Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-08-17
GRIMES AND ACCIDENTS.
119
GO Down at Night in
Mid-0Cean.
Two Ocean Steamers, ThineValla
and Geiser, Collide.
The Geiser Sinks in Eight
Minutes,
After Receiving Her Terrible
Death BLOW.
But One Woman Rescued from The Sink
lns Steamer.
The Cabins Of Many Prove Their Tombs.
The wieiand sights the rhingvallas
Sigaal OF Distress.
But One Woman Rescued from The Sink
ins Steamer.
The Cabins Of Many Prove Their fombs
The wieiand Sights the Thingvalia' {
signal OF Distress.


Steamer Wieland which arrived today
from Hamburg reports that August II when
thirty miles from South Sable Island al
noon saw the Danish steamer Thingyalla
Copenhagen for New York with signals OF
distress The Thingvalia eollided on the
itth st 4 A. NJ with steamer Gsiser of the
same line from New York to Copenhagen.
Fourteen passengers and II of the crew of
the Geiser including the captain were saved.
"A of the passengers and 33 of the crew we're
lost The wieland brought i55 passengers
from the Thingvalla sud those saved from
the Geiser to New York. The steamer
Tbingvalla will eGdsavor to reach Halifax.
Details OF tho Awful Collision.
The Thingvalla struck the Geiser on the
atarbosri side amidships between the coal
bunkers and the engine room and tore big
hole in her side. The Thingvalla had her
bows stove. There was very heavy sea
aud dense fog experienced through the
night and early morning of August l4th and
objects couldn't be distinguished 80 feet
away Stories differ as to where the liability
lies IL not due wholly to the fog and heavy
sen. The boats quickly recoied and within
eight minutes the Geiser sank. The crew of
the Thingvalla did all they could to save the
Geisers crew and passengers. 1t is
.tiiiI In doubt whether the Thingvalia is
not dangerously disabled. Owing to the
heavy sea but 81 were saved. No other yes
sci was near at the time.
At ll.30 o'clock on the morning of the
18th, the Wieland was sighted Signs of
distress were made by the rhingvslls and a
transfer of the passengers began. The sea
then was very heavy, but no mshaps occurred
in the transfer of the passengers.
The officers of the company were, unable,
tonight, to give the list of the lost. Capt A.
Albers of the wieland tells the following
story
At 10 o'clock on the morning of Aug. H.,
we passed some wrecksge floating in the sea,
and suspected that an accident had happened
somew here near US A little later we sailed
through sea of oil and sighted a broken
boat of the Geiser. About l so we sighted
her stern to the northward about seven miles
off. and seeing she bad flag of distress up
we ran dovn to her, which proved to be the
Thingvalla Capt Lamb came TO us
in small boat and earnestly begged
us to take off the passengers and those they
had saved from the Geiser. He said that
his own vessel was so badly Injured that
they expected to sink at any moment. The
forward compartment was completely ear
ried away from the half way deck to below
the water line. | sent three boats and the
Thingvalla lowered two of hers, and in five
hours we had transferred and saved the pas
sengers and crew of the Geiser and also t55
passengers of the fhiDgvalls.
The sea was very rough and the work of
transferring passengers very difficult. An
immense hole in the Thingvalas bow was
patched up as well as possible and she started
for Halifax.
The cause Of the accident, as far as learned,
is sseribed to the fog.
Officers Accounts.
The chief officer of each vessel was on
deck at the time of the collision. First OFF.
Ger Peterson of the Thsngvsls, tells the
story of the disaster The fog was very
dense Through the night rain had fallen al
intervals The first we knew of the Geiser's
approach was when she appeared on our
starhoard side right upon US. Both vessels
tried to sheer off, being head on. The Get
ser vas struck opposite the engine rooms,
ami,iships. The Geiser was heavily loaded
and was very low in the water, so that the
( Thinsvalla carried away her own water-sight
compartment. The upper parts of her bov
ran over the decks of the Geiser.
/ The Geiser's deck houses were al
carried away, her statereoms smashed snd
the occupants killed. They first heard the
the bell ring in the Geiser's engine room. but
could not tell what the order was. Ofhcei
| Peterson was on deck at the time, ther
they heard 1t again, this time to back. Tht
steamer had lust commenced to recourse
when the Thingvalla struck the Geiser. Hei
| whistle vas blowing at the time. The sec
oEld officer Forgerson jumped for the Thing
vaila's deck. and was hauled aboard by crew
une of the Geiser's passengers vas picke'
up with broken leg. As soon As the Vie
land arrived In the lower hay, Capt. Molla
left the vessels on the revenue cutter an,
sent directly to the office of the Steamship
company where he was cleseted for fes
moments with the agents He only lef
word that the accident was due TO the westh
er, and went away without stating hss desti
nation. The rescued crew of the Gsise
we're taken to the hotel Denmark on tn
arrival of the wieland. DIR. Aoge Wsrn
Cepenhagen. q passenger on the Thingvail
made the following statement The voyxe
! was uneyensfal until early Tuesday morning
] lefs ms berth aud looked out and saw ths
dense fog ~as still prevailing. l eoat
bear the steam whistle blowing bat coal
hear no other signals. II was exactly 4.S
O'clock when I vas hurled TO the foor Of m
stsferoom. There vas terrific crash an
knev inssiactively that a collision hsa
occurred As | reached the deck the ThinS
vsIia drew oat of the rent she bad made |
. the Geiser's side Captain Ian
I of the Thingwalia was in his bert
when the accident occurred. ard was eae q
the frst ones to reach the deck.
Terrible Scanea that Followed
Life beats we're quickly launched frol
the ThinsvaIlA AMI the work of rescue b,
gao. oas of le0 passengers and crew o
the Geiscr ouly 81 were saved. Some ha
B reached sAe boats but the most were 2icke
8 up from improvised rata. ehicken coon
E camp stools and anything else that voul
|. Goat The survivors had to harry - d