Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-12-16
WAVES OF DEATH.
Six Men Killed and Sixteen
Hurt On an Ocean Steamer.
The Vessel Suddenly Covered With
an Avalanche Of Water.


The Vessel Suddenly Covered With
an Avalanche OF Water.
The ocean steamer Westernland, Of
the Red Star lins, swung into her pier
at Jersey City the other afternoon after
a twelve days voyage from Antwerp.
Her decks were crushed in, her staunch
sides wrenched and strained, broken
beams of steel and planks Of oak protru-
ded their jagged ends on every side.
The first glance suggested story of
stress and storm (; of suffering and dis
aster. Disaster and suffering the yes
sci had encountered, but the story that
was to be told was not the ordinary
one Of raging winds and mountainous
waves that storm m-beaten ships bring
with them. The winds had not given
her warning, the waters had not lashed
themselves 10 Threatening fury, but
when all seemed calm single wave
had risen up from the sea and crashed
down upon the steamers deck, leaving
behind it as i: surged away more than
a score of mangIed bodies, cead or dy-
log or sorely wounded, lying amid a
mass IF tangled wreckage.
1t was on November 20 that the
Westernland, the staunchest of the Red
Star feet, sailed out Of Antwerp with
sixty nine cabin and 574 steerage pass
engers and twenty-five officers and men.
A heavy fog in the River Scheldt caused
the loss of day, but after that the
weather was favorable and the voyage
continued prosperous until Saturday
last, November 81. At noon on that
day Second Officer Ehoff, as he relates,
went on watch and found the sky
clear, a fresh breeZe blowing and a
moderate sea. The members of the
crew were busted about their various
tasks, and several of the stee rage pass
enge.s were lounging about the deck.
The cabin passengers were nearly all
below. While standing on the main
bridge the second officer suddenly saw
an enormous wave Oh the starboard
bow. The next instant another SINH
lar wave was seen on the port side.
Joining each other at right angles the
two waves swept toward the vessel.
The united mass of water rose higher
than the lower yards of the foremast.
In moment it crashed down upon the
deck of the steamer and swept il from
bow to stern, carrying everything be-
fore if.
The turtle-back deck was crushe3 to
spliBters. The steel beams supporting
it were broken off like pipe stems.
The stanchions were bent and twisted
and beaten down to the forecastle deck.
Everywhere lay masses of broken
blanks and beams and woodwork. Ly-
ing crushed in the wreckage were
twenty two steerage passengers and
members of the crew.
As soon as the first moment or panic
had passed orders were given 10y Cap
tain Rande, who was on the after-deck,
to aid the injured, and the crew
promptly obeyed. Four of the seamen
were found to have been killed. Max
Frank, a steerage passenger, had his
abdomen cut open and his skull frac-
tured He died the next morning.
Gabriel Levaderi, another steerage
passenger, wass apparently but slightly
bruised. He had. however, sustained
in.ernal injuries which caused his
death five hours after Frank expired.
The others injured were suffering
from broken legs and arms and painful
bruises. They we're at once taken to
| the intermediate cabin, which was fit
ted up as a hospital, and carefully at
, tended to until port was reached by the
ships surgeon and DR.. Felix Cohen,
of New York, who was a passenger on
board.
A steward who was just coming out
of a closet under the turtle back losl
the tips of two fingers in q curious
manner. The door opened forward
and was held open by a catch over the
top. The steward put his left-hand on
the after door post just as the big sea
came along. carrying off the door
the door, which caught the ends OF the
.. fingers that projected beyond the dooI
post. shaving them off as with knife
The officers OF the vessel. one and all
: say that they never knew of an occa-
sion when two such fugitive waves
, came together in weather such as that
which prevailed at the time OF the ae-
p cident.
i