Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-08-18
'rsss and 9akotaiaa
4 Collision in Mid-OCean.
MANY PEOPLE GO DOWN IN A
WRECKED STEAMER.
IN THE DEEP SEA BURIED.
Panic Follows the Collision and Many
Perish for Want of Presence of Mind
The story as Told by the Cap
taiG of the steamer.

-IIS TSlDIy hS NNo ny 1hS ShP -
taiG of the steamer.
NEW YORK, Aug. 1.-THE steamship
Geiser, of the Thingvala line, which left
New York last Saturday at II a. m. for
Stettin, was run into off Cape Race Tues
day by the steamship Thingyala, of the
same line. Her side was stove in and
she sank rapidly. The panic-stricken
people were getting into boats as rapidly
as possible, the Thingvala's boats being
all used in the work of rescue. The
Geiser sank so fast that before the boats
returned from the T~hingyala after their
first trip the disabled steamer had gone
down, leaving scores OF people struggling
In the water. Many of these were picked
up, but when the roll was called on
board the Thingvala 1t WAS found that
seyenty-two passengers and thirty-three
of the crew of the Geiser were missing.
The Hamburg line steamship Wieland,
which was in the vicinity, came up in
time to assist in the work of rescue and
she divided the rescued party with the
Thingvala, the latter proceeding in q
damaged condition for Halifax, while
the Mielaud proceeded to New York, ar
irving at quarantine late in the after
noon. 1t is reported that fourteen pas
sengers and seventeen of The crew We're
saved, including Capt. Miller.
The collision between the Thing
vala and Geiser occurred off Sable Island.
The Geiser sank in five minutes. The
Thinayala's passengers, 400 in number,
were transferred to the Wieland and
brought Eere with the fourteen passen-
gers and seventeen Of the crew of the
Geiser. All the others-seyenty-two
passengers and thirty-three of the rev
were drowned. The Thingvala is trying
to reach Halifax. The exact extent of
her injuries Is unknown. The Thingvala
left Stettin on July % and Copenhagen
August A. for New York. h is com
manded by Capt. Laub. She is 1871
tons register. The Geiser was of 1871
tons.
The collision occurred about A o'clock
Tuesday morning. First Mate Henry
Brown had been in charge, the captain
having retired at IL p. mi, the night being
perfectly clear and no danger appre-
hended. About 4 O'Clock Capt. Miller
was awakened by o call from the chief
officer on the bridge, who said there was
danger OF a collision. A moment later
there was a shfill blowing of whistles,
which awakened the passengers, but be-
fore they could get on deck, CT
seize the life p~reseryers, there was a ter
rible shock and the vessels side was
crushed in. Some of the water-tight
=. compartments wsrs broken into and the
ship began Mt once to sink. Those ON
board were thrown into confusion and
panic. A rush was made for the boats.
Capt. Moller had rushed to the bridge,
clothed only in his night dress. He says
he heard two whistles, meaning that his
steamer would keep or her course. He
recognized the Thingvala approaching
amidsbip on the stArboard. The Geiser
engines were reversed and she WIS back
ing water. The same was being done by
the Thingvala, but both steamers were
under too heavy q Roadway to avert the
catastrophe.
Capt. Moller continues: 1.-THE pas.
sengers had now BEEN awakened and
were s%crambling over each other in wild
confusion in an effort to reach the upper
decks. They forgot the frat rule on
board ship in case of accident, to seize
the live preservers, ] called to them to
do SO, but they paid no heed. gave or
ders to man the boats, and the small
boat astern was lowered, but the settling
of the steamer aft at this moment sank.
the boat. In less than two minutes from
the time, when / reached the bridge, we
were struck, and within the same length
of time thereafter the vessel %as partly
under water. l had hardly given orders
to man the life and small boats when /
was swept from tho bridge. The
panic-stricken passengers made q jump
for the few boats that were
launched and the boats were capsized.
As soon as / came. to the surface i began
to swim. I saw nothing in the darkness
but the .aasts of the ship, but | heard
the awful cries of those who were strug-
Cling in the water or sinking to death. /
suppose I had been in the water Eve
minutes, when ! came neal a rowboat
from the Thingrala, and was picked up.
The officers and the crew of the Thing
vals did everything shat human beings
could do TO save the lives of those who
went down with the Geiser.n
Other accounts c~orroborate the cap
tain's statements as to the panic of the
passengers and swamping of the boats.
The passengers were mostly farmers from
The northwest, who had by years of in
dustry and economy accumulated a com
petence, aud were going on a visit to
their native land. Many were especially
attracted thither at this time by the
great exposition at Copenhagen. Those
that were saved lost all their effects and
even all their clothing except their night
wear.
Andars Mise Of Minneapolis, one of
those saved, q that he has been used
to early rising. He was awake when the
crash came, about a o'clock. He heard
cries of the officers and crew, and the
orders for all to come on deck. He
rushed up n triedsto cut loose one Of
the life boats, but could not do SO. The
steamer sank with terrible rapidity. He
was taken down in the whirlpool. When
he came mp he was under an overturned
life boat. He swan around till he was
picked up.
Ole Jansen of st. Paul, Mimi, says
that when he heard the ships crash to
gether he seized q life preseryer and
rushed on deck. He cut one of the
.Geiser's boats loose, but it stack to the
steamer until she sank. The life boat
was then freed, hut turned over before
1t reached the water. He got on the up
turned boat and was saved by the boat
swain crew from the Thingyala.
Tha most miraculous Escape was tina
of Second Mate J%orgensen. He was 1,
his hunk when the collision occurred
The black nose of the Thingvala scrapet
by his bunk, and pushing against tn,
doc of his cabin, held 1t closed. Tit
anchor chain of the Thingvala was hang
ing almost within his reach He sprung
Tor it,and grasping Invent up hand ovel
hand into the Thingvala.
+EEuEE mi - 4HA - ~ F.N E-L 49, h-