New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-08-29
HORRIBLE sHIPWREGK.
Appalling Loss Of Life In Steamship Collision
--One Hundred and Nineteen Persons Ushered

Appalling Loss Of Life In . Steamship Collision
--One Hundred and Nineteen Persons Ushered
Into Eternity.
The story of the collision of the steamers
Geiser and Thingyalla is one of the most
| remarkable in ocean records; as both vessels
were under full Roadway. The night had
been dark and cloudy and it was raining oc-
casionally, but there does not appear to
have been any fog or any exceptionally
heavy seas. Both steamers Were in charge
OF their first officers who were old
and experienced. On whom the blame
rests, neither the officers nor the passengers
on either vessel were able to state. Few pas
sengers We're on the decks of the steamers at
that hour OF the morning. When the steam
ers came IN view of each other in the gray
OF the dawn they were only a few ships'
lengths apart and the crash came in a few
minutes. The iron Prov of the Thingyalla
STRUCK the Geiser amidships on the star
/ board side, tearing its way half through the
! side of the unfortunat steamer. Passengers
and crew OF the Inflated steamer who were
aroused by the shock, and who escaped in
| jury, had no time to realize what had hap
pened. Many who were sleeping on the side
OF the vessel which was struck were crushed
N their berths as they slept and carried
DEAD AND MANGLED.
| to the bottom of the sea- Those who sue
ceeded in reaching the decks of the Geser
were hardly less fortunate. In the binding
| rain that was now beating on the deck Of
the vessel some of the officers were shouting
yainly and running wildly about. There was
no time for explanation and Capt. Molten,
who had come on deck just before the col
ilsIon endeavored hastily to obtain an idea
OF the extent of the accident, to arouse the
passengers and crew and to lower the boats
! In the midst OF those hurried preparations
the steamer began to settle, and with lurch
she went down head foremost The next
/ Instant dull, heavy explosion agitated the
waters as they closed over the Geiser The
boats and the life RATS were all carried down
with the Gelser, and a few of the passengers
were left in the water clnging to the spars
and wreckage. The crash of the collision
brought the Thingvalla's passengers ondeck,
|. but it was soon found that though badly
crushed and leaking she was seaworthy, and
boats were at once lowered for the assistance
OF the lew people who had escaped from the
Gelser The boats of the Thingvalla pulled
until after daylight over the place where the
delser went down, taking in all they could
see. Among these were Capt. Moller, who
was nearly exhausted, and Mrs. Hilda Loud,
cabin passenger. who was
THE ONLY WOMAN
who escaped from the wreck. While the
search was being made for the survivors of
the Geiser Capt. Laub, ofthe Thingvalla, was
busy attending to the injuries that his own
steamer had sustained. 1t was found that
they were more serious than had been thought
at first. The bow of the vessel had been
caved in by the severe blow that she had
dealt the Geiser, and although the ships car
penters had succeeded in bracing up the walls
OF the bulkhead the pressure against them
was SO great when the ship was moving as
to make it very exceedingly doubtful whether
she could continue her voyage to New
York, and in the event of severe storm her
condition would be too critical to take any
risks. Capt. Laub decided to put at once to
Halifax which was about $50 miles distant
when the Wieland was sighted and signals of
, distress were given. The Wieand bore down
upon them and Capt. Albers, hercommander,
offered to take aboard all the passenger of the
Geiser and the Thingvalla. They were trans
ferred with some difficulty, the sea being rough
and the Thingvalla sailed into Halifax. while
the Wieland proceeded to New York None of
the passengers of the Thingvilla were in
Jured in the collision, but several of those of
the Geiser who were rescued had sustained
severe injuries IN the wreck. Andreas Wilsz
OF Minneapolis was one of the passengers
who was saved. Wilsz is farmer, and has
long been accustomed to early rising, and
to this habit he attributes the fact that he is
alive to-day to tell the terrible story He
was awake when the first crash came, and
on deck
81 at once rushed on deck" he said, sand
tried to cut loose one of the life boats, but
| did not succeed. There was a loud and long
continued blowing of whistles, which aroused
the passengers. Hardly any Of them had
| time to seize life preservers or scramble upon
deck before the crash came. Frenzied people
rushed hlther and thither crying, cursing,
praying and pleading for their lives 1t was
a terrible spectacle. 1t seemed to me that the
seven minutes or less we were there
on deck were hours, and I cannot
close my eyes now but [ see the whole
scene enacted all over again. managed to
get into one of the lifeboats and was taken
on board the Thingvalla."
ST. PAUL SURVIVOR.
Ole Jansen of ST. Paul, Mimi, says:
| When he heard the ships crash together he
| sliced q life preserver and rushed on deck.
He cut one of the Geiser's boats loose, but it
stuck to the steamer until she sunk. The life
boat was then freed, but turned over before
it reached the water. He got on the upturned
boat and was saved by the boatswain crew
! from the Thingvalla. The most miraculous
escape of all was that of the second mate,
Mr. Jorgensen. He was in his bunk when the
collision occurred. The black nose of the
Thingvalla scraped by his bunk pushing
against the door of his cabin held it closed.
The anchor chain of the Thingvalla was
hanging almost within his reach He sprane.
for it, and grasping it went up hand over
hand on to the Thingvalla.
GRAPHICALLY TOLD.
TWenty-four of the passengers and crew of
the Geser under charge of Second Officer
Jorgensen, arrived at the Hotel Denmark in
New York. They were brawny fellows, curl
ously attired, and but few had either coats
or stockings. Second Officer Jorgensen gave
a graphic description Of the collision He
said:
Iwas asleep in my bunk when I heard a
shock and Immediately went on deck TAX
ing in the situation at a glance ordered
| all hands on deck. Then I swung myself off
on the bow of the Thingyalla, and scrambled
to her deck The doomed craft sank grace
fully, stern first, with her bow in the air.
Most every body was sound asleep, and when
she began to I'll, could hear groans and
heart-rending screams coming from below.
Those who reached the deck made frantic
efforts to cut down the boats, but they were
too excited to be successful. They finally
grabbed up different pieces of wood and
jumped over the side of The vessel.
John Tuewild, a saloonkeeper of Hudson.
Wis, a round faced bulky Swede, said:
was asleep when I heard the crash and
hurried to the deck, where I found quite q
number of men attempting to loosen the
boats. Isaw no chance of saving mysel