The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-03
A FRlGHrsUL DIS iSTER,
INVOLVING TIE DEATH OF SIX
MEN
And the InilicilOu Of Serious Injuries
TO Thirteen Others o. the
Steamer estePnland.

JERSEY Cry, N. j., December PA
frighttul disaster, involving the death
oil tx men and ths l. fiction Of serious
injuries TO thirteen others, was re-
ported this afternoon upon The arrival
of The steamship WesternlaDd On
Saturday aiternooD, November 9Th, a
hugo cross sea was suddenly en-
co1ntsred, and it fell with terrific
force upon the forward deck of the
steamship. The Westernlaud was
then seven days out from Antwerp.
The deck wa crushed in and buried
the uDfortunaies beneath a MSS of
wood ard iron debris. The next in
slant the wafer swept along the gang.
ways OF the main deck, carrying
several persons with it, The crash
was terrific, but before the appalling
nature OF the accident was realized by
the pass myers, the officers of the
ship had all the men availabls
engaged in the work of rescue.
The injured were carried to the
intermediate cabin, which was
transferred into hospital. -Four sea-
msn Wers found TO have been kill, d
outright. They were: Rasmus Sande-
gen, eyed 81, OF Antwerp. His skull
YVES crushed TO jelly. Gustave Du-
dart, 8 ed 43, Of Antwerp, crushed to
death beneath a heavy iron beam,
leaves a wife and three children.
Emile Dscock, 20 years old, Of Ant
werp, unmarried. He was found
pinned 10 the main deck by the Jag
Ced end Of an iron stanchion, which
had priced his abdomen. Henri
Jahrens, aged q, unmarried. His
legs were broken and his throat was
cut.
The two Others killed were steer
sge passengers, Msx Frank, IS years
old, of Germany, and Gabriel Liva-
der, sgsd IL, of Cons'antinople.
Franks abdomen was cut open and
his skull fractured. He died at
o'clock Sunday morning. Livaderi
sustained internal injuries, which
caused his death five hours after Frank
expired. The Injured seamen are
Second boatswain, Neal Hansen, LETT
leg and arm broken; Mills Olsen, both
legs broken; Jsvinnus de Jouge, leg
broken and ruptured; Henry Yer
straeten, both legs broken and chest
bruised; Francis Frank, Charles Bedo
and Ferdinand Hailmsn escaped with
slight bruises.
The passengers injured we're as fol-
lows: Joseph Levaderi, both arms
broken. He is brother OF the young
passenger who died from his injuries.
Max Kadl, leg broken; Julius Weld,
severe Commissions on back and aldo.
men; Francis Taasani, three ribs
broken and lungs punctured; William
Hsreombe, Of New York, leg broken
and arm dislocsted; Eugene Sohmer,
severe scalp wounds; Gustave Brennd,
severe Commissions on back and thighs
and face badly cut; Joseph Christ.
man, arm broken; Martin Naeser
ankle sprained and back bruised.
The dead were buried at sea. Many
affecting scenes we're witnessed at the
improvised hospital when passengers
inquired about their injured friends
Everything possible was done for the
relief of the injured. The cabin pas.
sengers showed their sympathy for the
unfoItunates by many kindly acts,
and raised purse Of 10000 francs to
be distributed among the families Of
the dead and injured. When the
WesternlaId reached port the injured
passengers were transferred to hos
pi,als.
An inspection OF the vessel at
forded some idea Of the terrible blow
she bad received. The crushed deck
was known as the forward whale
back. 1t was copstructsd of four-inct
pine plaDks, resting upon massive iror
beams. These in turn were upheld bJ
three inch iron rod stanchions The
vast volume OF water struck,the whale
back about fifteen feet from the stem
and crushed in a Sc ton twenty nine
feet in length and extsn1ipg the full
width of the steamship.
Second Officer Ehoff made the fol
lowing statement; eve left ANTWERP
on Saturday, November 20lh, witt
sixty-nine cabin and ga steerage pss
sargers and full cargo. AT 2:3(
o'clock Saturday afternoon. NovembeI
27th, we we're in latitude 40 49,, longt
tude 430 81. l was on the mali
bridge when l noticed an enormou
wave on the starboard bow. The mex
instant another towering wave joineC
1t from the port side. They seemed Il
leap into the cir as they mingled
They must have been nearly forty fee
high as / san their united mass allow
the lower yard of the fcremast. Thel
came a crash of the water upon tn
deck. 1t sounded louder than dozel
cannons fred at oIce. The waite
swept from one end to the other o
the main deck, carrying everything
before it,"
The disaster was not met with In
storm. Merely good, strong breeE
was blowing from the southwest, will
q chopping sea. The vessel was steam
ing at half speed-seven knots a
hour. The day was clear. Most Q
the cabin passengers were below.
group OF sailors were on the uppe
deck, under what ia technically know
as the forward turtle back" Movin
around among them were sewers
steersge passengers, who were i'd.
watching the sailors weaving "ser mel,
a material for mating, used for sail
The fret officer was below. TWAS tn
starboard watch and the captain an
second officer were on deck, the latte
being on the bridge.
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The Fine Performance OF Aida.
ST., LOUIS, No., December 9Th