2lS people III the
Storage. The steamers cargo consisted
Ct steel wire, 5000 barrels ci Holland her
ring, tobacco. rice. and miscellaneous
freight. During the whole voyage the
weather. for the season. was unusually
foggy and Windy, with very heavy seas.
There were but two complete fine days,
on The Monday and Tuesday preceding
Che disaster. On the latter day Cap .
tam Lccas, orr commander, made good
observations, as he stated al the time, aud .
afterward, on Tuesday night. It was still /
clear. But Wednesday broke somewhat .
thick. II cleared liit'e later in the day, +
but toward evening the fog set in thick. /
and prevailed almost continually through (.
out The whole night \ short time before
The steamer stranded il seemed 10 me
20 clear slightly about the ship. Tut no /.
Land or lighthouse was visible. and they /.
must have been ohscurcd from sight By the .
fog. When we struck | and other cabin /.
passengers were taking supper.
THE SHOCK.
"The shock was very light one 20 /.
light. indeed. THAI did not then think that .
we had struck. For few succeeding mo- F.
ment> the alarm among the pc07e on boards
amounted TO paric, but Captain Lucls .
and his officers finally managed 10 cain
their fears with assurance thlt ali were ye'
safe. The officers n cnCe began ~ dis
charge rockets, aud at the same time The
crew. assisted hy the passengers. opened .
The ia,chc' and commenced TO ictti'0n re .
cargo. From Tie time the Amsterdam /
grounded Xactly quarter 10 l0-until /
The following dav about noon tbo ships /
men continued throwing the freight
overheard. Up 20 hat time no water
had shown in The steamers hold. The
sea VS. heavy. but, as We aiieIward
learned from those on Sable Island. the
weather was remarkably calm. With the
exception OF few hours the weather was
clear, and the far distant lind and light
mouse tolUu ne Ndu' ON. lullNG All /
possible effort, TO clear bis ship unayaiing.
Captain Lucas and his officers in the after
noon began to prepare the boat, Tor launch
irg. They were not lowered, however.
until about Is O'Clock in the evening. At
that hour il wa, discovered that water wa,
beginning 10 enter below; slowly at first,
hui gradually coming N faster
LAUNCHING THE BOATS.
As the evening was line and the appear
anccs were that II would continue 50. the
boats were ordered to be launched. one
OF Che efforts made by the officers to 1)at
The steamer was by lowering an anchor
some distance from the side and with the
engines on board endeayOrIng 10 draw her
OIL sideways. But 50 rough was the sea
that this had 10 be abandoned for The safety
Of those attempting it. The captain hCsi-
tated al first 10 abandon The ship. Al
though the night wa, 80 auspiciou,ly
fine ne knew the landing through the
surf would be pcrilous. This movement,
however. he decided upon. and at e O'Clock
III lo~.a xv.ro lou.ra1 into Ia. -,