Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-08-22


Northwest.
The steamer Vie and, of the Ham
burg American Steamship Line, has lust
brought to New York news of collision
off Sable Island between the Geiser and
the Thingvalla, of the Thingvalla Line,
which occurred at 4 O'Clock on the
morning of August IA. The Geiser
sank in five minutes after the collision,
and los persons were drowned. The
Thingvalla was 81 disabled that she had
to put into Halifax after transferring all
her passengers to the Wieland. The
Geiser had eighty-six passengers
aboard, seventy-two of whom were
drowned or killed in the collision,
and fourteen were taken first on the
Thingvalla and then on the Wieland
The Geiser's crew numbered fifty; sew
enteen were saved and thirty-ihree
were drowned. Capt. Mueller, of the
Geiser. was among those savad. The
passengers OF the Thingvalla transfer ed
to the Wieland numbered four hundred
and forty -fve.
The Geiser left New York on August
II bound for Stettin. The Thingvalla
was on her way hither. and was adver-
tised to leave New York on August 25.
A very heavy sea and dense fog were
experienced through the night and
early morning of August IA. II is said
an object could not be distinguished
fifty feet away by reason of the log.
Stories differ as to where the fault lies,
if not wholly due to the fog and
heavy sea; but the Thingvalla struck
the Geiser on the starboard side.
amidships, close on to O'Clock in the
morning. The boats then parted and
within five minutes the Geiser sank.
The crew of the Thingvalla did all they
could to save the Geiser's crew and pas
sengers, while still in doubt as to
whether the Thingvalia was not dan
gerously disabled; but owing to the
heavy sea only thirty-one were saved.
No other vessel was near at the time.
The Wieland, on her way to New York,
was 100 miles away. At IL 80 O'Clock on
the morning OF the 14th the Wieland
was sighted. Signals of distress were
made by the Thingvalla and a transfer
of the passengers began. The sea was
then very heavy, but no mishaps &C.
Cured in the transfer of passengers.
The Geiser was one or four vessels
owned by the Thingvalla line, and was
considered their crack ship. Most of
the passengers were Western people
Co., the general agents of the line at
Chicago. Mortensen is at present in
Copenhagen.
The Gelser was an iron screw steam
ship of 1878 tons burden. She was
324.4 feet long, 1913 beam, and % feet
depth OF hold. She was built at the
yards of Burmeister q Vain, at Copen-
hagen, in 1881. She had three masts,
and was fitted with compound inverted
engines, with four cylinders of Sc and
y inches in diameter and 42-inch
stroke.
The Thingvalla is somewhat smaller
than the ill-!ated Geiser, being 301.5
feet long and 37.4 feet beam. She is
registered at $50 tons burden, and was
built at Burmeister's yards, Copen-
hagen, in 1874.
The list of those who took passage
from the Chicago office is about as fol-
lows: Andrew Ingebreosen, Mary In
grebregsen, and their daughter Ida
Mary; A. 6. Jonsen, L. P. Petersen, his
wife Hedwig and two children; Solfert
Peterson, John Broersen, Mrs. Jensen,
Julius Richardson and his wife Julia
and his daughter Annie; L. E. Jehn,
Charles Carlson, Kittie HulIekson, Peter
FL. Morstad, Peter Hanson, John
EhlGuitt, Mrs. John S. Jansen and
child, L. J. Johansen, Christ Elieson,
Magma Anderson, Mrs. Johnson and
infants, O. II. Lie, c. c. Braaten, Eliza
bet and Rogna Berg, Capt. George M.
Hammer, John Tenyold, Ole Christ
ofsen, Caroline, Carl and Fritz Christ
ensen, Annie and Oscar Wicker, Hilda
Soldberg, Louis Anderson. Lauritz Rum
dol hi "A Nl,r DE-
sen, Gust. Adler, Paul Paulsen, Annie
and Kristen Sovensen, Miss E. NJ Pc
terson.
HALIFAX, N. S., Aug. 1.-THE Danish
steamer Thingvalla was signaled off
the harbor at O'Clock this morning in
charge of Pilot William White of boat
No. 2. She crawled along at the rate of
two miles an hour and three hours
elapsed before she arrived at the
wharf of Bickford & Black, her agents.
Meanwhile crowds of people lined the
water front.
Capt. Lamb made the following state
ment: II was in bed on the morning
of the 18th. The second officer re-
lieved the first officer on the bridge at
4 o'clock in the morning. About 4:3O
I was awakened by hearing the second
officer shout out Port helm 4
ldtcF Tue telegraph D0lI
rang to reverse engines. I jumped
out of bed and rushed on
deck in my night clothes. Just as I ar
rived on deck there was a tremendous
crash. We had collided with large
steamer and struck her amidships Just
below the mainmast. For a moment
all was confusion and the loud shrieks
came from the people on board the
ships. I then ordered my crew to pre-
pare boats for launching
"By the time I returned to the
bridge we had disentangled ourselves
from the strange ship. l found on the
bridge the second officer OF the vessel
we had collided with. From him |
learned that she was our sister ship.
the Geiser, Capt. Mueller,
"The Thingvaila had cut into the
Geiser clean to the mates stateroom.
That officer was asleep at the time. He
rolled out of his bunk and grasped the
chains of our anchor. My first duty
was to look after my ship and quiet my
passengers. This | did.
Daylight was just breaking and there
was no fog, but it was hazy and there
was a slight shower Of RAIN