Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-23
TALE OF THE WRECK.
How and Why the Dnnmark Was Aban.
doped in Mid.Ocean-An Effort Made
TO Tow Her to Land-The Captain

How and Why the Dnnmark Was Aban.
doned in id.Ocean-An Effort Made
TO Tow Her to Land-The Captain
the Last to Leave His Ship.
PHILADELPHIA, April 22.-The steam
ship Missouri, with 365 of the people from
the wrecked steamer Danmark, arrived at
the dock at o'clock this evening.
All were we'll on board with the
exception of three persons, who are i'll, but
doing we'll. All of the Danmark's passen-
gers look hearty and bright, and showed no
signs of the hardships which they must
have necessarily endured. Captain Hamil-
ton Murrell, the commander of the Missouri,
makes the following statement:
We left London with general cargo for our
first trip to Philadelphia on March 8. We had
fair passage up to 1:20 P. M of April ), when
we sighted the steamship Danmark, flying a
signal of distress We bore down on the steam
er and found her disabled: Captain
Knudsen, her commander, reported that the
tail end of his shaft was broken and he wished
me to take his passengers to New York. Owing
to the state Of the weather and because of the
fact that was not prepared to accommodate
such number of people, 1 declined to accede
to his request, but offered instead to tow his
vessel to the nearest port.
This offer Captain Knudsen accepted and at
IL
the Danmark, we placed tow rope on board
that vessel and proceeded slowly, turning to
the sea and wind, and heading northwest for
St Johns, N. F., which considered the best
port to make under the circumstances. The
wind blew with tremendous force all night and
progress was most difficult
At = A. NJ. the Danmark signalled to us: 1--WE
are leaking considerably; there IS now three
feet of water in the af: hold, and it is gaining
RAPIDLY" l asked what should do, and the
signal came: Keep on towing" At 9:20 A. M.
the Denmark again signalled u.s. This time the
signal read: The Danmark is sinking. We
must abandon the ship. Will you take our
passengers?' Without moments hesitation
signaled back: "Yes, will take all on board
and do the best can." l then cut the towline
and we dropped down to the Danmark.
At $50 A. M. we launched our two life boats
and these two boats proceeded to the Dan
mark In the meantime seven of the sinking
steamers boats were manned by the crew Of
that steamer, and the work of transferring the
passengers began.
A heavy swell was running all of this memoir
able day, making the work of removing the
people from the sinking ship one of great
difficulty, and it was only by the hardest kind
of work that we were able to avoid accidents
both to the people and to the boats. The
women and children were removed first and
after them the male passengers and crew.
The officers of the Danmark remained on
board their vessel. At2P NJ. we finished the
work of transferring the passengers having
consumed nearly five hours, and getting every.
body, with the exception of the officers safely
on the Missouri without a single accident
of any kind. About one hou-
the weather was coming in thick and looking
dirty, and sent word to Captain Knudsen and
his faithful officers to leave the ship and come
on board the Missouri. and after getting some
provisions from the Danmark, which had now
settled very preceptibly in the water, that YES
sci was finally abandoned, Captain Knudsen
being the last to leave his ship.