Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-08-17
A Steamship Run Down with
Terrible Results.
AWFUL SACRIFICE OF LIFE.
Over 100 People Drowned in a
Short Time.
THIRTY LEFT TO TELL THE TALE,

the Thlngvaila Early last Tuesday
Morning or the Coast OF Nova scotia.
Many Miraculous Escapes from Death.
The Long List of victims-Names OF the
Thirty Lucky Ones who Have Arrived
Safely in New York.
NEW York Aug. 17.-An ocean steamer
with 1856 men, women and children on board
was speeding on its way from this city 10
Europe at 4 o'clock Tuesday morning in a
murky, foggy atmosphere Off the coast Of
Nova Scotia. The passengers were all
asleep, most of the officers were in their
berths, all was well ON board and none
thought OF impending danger. Another
steamer a sister ship, on its way to this city,
suddenly shows up an immense, dark mass;
the two crash together; one vessel is cut in
half the other draws back trembling, with her
hull partly crushed in; for five minutes the sea
IS covered with wreck and struggling people;
then there is but one ship ahoat and l05
corpses have sunk forever beneath the ocean
Some people still swim about-thirty-one in
all-and they are picked up by the remain
ing but almost helpless vessel She flies her
signals Of distress; another ocean voyager
sees them takes all the rescued passengers
Off the injured vessa, which then starts
feebly for Halifax, while the third steamer
comes ON 10 New York, and yesterday was
safely tied to her wharf az Hohoken. 1t is a
terrible story OF the fortunes OF those who 60
down TO the sea in ships
II was the steamer Wieland, OF the Ham
burg Packet line, which brought the sad
news to the city The Inflated steamship
was the Geiser OF the Thngvala line, and
the vessel which ran her down was the
steamer Thngvalln, OF the same line. So
terrible was the shock and so effective its
deadly work that the victims were launched
into eternity before they had sufficiently
shaken or their sleep
The fortunate ones were saved by mere
chance, for there was no time for intelligent
action Even whom they arrived IN Hohoken
yesterday they had not entirely recovered
from the dnzng effect Of the ordeal through
which they had passed They, too. had been
asleep, aud not one on board could tell a
plain story Of how the fearful accident
occurred.
The collision took place shortly after 4
o'clock Tuesday morning nt point thirty
miles south Of Sable Island and about 200
miles out from Halifax. The Thingvalla
was on her way from Copenhagen to New
York, and had on board 4s5 passengers and
full crew. The Geiser left Hobollen last
Saturday for Copenhagen with eighty-six
passengers and crew OF fifty. The saved
include only fourteen Of the former and sew
enteen Of the latter, the first officer, who
was in charge Of the vessel at the time, being
among the lost
From the stories OF the survivors it is
learned that rain had fallen all Monday
night, and when the dawn was breaking
Tuesday morning the sky was overcast with
black clouds, while the sea was not unusually
high The captains Of both vessels were
asleep, and the first officers were in charge.
Their stories cannot be obtained, for one is
at the bottom Of the sea, and the other is
taking his shattered craft into Halifax.
The best obtainable accounts agree, how.
ever that the Thingvalla, without mo-
ments warning. crashed into the Geiser,
striking her ON the starboard side amldships.
She was cut almost clean through. The at
taclzing vessels bow plowed through the
hull Of her unfortunate associate, letting
water into every compartment
Almost Immediately the Geiser seemed e
/ have been broken into two parts, She tipped
upon her stern and sank before boat could
/ be launched 20 take off her passengers, and
the saved owe their lives 20 tho providenc,
that cast them on or near dismembered parti
of the vessel Even the main reliance OF
wrecked vessels, the life raft, was useless, a.
the heavy masts caught il when the stern
went down and dragged It beneath the waves
There were miraculous escapes; in fact
none OF the saved know exactly how they
come to be alive to-day. There We're many
blood curdling scenes Of distress even in Tho
few minutes Of the awful catastrophe. For
tunately the Thingvalla, although her bow
was stove in, was able to render some assist
ance, but the time was too brief 10 sav,
more Of the unfortunates
Her officers, after all the wrecked people
in sight had been picked up pand the condition
of their own boat had been Rscertained, rar
up Signals Of distress, for they found it would
be hazardous with their original ass passen
gers and the thirtY-one people from Tho
Geiser to attempt to make port
For many weary hours they waited anC
watched, during which all on board weri
filed with anxiety aud fear, momentarily
expecting the vessel to sink also, despite tn,
assurances Of the officers and crew that theri
was no danger. They all knew that the yes
sci was damaged badly, and could not com
prehend why il should be safe after having
gone through such an experience, especially
when the other vessel, with a much Lighter
] LOAD. nlfA kuccutuDtQ 50 easily lucf NTlel
and reasoned, hoped aud feared. Famil,
groups clustered together and stood in awe
silence, mutely signifying that If death cam
it would find them united.
The rain ceased, the clouds drifted eff an,
the sun struggled feebly out, but a heavl
pail Of fog, the wrack Of the midnight storm
hung about the helpless vessel Would thei
sigma S be seen in timel Hours seemed days
AMI when six had dragged away a vessel wa
sighted and all stood breathlessly watchin,
it to learn whether those on board tn
stranger would see them. For a short tim
the vessel steamed unconcernedly ON its way
and more signals were sent aloft, and mel
strained their voices in shouts across tn
waters.
The sighted vessel sees them Her engine
are stopped and answering signals run up
Those on the Thingvalla almost cheered. Al
hour and a half was consumed before th
stranger came within hail She was th
Wieland, Of the Hamburg line The wOr
of removing the people began, and four hour
were necessary TO accomplish the task, as no
only the rescued people from the Geiser hal
10 be taken off, but the captain Of the Thing
yalla said the passengers Of that vessel ais
had better be taken back b. New York. III
ships disabled condition maosit dangerous 70
him to attempt 10 reach port with them