Huntsville gazette., 1889-04-27
LANDED AT LAST.
Portion of the Rescued People From
The Abandoned Steamship Danmark
Landed in Philadelphia by the Missouri,
the Rest Having Been Left at the
Azorcs-A Hearty Welcome in the City

the ReSt Having Been Lett at the
Azorcs-A Hearty Welcome in the City
of Brotherly Love.
PHILADELPHIA, April 23.-Hundreds Of
voices blended in a great shout, and cheer
after cheer rent the air as the steamer
Missouri with her precious cargo, which
she had SO gallantly rescued from the i'll
fated Danmark, arrived safely at her
dock at Washington street wharf at half
part five O'Clock yesterday afternoon.
The passengers on board the Missouri re-
turned the greeting with no less enthu-
siasm. Handkerchiefs iuttered in the
stiff breeze, happy smiles lit up the faces
of the more than three hundred immi-
grants who had been so providentially
rescued from watery grave, and in every
way the scene was one that indelibly fixed
itself on the minds of those who witnessed
it. On the wharf were not few men and
women who were to meet rela-
tives and friends, after having re-
signed all hope several days ago Of
ever seeing them again. Fathers were
there to meet mothers; children had
travelled hundreds OF miles to greet their
parents, and friends stood on the wharf
and gazed with glistening eyes toward
the long line of men, women and children
who stood along the port line of the big
vessel as she steamed slowly up to the
end of the wharf. Ferry boats and tugs
which were passing added TO the enthu-
siasm with their steam salutes. Cheers
and cries Of JOY continued without much
interruption until the Missouri had been
swung around and made her mooring at
the wharf. Then ladder was thrown off
and the custom house officers, followed
closely by the press representatives.
made their way up the side Of the vessel
and lighted on her decks.
Brave Captain Murrell, who stood on
the bridge of the steamer surrounded by
C. w. Davis and other representatives of
Peter Wright & Sons, was the cynosure
of all eyes. He was at once surrounded
by the reporters and his many friends all
bent on paying tribute to his gallant
service in saving so many lives. Among
the first to board the vs1sel was Rev. j.
w. Holm, of the Swedish Society, who
busted himself with giving hearty well
come to the hundreds of Scandinavian
immigrants, the great majority of whom
were unacquainted with single word of
the country which will henceforth be
their home. The passengers united in
praising the noble work of Captain Muir
rell and his brave crew.
DR.. Jesperson, one of the passengers
taken from the Danmark, who was on his
way to New York, spoke in the highest
praise of Captain Murrell's action in be-
half of himself and fellow passengers.
In relating his experience to reporter of
the United Press DR.. Jesperson stated
that he had never seen before such clear
headed work under the trying circum-
stances. sit is Captain Murrell's per-
feet self control" said the doctor, ''to
which we are in great measure indebted
for our lives at the present time. But our
experience for time was a most thrill
ing one, which / hope never to have to
pass through again. Up to the 4th inst.
our trip on the Danmark had been a
pleasant one. On the latter date, how
ever, we encountered severe storm. We
would have weathered it all right, l sup
pose had our engines held out, but the
shaft broke near the aft end of "a" Sec
ton. As result hole was cut through
the bottom of the vessel. 1t appears that
simultaneously with the breaking of the
shaft, an engine pipe burst and Engineer
Kaas was instantly killed. Another leak
was caused by the bursting of the
pipe in the side of the vessel. Thus
matters grew very serious, and our
vessel was left at the mercy of the
waves. Captain Knudsen endeavored
to keep her in the path of ocean steam
ers. We sought vainly that day for the
sight of sail. but night fell and we still
remained in our perilous position. The
dawning of the following day-the fifth
however, was designed to bring us relief.
sail was sighted by the outlooks, and
we at once put up signals of distress. The
sails proved to be those Of the Missouri.
When in speaking distance Captain
Knudsen asked if the Missouri could take
our passengers on board, the commander
Of the latter steamer said that it would
be impossible, as he had nowhere to put
them. He promptly agreed to take us in
tow. We got along well enough for
few hours, when it was dis
covered that the water was fast pour
ing into the steamer through the
big hole in her stern. The pumps
were kept going without intermission,
but they proved almost useless as far as
saving the vessel was concerned. We
kept at it, however, until the 8th, and
| then it was seen we could no longer hope
to save our ship. AS noon approached,
the danger grew more imminent. Captain
Knudsen boarded the Missouri and
| asked that his passengers be
received on her decks. At two
O'Clock the work of transferring
| the hundreds of souls from the Danmark
to the Missouri was begun. First the wo-
men and children were taken aboard the
latter boat. Then the men, and lastly
Captain Knudsen and his crew. You may
| imagine that during this time the excite
ment was intense, but any semblance Of a
panic was averted by the GOODNESS Of both
Captains Murrell and Knudsen and the
prompt manner in which the crews
obeyed their every order. After six
hours work, at eight O'Clock on the night
Of the 9th, all the passengers of the Dan
mark had been safely landed on the Mis-
souri,. Of course, a large part Of the lat
| ter's cargo had to be jettisoned before ac-
commodations could be found for the 721
souls. Many of these had to abandon
| their valuable effects, as the amount of
goods which each passenger was al
| lowed to retain was necessarily limited to
| what was absolutely indispensable.
"rhe Missouri was then headed for the
Azores, the nearest land, where we ar
rived without any further incident on the
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