New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-06
THE WRECK NEAR HALIFAX.
HOW THE CAPTAIN LOST HIS COURSE.
SCENES on BOARD THE DANIEL srEINMAyy-Iup
PEOPLE SWEPT INTO THR WATER
III 10

Newfeld, Captain Guildford started from here al
daylight to visit the scene of the wrecked steamer
Daniel Steinmann at Sambro Island. The place
where the vessel struck is about twenty miles dis
tant the western side of the entrance to tho hsr-
bOr 1t is one of the most dangerous places On
this dangerous coast. The island, which In
three miles from the mainland, is 3 huge
granite rock, two miles more in circumference
and quarter mile wide. Within a half milo in
every direction are MASSIVE exposed rocks and
shoals, among which, if vessel once gets, there 10
no hope of escape. Five miles distant to the north
east is Chebucto Head, bold point on the western
side of the entrance TO tho harbor. On the
Island Is a revolving steam fog whistle.
OFFICERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DISASTER.
Sambro Island is eight miles ont of the course sf
ocean steamers going to and from Europe, and The
loss of the Daniel Steinmann appears to be ono Of
the worst record and is directly due TO the neg
igence or ignorance both, of theshIps officers.
All accounts show that fully an hour and a BALI
elapsed between the time the ship struck and when
she went down, during which Uandemonium ragged
There was no order; passengers crowded on the
deck, and shrieks, cries aud the prayers Of excited
men, women and children we're terrible. No boats
were launched, although there was ample time TO
do so and no practical effort was made to the
passengers and crew. Toward the last 1t was
every for himself, heresult being aterible los
of life where all or nearly ali might have beea
saved.
STORIES OF WITNESSES AND SURVIVORS.
The story is best told by the witnesses and sur
vlvors. Frederick KeywOrth, the Royal artillery
signal man stationed on the island, says:
on duly on Tuesday night at $3.50. sighteds
miles from the lighthouse and making stralghs
been foggy during the day and the whistle continually
sounded but toward night the weather began 10 clear up
and at that time so clear that could see CheOuos
Llght, and the whistle ceased sOundng sun IL was inls
and there st breeze. heavy swell was on the sea
distinctly saw the port and masthead lights OK the steam
straight for the lighthouse Icalled attention O her
son aud got the engineer 10 start the whistle TO wai
her % the danger The whistle started in three minutes
She was then about three miles OF saw her stop ana
20 ahead again at apparently full speed, going perhaJs
three quarters OF mile. Then she stopped again aud
went ahead slowly and all at once she came to sudden
strike signals of distress were hosted and
1880 within 300 yards OF the island.
could distinctly hear The screams OF the women ana
had lifeboat ere boat Of any kind excepts
small fiat boat. Had there been hle-boat there would
less have saved many not ALL on board next assisted
to direct the boat with the survivors 10 safe andias
IN the boat which the SURVIVORS landed rescued
captain and passenger irom the rigging
EXPLANATION OF THE CAPTAIN.
Captain SchoonhOven is about forty, fair, slight
sailor. A TRIBUNE correspondent found him much
excited, confused and unwilling to talk about The
disaster. He had already prepared brief repoTs
and wanted to cOnfne himself to It, In reply 10 aa
inquiry he SAID that the weather had been rough
and fOggy for several days. He had been on tss
bridge all Tuesday and Wednesday nights. On
Thursday evening there was considerable fog with
occasional heavy rain and brilliant flashes of light
ming; not much wind, but heavy sea on. TAs
captain then continued:
At o'clock | saw what thought was Chebucto hes4-
light BY dead reckoning and sounding bore west.
Onehaf south, by compass, and Judge was twenty
hve miles distant steamed ahead dead slow, steering
west, Onehalf south, and taking soundDgs every hou
At 920 saw through the mist faint hight ec9ted tSS
points the stdrbOaTd bow 1t disappeared ONLY ~ Ia
Ieryals Still thinking that il CheDuctO light kept
the ship her course sOundngs giving thirty fathomk
Between ten aud twenty minutes later discovered thss
it was fixed light sambrO, appearing clear, and
at the same time making out FAINT glmmer F
what | took 10 be CheDuc TO light ABOUT -four
points on our starboard bow. sOuDdings thea
gave tweny-six fath0Ins [ was going dead $40" "nen
the steamer struck lightly on the rocks 90
WHAT WAS DONE WHEN THE VESSEL STRUCK
At that minute heard the whistle sound for the frst
TINE. ordered tho helm hard apOrt minute or ~
later the vessel struck again heavily She refused to sa-
the helm. The rudder and propeller had beeu car
ried away. ordered the up and told the first ara
second launch the boats and get the women asd
children into them After striking the second time tie
ship drifted off into deep water ana Or
was preserved and the crew were working with VII.
All this time the breakers were visible all around Iss
Continued to drtt rushed down from the bridge and
went forward to see If the chain cable had parted
PASSENGERS WASHED OFF BY WAVE.
Most or the passengers had gone aft or ware
at the boats Just then tremendous wave struck as
ship and washed of scores OF passengers. The yesi
gave tremendous thumps and senk like fash al
lightning. l judge it was then about 10 O'CLOCK.
As the ship struck the 1io,ira last ,di time n. a.
sank so fast that let go and with the water .d
finally got on the yard arm which was above the vsbT
hass ssegt been long there when man swan up to hs
yard. clutcned him and drew him on the yard. be
proved to De passenger a yonng man naI9ea $40 $40
waistcoat and In order that If the worst came
should swim the shore. But the masts stood secure
until rescued in one of our own boats. .-,.
At that time did not know that anybody except ysat
and the passenger rescued had been saved canrst
account for getting far ont OF The course e1cep on s
following grounds; We had had toggy We.ther TOT ~
era days previous TO the accident on the last tra
! which / had been unable TO take observations ADDED
to this there must have been an exceedingly sroag s.
ery current and my eompasses must nave neen saqss
to attraction While on the yard dld not oosef,e
has the projection OF some ledge protrudias
through her at about the centre, which Eeeps
mass 6eing perfectly upright do think any OF tAs
freight will get out or that the vessel VIII oreax up es
The GguIes give you what suppose to be cor
rect my log papers and all went down with the ship
STATEMENT OF THE MAN ON WATCH.
Florentine Van Gessel, who was on the lookout,
has been to fifteen years, and has been wrecked
seven times, the last time at Madeira, while op
passage from Buenos Ayres for Antwerp, when
three or four hundred lives lost, and be was
only one of four who escaped lie told his story af
the wreck as follows:
Invent to the lookout at o'clock. IL was foggy, and
there were rain and lightning and the wind was blow
ing mean breeze Previous 10 this captain had been
aloft himself 10 LOOK at the light lie would not
trust any else to alof on that mission We wess
going slow. saw light about quarter Of An hour
after going the watch. reported II 10 the captain
and second mate They said that they saw IL and
Thought lt was a revolving light At $3.50 threw eadi
II was twentyslx fathOms Immediately after heard
fog whistle The vessel gong slowly and the shlp
srck lightly. We had stopped several tunes previous 20
this the captain being afraid TO ahead. About htoea
minutes after the first striking the ship again struck