Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-03-16
THE SUNKEN STEAMER
How the Passengers of the Oregon
Were Saved.
ACCOUNT OF THE RESCUE
Detailed by Captain Rungk Of the tulda
1.-The Mail Bags
Lost.

having on DOaIu inc paosonBSAS ohN SAS"
of the Cunsrder Oregon. The steerag'
passengers were landed at Castle Garden
J where the agents Of the Cunsrd line me-
them and made arrangements for quarters
for them. The cabin passengers dispersed
Immediately after landing. They were
not detained by the custom officers, as their
baggage and effects had gone down with
the illfated vessel. Those Of them who
live in the city went directly to their
homes, while others put up with friends
and at various hotels.
Captain Rungk, Of the Falds, was Ieen
at the office of the North German Lloyd 6
line shortly after ten o'clock. Hshsd just
lett his ship, aud had buried over to the
company office to report. His story OF
the rescue is as follows: ut was nearly
noon on Sunday when we first saw the Or.
egon, but as soon as l made her out, and
before l was able to learn her name, l
could see that she was in disabled condi-
ton. A few minutes after | sighted her
nv vessel had carried me within full view,
and mysef and all the other officers who
had been looking at her through our
glasses, were
HORRIFIED
to learn that she was the Oregon. She was
at the time low down in the water, and
every heavy wave dashed over her decks
A few minutes after noon we hove to within
a ships length of the sinking craft: The
voices OF the passengers on the disabled
vessel could be plainly heard, some of them
Offering fervent prayers for the timely arrl-
val Of the Fulds. The schooner GorhSm,
to which part of the 0regon's passengers
were transferred, was swsrming with peo-
ple-they stood on her deck as close TO.
| gerher as possible. On board the pilot
boat the scene was the same, while the
boats of the Oregon ioated in the vicinity
crowded to the gunwsles. AS soon as we
/ hove to We dropped our ladders over the
side and two small boats loaded with peo
pie quickly rowed up to US and emptied
| their contents over our side. They told
the story of the wreck while the work OF
gathering in the others went steadily on.
Some OF the young men among our passen.
gers gave up their berths to the rescued
| ladies, and soon we arranged matters 60
that, although we had pretty big list OF
passengers ourselves, we found accommo-
dstions for all the ladies and old men.
The Oregon sank at exactly l24O
D. m, less than forty minutes after We had
/ hove 10.
SHE PLUNGED DOWN BOW FIRST
| in sight of the horroWstricken, rescued
passengers. The lest thing to disappear
was her great crew. 1t was after three
o'clock before all the passengers had been
transferred from the pilot boat Phantom
and schooner Gorham to our deck. Only
q small portion of the Oregons mail was
saved. AS soon as sll was over and we
had started again on our way, officers OF
/ the Oregon began calling the roll OF
theiv passengers. At midnight every
man had been accounted for except an
! English minister named Waller, aud un'
derstsnd he hos einGe been found. The pas
seugers we're not en- dishsbille when they
came on board the Fulds. They had plenty
of time to get their clothing on. Some OF
the gentlemen missed their hats. The
ladies saved all or nearly all their valua-
bles. All the work our physician found to
do among the rescued passengers was to
! attend to the adjustment OF the nerves OF o
few young ladies which had become I'M
strung by the excitement, and another
lady whoss little GaseF vas cut OF above
the first Joint"
In shi ppiDg circles the accident forms q
theme for never ceasing comment. Inc
IDEA of a schooner in light breeze o5'
tanning headway enough to crash into such
8 rtssmer and damage her enough to sink
her canuot be conceived. Mr.. Gibson,
psssenger agent OF tie Guion line, to which
the Oregon formerly belonged, said that
shin had water tight compartments.
There are several reasons" he continued,
"why these compartments might have been
omen. If the coal bunkers had been emp
tied the compartments might have been
left open for ventilation. Sometimes the
spaces are open to clean up, as steam
ship g entering port. .,
Pilot boat No. ii (Phsntom) passed
Sandy Hook about 10 o'clock this morn
inc, having in TOW Gve or six large boats,
probably those belonging to the steHE. sh'E
Oregon.
HIS LIPS SEALED.
HUNTERS PoIET, March l5.-Wm. Tsy'
lor, third officer OF the Oregon, arrived here
from Moriches st IL o'clock. To Q re-
porter OF the Associated Press be said be
must decline to make any statement, az
be had been instructed by Vernon d.
Brown not to give any particulars OF the
collision or sinking of the vessel to the
press. Hethen LETT for New York.
Captain Thurber, Of Life Saving Station
No. is, said that nothing could be seen
this morning of the sunken steamer or o.
: the schooner that is supposed 10 have col
lided with her.
WHAT SAILOR SAW.
New YoRK, March l5.-0ne of the sail
ors of the Oregon this morning said ths
: immediately of er the collision bulk OF 6
. sailing vessel was seen drifting slowly By
on the port side of the steamer, grazing
: her. sides as she passed sstern. 1t wa
thought that she sank as soon ss sh'
|, cleared the Oregon, and as none OF bel
crew ore on the Fpldsr hs presumed the.
: had ell been drownea.
: NAIL LOSS.
New YoRS, March l5.-Postmsste
r Pearson states that by the steamer oregon
!, which sailed from Liverpool on the 9Th ant
j Queenstown on the 7th inst. there wer
;. despstched 59S bags Of mail. OF thes
# about ll3 we're eioseS bags, containing
l. 26O bags Of letter main 10
e the United States and Canada
D tss balance being made up Of about Al
e bsgs Of nsvspsssr mail two despatch bag
J. and q usnbsr Of tsgs inc!osiBg enpt
SACKS returned. OF The siSty-si@ heav
d registered nails, estimated as coutainin
q about 2,400 lettsra and package
e dispatched by the Oregon, only 9 Peftio
It Of the French, italian, Swedish and Ru
" .ian mail, ninety-iour pieces in all, wa
D, recovered. the British and German regi
G teSea usil being all lost. The Briiisl
ls German, Swiss, Swedish, Belgian, Pors'
1usss aud Cape Town money oge'
EO'. | ,,or, Iorjor pSrlip. Bssle an