Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-04-12
A Dreadful shipwreck.

Another appalling disaster of the sea
occurred last Thursday night. The steam
ship Daniel Steinmann, bound from Ant
werp to Halifax. with crew Of thirty
four men and over ninety passengers,
when of the Island of Sambro, twenty
miles from Halifax, struck rock and
sunk almost Immediately, carrying with
her every person on board except nine
three passengers and six sailors. There
is Il lighthouse upon Sambro Island, but
when it was seen, owing to the foggy
weather, the captain thought it was five
miles off, when 1t was but mile. A few
minutes before the ship struck the ledge
Of rocks the mistake was discovered, but
too late. Before her course could be
changed or speed slackened the steamer
struck one Of the sunken lodges some dis
tancc out from the island, and in five
minutes was Il wreck. The crash was ter
rifle. The passengers were hurled from
their berths and sleeping places, some of
them no doubt knocked insensible before
poured in and swept over the vessel.
Captain SchOonoven acted with great
bravery, but little could be done to save
the people. He remained on the ship
until it sunk, but clinging to 4 topmast
until morning, he was rescued by u boat
from the island.
"All hands to the boats, was the order
given by the captain Immediately after
the ship struck" said Florentine Deserne,
one of the surviving scamen, i'm giving an
account of the disaster. cover one hun
drcd people at this time were on the deck,
rushing frantically about. Women with
babies in their arms appealed piteously to
the captain and sailors to save their little
ones, if not themselves. Many OF the poor
creatures knelt down on the deck in
prayer. In the midst OF this dreadful
scene great sea came sweeping toward
the doomed ship. 1t swept the deck of all
the people who were standing. Those
who had managed to chamber into the boats
went down with the steamer, the fasten-
ings not having been cut in time. On the
order first given made for one life-boat
hanging in the davits, and, calling 10 an
other seaman to get in, told him TO cut the
ropes when gave the word. AS the YES
sci plunged beneath the water cried out
CUT and, each severing n rope, we
freed ourselves from the davits and float
ed on the surface clear of the wreck. All
around us people who had been swept off
were plunsing in the water and crying
for help, and it was only with the greatest
difficulty we prevented the boat being
seized OH all sides and swamped. The
appeals of drowning women and children
We're heartrending, but Our own lives
were at stake, and we could render but
few others assistance. The boatswain's
mate was first hauled OH board, and
shortly after we took in two flremen and
two passengers. One of the latter, an
Italian, was surrounded by crowd of
persisting unfortunatcs. As the boat
passed. and rs he made an effort to clutch
the sue anu maui HIMSELF ii, HAL u sCoic
of others chung to his limbs and body, and
it MAS thought the little craft weuld be
upset. The Italian, however, perceived
the danger in which he was throwing us,
as well as, perhaps, risking his own life,
released his hold Of the boats side, took 4
dive down into the water, and, rising
moment later with all the others shaken
off, he clambered on board. Seven of us
now were in the boat, and were Knocked
about in the rough sea for about an hour
and a-half. Finally, we got close to SAM
bro Island, and, observing the guiding
lights of those Oh shore, soon landed in
safety"