Evening journal., 1889-04-23
THE MISSOURI IN PORT.
Touching Scenes When the
Vessel Reached Her Dock.
HoNORING BRAyEoAPT. MURRELL

by "A passenger-The Transfer TO ths
Missouri and the Sail to the Azores.
Transporting the Immigrants.
PHILADELPHIA, April Is. Hundreds Of
voices blended in great shout, and cheer
after cheer rent the air as the steamer Mis-
souri, with her precious cargo which she had |
so CALAMITY rescued from the i'll fated Dan-
mark arrived safely at her Dock at Wash
ington street wharf, at half past o'clock |
yesterday afternoon. The passengers on
board the Missouri returned the gre ting
with no less enthusiasm. Handkerehiefs |
futiered IN the stiff breeze, happy smiles lit
mp the faces Of more than 300 immigrants
who had been SO providentally rescued from
a watery grave. and in every way the scene
was one that indeibly fixed itself upon the
minds of those who witnessed it. On the
wharf were not few men and women who
were there to meet relatives and friends
after having resigned all hope several days
ago of ever seeing them again. Fathers
were there to meet mothers; chill ren
and Travelled hundreds Of miles to greet
their parents and friends They 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 YES el
as she steamed slowly up to the end OF the
wharf. Farryboats and tugs which We're
passing added to the enthusiasm with steam
salutes Cheers and cries OF joy continued
without much interruption until the Missouri
had been swung around and made her moor
ing at the wharf. Then ladder was thrown
. off and the custom Eouse officials, followed
closely by the press Representatives, made
their way up the side of the vessel to her
decks. Brave Capt Murrell, who stoodeon
the bridge Of the steamer surrounded by G.
w. Davis and other representatives Of Peter
Wright g. Sons, was the cynosure Of all eyes.
He was at once surrounded by the reporters
and his many friends all bent on paying a
tribute to his gallant service in saving so
many lives Among the first to board the
vessel was the Rev. J. w. Holm of the
Swedish society, who busted himself with
giving hearty welcome to the hundreds Of
Scandinavian immigrants, the great majority
of whom were unacquainted with a single
word in the language Of the country which
viii nceforth be their home.
Praise for Capt MurreIl
The passengers united in praising the noble
work Of Capt Murrell 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
Capt Murrelrs action on the behalf Of him
self and his fellow passengers. In relating
his experience to a reporter Of the United
Press DIR. Jesperson stated that he never had
seen before such clear headed work under
| the trying circumstances 1T IS Capt.
| Murreils perfect self control, n said the doc
tor, Ito which we are in a saat measure in.
debted for our lives at the present time.
The Cause Of the Disaster.
"Our experience for time was certainly
most thrilling, and one which hope never tC
have to pass through again. Up to the 4tl
inst. our trip on the Danmark had been q
| pleasant one. On the latter date, however
we encountered severe storm. We would
have weathered it all right, I suppose, had
our engines held out, but the shaft broke near
the aft end Of section. As a result a hole
was cut through the bottom of the vessel II
appears that simultaneously with the break
ing of the shaft an engine pipe burst, and En-
neer 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. Capt Knudsen endeav-
ored to keep her in the path Of the ocean
steamers We sought vainly that day fol
the sight Of a sail, but night fell and we still
remained in our perilous position. The dawn
ing Of the following day-the 5th--howevel'
was designed to bring us relief A sail wa
sighted by the lookouts, and we at once pu
up signals Of distress The sails proved to b,
those of the Missouri
Transferring the Passengers.
"When in speaking distance Capt Knud
sen asked if the Missouri could take our pas
sengers on board The commander of tht
latter steamer said that that would be i'm
possible as he had nowhere to put them HI
promptly agreed to take us in tow WI
got along well enough for few hours, whel
it was discovered that the water was fas
pouring into the steamer through tha hole il
her stern. The pumps were kept going viii
out intermission, but they proved almost use
less as far as saving the vessel was conc arned
We kept at it, however, until the 9th, an,
then it was seen we could no longer hoIA b
save our ship. As noon approached the dan
ger grew more imminent Capt Knudsei
boarded the Missouri and asked that his pas
sengers be received on her decks At o'cloc
the work Of transferring the hundreds 0
souls from the Danmarlr to the Missouri wa
begun. First the women and children werl
taken aboard tho Missouri, then the men an
lastly Capt. Knudsen and his crew. Yoi
may imagine that during this time the ex
| citenent was intense, but any semblance OF
panic was averted by the GOODNESS OF bot
Capts. Murrell and Knudsen, and the promr
manner IN which tho crews obeyed thei
every order. After SIX hours work, at
o'clock on the night Of tho 9th, all the pa
sengers OF the DanmaFk had been safel
transferred 20 the Missouri or course,
large part Of tho latter steamers cargo Ia
20 be jettisOned before accommodations coul
be found for the I'll souls Many OF thss
had to abandon their valuabls effects, as Ii
amount Of goods which each passenger wa
allowed to retain was necessarily limited .
what was absolutely Indispensable.
At tho Azores.
1.-THE Missouri was then headed for tn
Azores, the nearest land, where we arrive
without further incident on the 10th. Their
al tha young unmarried men TO the numbs
Of $3.50. Capt. Kuudsen and tho largest pal
Of his crew we're landed On ths 18th v
again set sail, after having laid IA a stock
provisions which, added TO those we too
4 frosn tho Danmark before dseertng he
J proved amply sufficient"
Capt. MurretT's Kindness.
A few others on tho steamer could spe,
English, among whom was Jens Nslson, WI
has lived in Austin, Mas, for soms mont
past. He WAS returning from visit to
- parents. He corroborated all DR.. Jesperss
had said about their experience and the O
ceeding kindness Of Capt Murren and
crew IN rescuing them and providing +
them on his own vessel at the sacrifice OF