Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-12-03
HnIuncSlon Granted.



JeESET CIex, Dss. "A frtehtful dis
Aster, involving the death OF six men
aRd the tafiicslOn Of serious injuries 70
twelve others, was reported this after
nOoR on the arrival OF the Steamship
WesteFnlAnd. Oa Saturday afternoon,
Nsyember 9th, 3 huge eross see vas
sailenly encountered. and it fell with
terrific force On the forward deck Of the
steamship WesteFnland. then ssven days
cut from Aatssrp,. The a ok vas crushed
in, aud buried ths unfortunates beneath
tue nass Of wood and iron debris. TIE
next instant the water swept along the
Rangways OF the main deck, carrying
several persons with it. The crash was
terrific, but before the appalling nature
Of the aoaidsnt vas realized BY the pas
sengers the officers OF tine ship had all
the men ayail5ble engaged Ia the work
Of rescue. Tne injured we're carried 70
the intermediate cabin, which Vas
transferred into hospital Four sea-
men were found 20 have been killed
outright TIE passengers injured are
as follows: Jose LleyadoEie, both
arms broken; Max Ksgi. leg broken;
Jalias Well, so7efe confusion on the
back and abdomsn; Francis rassani, 8
ribs broken and lauga paaotuFod: Wm.
Harcomb, OF New York, leo broken and
arm dislooated; Eugene eohmer. severe
scalp wound; Qustave Bfenn, several
ooatusioas on bAck and thigh aud fact
badly cut; Joe Ohristman, arm broken.
The dead were bariad at sea. Many
affecting scenes were witnessed az thl
improyised hospital, when passenger
inquired about khsir friends. Every.
thing possible vas done for the relief oi
the iniared. Cabin passengers showed
their sympsthy giih the unfortunatos By
many kindly acta, and raised q parse Of
900 franos 70 be distributed among TIE
families Of sne dead and injured
when the vessel reached psFt she in
iaFed passengers we're transferred 20
she hospital. An inspection Of the ves-
sol afforded s0ma idea Of the terrible
bloW she reosived. The crushed deck
was known as the forward whale
back. it vas Constructed Of fouE
Inch pine planks, Festiag on massive
iron beams. These Ia turn were halt
up by tbres inch iron rod stanohiona,
The vast v0lame OF water struck the
whole back about fifteen fest from the
stem, and crushed Ia a section tweaty-
nine feet IN length and extending she
full width Of the steamship. second
OfieeF E. Hun made tne following state
ment We left AniWerp on Saturday,
November 20th, with 60 eabin and S7l
steoraae passengers, and q full cargo,
~ 2s80 O'clock Saturday afternoon, No.
vembcr 27th, We we're n latitude 47;67,
l0nRituda lS57. / vas on the main
bridge when notloed an ensrm0us WAvl
on he s3aFbosfd boz. Ihs next in.
slant another towering wave joined it
from The port side. They seemed 10
leap into the air a. they minoied. They
must have beoa nelFly 20 feet ID hight
fhsiF united mass vas above tue lowel
yards of the foFemagt. Then eame Z
crash Of the watsr upon she deck. IL wAl
louder than q dsken oannons dFed e
ones. Ths waaer aweps from one end
% she other Of the main deak. and ear
gied everything beforo u. Tks disAsial
gas ne3 met With Ia q storm. merely q
good strong breeze blowing from ths
southwest, with q ehoDDing sea. The
vessel vas speedinR nxteen knots "a
hour. The dag gas clear. Most Of ths
cabin passengers we're below. A RfouF
Of sailors were on the spar daak undsi
What q teohnicaliy known ~ The -turtls
back" Moving aE0and among then
ware several stssraRa pAaaenGsFs, Whf
were Idly watching the sailors weavini
ssnnet,n 3 matertal fox mating used
foF naiia. The hrst ofleeF Was below. Il
vas tbs alaKboaFd wafah and he esp
tain and seoond mats were on dssk, the
latter being On the bridge"