The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-08-30
Te,rihla Ocean Disaster.

A terrible ocean disaster occurred On
Tuesday the 18th. The incoming steam
shin Tbingyalla, Of the Thngvalla line,
came in collision with the outgoing steam
ship. Geiser. of the same line, off Sable
Island. Cape Race, sinking the latter, and
clusing Che death by drowning OF III per-
SONS. Only seventeen OF the passengers
and IA of the crew were saved. Inc
Geiser left New York on the 18th with
1853 persons on board, SO passengers and 10
of her crew. bound for Stettin, Copen-
hagen. Denmark. and Christiana, Sweden.
The Thngvalla was bound from those
parts to New York. Capt. Lamb. OF the
Thingyalla, made the following statement ::
81 was in bed on the morning of the Nth. The
second officer relieved the first ofncer on me
bridge at 4 o clock in the morning. ADodt 4;o0
| was awakened by hearing the second oihcer
shout out port helm moment later the
telegraph bell rang to reverse engines i
iumI,ed out OF bed and rushed on deck IN my
night clothes Just as arrived On deck there
was tremendous crash.
struck her amidships just before the maj nmast
For q moment all was confusion ana there
were loud shrieks from the people on Doth
ships Immediately ran ait and ordered my
crew TO prepare boats for launching. BY the
/
tangled ourselves from the strange ship /
found on the bridge the second oIhcer OF Inc
vessel we had colided with. FROM MIN
learned that she WAS our sistershlp the Gelsef
the Thingvalla had cut into the Gelsef clean 10
the nate stale room. The officer was asleep
at The time. He rolled out OF MS punk anu
crashed the chains of our anchor. My first
+ duty was look after my ship ana quiet my
paSst ngers. This / did. Daylight was Just
breaking and ihele was no fog, but 1t was h"zy
and there slight shower OF ram. me as
81, saved
"a broken arm, while his two companions were
host. . - 49,. 49,,
four iniliIl.es Eelore the engines were reversed
and We backed off without delaying moment.
were crowded on deck and were shouting and
crying with Tear. Al ihe same time looked
after the SAFETY OF my ship, not having any
knowledge as 10 The extent OF our damage. The
oiiit ers were already engaged in cutting away
and launching the life boats. one tine Thing
Vai.a 5 boats had just been lowered when the
other steamer went down stern nrst
-.IiiIs scene was "A frig"tful one. cannot at.
tempt 10 describe il. some of her passengers
were rusning madfy about her deck, while
Others were crowded i'll several boats IN tne
water. believe many passengers must nave
been killed ia their hunks by the force OF the
collision and never knew what happened. AS
the steamer plunged beneath The water carry
ing DOWN those on boaro she capsIEed the boats
agonizing shrieAs and prayers: Most OF the
people probably Went GOWN with the Gelser.
Tnev were Uliowed soon after ny the i'll lated
souls he boats, who must have been sucked
ullue1 as Inc ship SaLk
1.-The cries OF the dying still ring in my ears.
Three OF our boats Were already launched and
trying To save lnauy as they could iron Inc
doomed ecker, but IL was SLOW wol X, as com
parativey lew managed TO ke ep afioat after The
Steamer disappearance. Three boats We're
all could get out III the lime We had, and
did NOT know but We might want The remain
ing ones Tor ourselves. he two vessels were
NOT Inule than 100 $50 feet apalt when The
Geiser went BWn.
81 he screams OF the drowning lasted perhaps
two minutes. and Then suddenly all became
quiet Our three boats returned Loaded Win
Ine saw. who had been picked up in the water
or from of the bottoms of HE capslGed DOals
/ sent them back To continue The search 1u
SURVIVORS, but they retu1hed win only lhs
corpse OF a woman. We provided the survivor :
win dry clothes, hot coffee and Wine. alu
made Them us comfortable rs possible, while
attending TO the INJURY TO oui serves Day Was
Just beglnniu2 10 break when the COLLISION oc-
cure 1t was laiuing rs the second ONCE ]
told lie just before. IL Was not fogSy. beaio
men around me say il Was eight or ten Minute
between The collision ana lhe sinking t1 IN
GeiseI, bat could not LAY any aIitplloH 10 III,
time. +"