The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1888-08-25
FILE CAPTAINS STORY:

COLLISION
THE CAPTAINS STORY:
It was just o'clock on the morning OF
Tuesday. the l4th, a few minutes before tho
watch was changed, when my secoh1 OH
cor. who lad been on deck, came doWI,
and I asked him how the weather was. he
tired. A few minutes later l heard the
telegraph signal for the engines to reverse. |
This was the first intimation ,had OF any
trouble. .,,o
Leaping from my berth 1 ran for the
deck. AS was hurrying up the collision
occurred. 1t was terrific shock, me
steamers coming together WIN to ,rgh' tne
Thingvalla to be locked with another
steamer, which did not then know. As
approached saw man, whom "i.e m
Ger, jump on to our dock. My steamer mao
cut right through his room where he was
sound asleep and he leaped out OF ms punk
to the Thingvalla's deck.
been four minutes before the engines were
reversed and we backed Off without delay
passengers, who were crowding on deck anu
SHOUTING AND CRYING WITH FEAR
At the same time looked after the safety
Of my ship, not having any kn G,' s;;co as
were already engaged in cutting away and
launching life-boats: One Of the Thing
valla's boats had just been lowered when
This scene was frightful one. Icannot
attempt to describe it. Some of her pas
sengers were rushing madly anout mo
deck, while others were crowded in sew
erai boats in the water. believe many OF
the messengers must have been killed in
their hunks by the force of the collision,
and never knew what happehenu, ,oot,, ibo
Az the steamer plunged Deneath inc
water. carving down those on board, she
capsized the boats that had got away The
air was rent with agonizinS shrloks ana
Most Of tho people probably went down
with the Geiser. They were followed soon
after by tho ill-fated souls in tho boats, VINO
must have been sucked under as the snip
THE CRIES OF THE DYING
still ring in my ears. -,
Three Of our pats were already launched
and irving to sIve as many as they coulu
rom the doomed Geiser, but 1t was SLOW
work, as comparatively few managed TO
Eeen afIoat after the steamers disappear.
IN the time we had, and did not know but
What we might want tho remaining ones
The two vessels were not moro than lol
~ I50 feet apart when tho Geiser won
down The screams of tho drowning last
ed perhaps two minutes and then suudenl.
all became quiet. Our three Doats return
al loaded with the saved who had 6oei
nick I'D up in tho water or from OIL tho DOT
IONS of their capsized boats. l sent then
hack to continue tho search Tor survivors
1NaNf
wnman. We provided tho survivors wit
Srv clothes hot coffee, wine and made thor
as Comfortable as possible, while attonuin
tn the injury to our selves.
Day was Just beginning to break who
the collision occurred. 1t was raining,
the second officer told mo just before.
was not foggy; 1 he eaM MINUTES n"u " hetw az
say it WAS eight or ton miho'es oe'"eo
the collision and
SINKING OF THE GEIsEH.
lint could not pay any attention at tn
time. , ~ ~,
,;fahoat with the first and second engineer
was saved with broken arm whiie MS I"
companions were lost.
Captain Muller told more Wontefi'
story of his escape. He was standing q
the 5,eiser's bridge rs the steamer settle
down and he jumped into tho sea. no II, y,
that he was being sucked under by u
rot both legs entangled in n piece OF wrec
age. This turned him around in tho wat
throe or four times. For some mom9i
he was helpless, but finally succeeded
disenraging himself and managed to rea'
the surface again, breathless and almo
exhausted. He then got on top OF All u
turned boat and chung to II until rescue
bv men from the Thingval!a.
Tn NV opinion, nearly all tho people
the Geiser's deck and in the boats sa'
with tho steamer. everything NAV
After the Geser disappeared wo peS"n
JETrIsoNING THE CARGO
to keep the Thingval!a atioat. me CT.
and passengers worked side by side, thro
ing overheard what was brought out OF l
hold. What was jettisoned consisted sole
of wood pulp and provisions. There W
not much wind. but u heavy swell.
Between 9 and 10 O'Clock we reached I
forward bulkhead, then stopped thrown
the cargo over, and got to work snoring
tho com partment. We We're leaking pa!,
in the forehold and kept the pn,sps goil
All the time SO that the water had no TIL
IN pain on us. At IL o'clock the steam
Wieland, bound for New York, hove
sight and we transferred all the rescn
passengers, as we'll AS our own a5o Passo
gers TO her.
inthe afternoon, leaving us also steeri
for New York. We continued the work
snoring up the compartment, but after
WHILE on account of the wind and sea
creasiug, we found it Impossible TO Keep
for New York and decided TO head
Halifax. At this time it still looked We
much as II we might sink ana some oil |
crew
HAD REFUSED TO WORK,
wanting to be transferred to the Wiela
Knots AN hour and sometimes found !
that much. We just had to crawl-tl
On wednesday afternoon, q fishing v
,al hove in sight and we bore down Tor II
Sha moved to be the schooner Capis, OF
Have. Captain Cleversey, and L signal
her to stand by and accompany the steam
to Halifax, SO as to be able to help us
case sho should go down.
Last night the sea was SO heavy haa