The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-08-18
The STORY TOLD BY THE SURVIVORS.
How the ThingvalIa Struck Her
Sister Ship.
Statements by the Captains Of Both
Vessels.
The ThingvalIa as She Appears in
Halifax Harbor.

oAhNo VI tHo COmpdny D hbonISs anu obdLcO
that his report was virtually the same as thai
given to the press. Nothing further can be
done in the matter until the report of the
captain of the Thingvalla is filed. On sec.
ond consideration the consul has decided
that the investigation should be held by the
courts In Copenhagen, and not here, as first
determined. The survivors of the crew and
such OF the passengers as wish will leave to-
morrow by the Slavonia, Of the Kunhardt
line. 1t is estimated that the loss on the
vesseI Is S35O,OOO, and on the cargo about
$4,000. The insurance is not fully known.
The company will. as far as in their power,
indemnify the survivors.
Captain MuIIer's story.
NEW YORK, Aug 1S.-Capt Carl William
Muller, the commander Of the ill-fated
Geiser, Is a finely built man, with broad
shoulders and bronzed face. He was much
depressed over the loss Of his vessel. but
with good natured smile, consented to tell
the story of the occurrence as follows;
I'VE left this port on Saturday morning
last bound for Copenhagen, Christian and
Stelling, and passed Sandy Hook about
noon. We proceeded on our voyage and had
fRe weather throughout On Monday / re-
mained on deck till IL D. M, when left the
bridge, Second Officer Jorgenson being in
charge. | gave him orders to call me II 1t
became hazy or foggy, or if anything should
happen. l also ordered him to call me at 12
o'clock. when he was relieved, and tell me
how far the ship had run.
AT a. m, Chief Officer Brown called me
and reported the weather fine, and told
MIN 70 call me again at 4 a. M, In order to
take soundings.
Il dozed off, and he called to me in an ex-
cited tone about $50 a. m. that there was a
vessel bearing down ON us, and that there
was danger Of a collision. / instantly jumped
on the sofa, and taking my trousers in my
hand ran on theIbridge. l saw the lights Of
Dlg steamer on our starboard bow. She
was SO near that could see her hull We
Dlew TWO blasts OF the steam whistle as q
warning that we were ON the starbOard track.
she instantly crashed into our starboard side
amidsnlps. opposite the main rigging. On
sighting her the chief officer had promptly
ordered the engines reversed, and by the
time reached the bridge our vessel was go
ing full speed astern.
She struck us with such force as to cut
through half the breadth Of our ship. / saw
at cnce the Geiser would 90 down. and /
shouted TO the men on deck to call all hands
and get out the boats.
AS near as / can tell the Thingyalla
80 ~ L 70 avvus s.sV q. u., as the men had
not been called for the first dog watch, from
1 70 9 a. m. We instantly sent up rockets
and burned lights. The first life boat on tae
starboard side of the bridge was launched.
but the man in charge Of the after lowering
Jackie ta lost his hold Of the line and her stern
Ieil IN the water and she filed. The second
Doat was lowered, but the people, when
called upon, were afraid to leap into her. a.
sne was some feet away from the ships side.
shouted to the men who were amidships
70 get the women and children into the boats
nrst, and my crew behaved admirably, keep
ing cool and collected, while the widest ex-
cltement prevailed among the terrified pas
sengers, who had been aroused from their
Dunks. Ihe passengers came rushing up the
companion ladders pell NELL, and / shouted
" soos .nem 70 bring up life belts, which were
age. and could be picked up by any one with
ease, even in the greatest hurry. They. how
ever, were too much excited. There were
over 7Oo Of these belts in the ship, all within
reach OF the passengers.
When saw that they did not avail than
selves OF the belts l threw down on deck To
tnem the six life belts kept on the bridge for
the safety OF the officers. The locker where
tne rockets and night signals were kept was
Dy TINS time full OF water, so no lights could
De burned. The passengers shouted for help
and were getting panic stricken. The steam
en- was beginning to settle very fast, and the
people who got into boat No, 8. which was
ait. had to wade to her up to their waists in
water. i saw that she was going down fast.
and climbed onto the the bridge rail and
stood there. We were steering east one-half
south, magnetic course, at the time of the
coliISion. That was our proper course.
Inc snip gave a plunge, and felt her
set from under me into the whirlpool Gre
ated by her displacement of water. / felt
mysel1 drawn down by the suction, and /
was whirled around in the eddy, but did not
lose consciousness. was fully minute un-
Ter the water, and when / came to the sur
lace there were numbers of people and
arge quantity of wreckage floating in the
water. l swan toward the Thingyalla, and
got hold OF floating can. swan about
LOT % minutes, when was picked up by one
u the Ihingvalla's boats. When all our
people who were saved got on board, mus
LeTed my men, and with the passengers we
1eiped the Thingvalla's crew 20 support her
forward blukhead, which was in danger OF
oelng stove In by the pressure of the water.
her bows are completely stove in, and
she presents much the same appearance as
me Celtic, OF the White Star line, did after
ms me memorable collision with the Britannia.
Inc Inlngvalla, after it was found that no
more people could be saved. proceeded slow
y y on ner voyage, and when we were taken
pm Dy the Wieland at II a. m, she was steer
ng 10 make either Boston or Halifax, and
Vas making only about 2i knots an hour.
;annot express my gratitude to Capt. Albsrs
u the Wieland, his officers and crew, for the
great kindness shown to myself and the 9TH
sr survivors rescued from my vessel. We
we're treated on board the Wieland with ey-
,ry Kindness and attention."