Morris tribune., 1889-04-24
The Missouri Arrives at Her
Dock With the Danmark's
Passengers.
Cheer After Cheer Rends the Air az
the Good Ship Comes
Into Port.
An Authentic Account Of the Wrecking
OF the Danmark-Tribute to
Capt. Murrell.

fated Danmark, arrived safely at ner
dock at Washington street wharf at 5:5O
p. IN. The passengers on board the Mis-
souri, returned the greeting with no less
enthusiasm. Handkerchief fiuttered in
the still breeze; happy smiles lit up the
faces of the more than 300 immigrants
who had been so providentially rescued
from a watery grave, and in every way
the scene was one that indelibly fixed it.
self upon the minds of those who wit
messed it, Cheers of joy continued with
out 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 Capt. Murrell, who stood
| on the bridge of the steamer, surrounded
hv C. w. Davis and other representa-
tives of Peter Wright & Sons, was the
synosure of all eyes. He was at once
surrounded by the reporters and his
many friends, all bent in paying trib-
| ute to his gallant service in saving so
many lives. 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 high
est praise of Capt. Murrells action in be-
half of himself and his fellow passengers
| in relating his experience to reporter
of the United Press. DR.. Jesperson
stated that he never had seen before
such clear-headed work under the trying
| circumstances. SIT is Capt. Murrells
perfect self-control," said the doctor, "to
which we are in a great measure indebt-
ed for our lives at the present time"
"But our experience for a time was
certainly most thrilling, and one which
l hope never to have to pass through
| again. Up to the 4th instant our trip
on the Danmark had been pleasant
one. On the latter date, however, we
encountered a 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 GA" section.
| AS a result a hole was cut through the
simultaneously with the breaking of the
shaft an engine pipe burst, and Engineer
Kass 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
Knudson endeavored to keep her in the
! path of ocean steamers. 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 9Th, however, was
designed to bring us relief. A sail was
sighted by the outlooks and we at once
put up signal of distress. The sails
proved to be those of the Missouri. When
in speaking distance Capt. Knudson
| asked if the Missouri could take our pas
sengers on board. The commander of
the latter steamer said that it would be
| impossible, as he had no where to put
them. He promptly agreed to take us
in tow. We got along well
enough for a few hours, when
it was discovered that the wafer was
fast pouring into the steamer through
the big hole iu her stem. The pumps
were going without intermission, but
they proved almost useless so far as
saving the vessel was concerned. We
kept at it, however, until the 9Th and
then it was seen we could no longer hope
to save our ship. AS noon approached,
the danger grew more imminent. Capt.
| Knudson boarded the Missouri and asked
that his passengers be received on her
deck. At 2 o'clock the work of trans
ferring the hundreds of souls from the
| Danmark to the Missouri was begun.
First the women and children were taken
aboard the latter boat, then the men land
| l. Il Il
may imagine that during this time the
excitement was intense, but any semb-
lance of panic was averted by the cool
ness OF both Captains Murrell and Knud-
son, and the prompt manner IN which
the crews obeyed their every order.
After six hours work, at o'clock on the
night of the 9Th, all the passengers of the
Danmark had been safely landed on the
Missouri. Of course a large part of the
latter steamers cargo had to be jetti-
soned before accommodations could be
found for 721 souls. Many of these had
to abandon their valuable effects, as the
amount of goods which each passenger
was allowed to retain was necessarily
limited to what was absolutely indispen-
| sible. The Missouri was then headed for
the Azores, the nearest land, where we
arrived without any further incident, on
| the 10th. There all the young unmarried
men, to the number of 356 and including
Capt. Knudson, and the largest part of
his crew were landed. On the
18th we again set sail af-
ter having laid in a stock of
of provisions, which added to those we
took from the Danmark before DESERVING
her, proved amply sufficient. Capt.
Murrell deserves the highest praise for
the manner in which he has treated us
during the entire passage. He gave us
all the best accommodations possible, and
did all that lay in his power to make the
trip pleasant one"
| Shortly after the vessel had made fast
to the wharf beautiful floral design,
representing ship at sea, was carried
up the gangway and handed over to
Capt. Murrell with few appropriate re-
| pletely by surprise, but in clear, dis
tinct voice made few fitting remarks
in accepting the tribute to his bravery.
Rev. Mr.. Holm then brought to the hun
CRY passengers the welcome news that a
lunch, consisting Of bread, butter, meats.
salads and coffee, had been prepared for
them on the wharf. The 265 immigrants
were not long in accepting this invita-
ton, and soon they forgot for the mo-
ment their recent ordeal. while they sat-
isfied the cravings of their appetites.
The lunch was provided by the Thing
valla line through its representative
John Roth. Mr.. Roth made arrange
ments for the transportation of the inns
migrants who were going west, and they
all left on a special train over the Penn
sylvania road at midnight. Many of
them axnact tn locate in the far West.
while others will go but few hundred
miles. The immigrants who will locate
in the West will be carefully provided
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