Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-04-23
A STORY OF HARDSHIP.
THE EXPERIENCE OF THB ILL-PATgD
DANMARK.
Her Shaft Broken in Mid-Ocean-GOO Passengers
Rescued by the Missouri-A Thrilling
Picture Of The Dangers Of
the Sea.

no blg0S OF Jut udIuoBlpo WblCu tuc1 muol
necessarily have endured. Among those
on board from the Danmark were PuIser
Hempel, Ships Physician JesperseO; cook,
Albert Johnson; stewardess, Mrs. Neil
son; baker, John LunchTist; butcher, Pc
ter Benson; emigrant stewardess, Mrs.
Christensen, AID waiter, Tom DeWalt,
eight in all These were the only men,
bers of the DAnmark's company who came
on board the Missouri.
General Passenger Agent Rath, of the
Thingvalla Line, came from New York to
make provisions for the comfort of the
people from the unfortunate Danmark.
He stated tnat all would be forwarded to
their destination from this city if satisfac-
tory arrangements could he made. Nearly
all the emigrante sfe bound for points in
the West.
CAPTAIN MURRELL's STORY.
Captain Hamilton Murrell, commander
of the Missouri, makes the following state
ment: 1--WE left London with a general
cargo for our first trip to Philadelphia.
on March 28th. We had fair passage up
to 90 .. II. of April Ssh, when we sight
ed the steamship Danmark flying signal
of distress. The wind at the time
was blowing strong from the west.
We bore down on the steamer
and found her disabled. Capt. KnudsOD,
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 weater, and be-
cause of the fact that l was not prepared to
accommodate such a number Of people, /
declined tOaccede to his request, but offer
ed instead to tow his vessel TO the nearest
port. This offer Capt. Kuudsen accepted,
and at 3:20 p. M, or two hours after We
first sighted the Danmark, replaced tow
rope on board that vessel and proceeded
slowly, turning 10 the sea and winds and
heading northwest for St. Johns, n. F.,
which / considered the best port to make
under the circumstances. The winds blew
with Tremendous force oil night and
progress was most difficult. On April 9th,
at $50 q. M, finding that could make no
headwsy in westerly direction aud see
ing ice TO windward, decided to abandon
my hops of reaching st. Johns and deter
mined to make for ST. Michaels, one of the
Azore islands. l signslled my determine
ton to the CAPTAIN of the Danmark, and he
agreed that this was the best course to
pursue.
THE DAEMARK SINKING.
At7a. IN. the Dsnmark signalled to us
1--WE are leaking considerably, there is
now three feet of water in the aft hold,
and it is gaining rapidly" | asked what
l should do, and the signal came: keep
on towing" At 9:20 o. IN the Danmark
again eignalled us. This time the signal
read: "The Danmark is sinking. We
must abandon the ship. Will you
take our passengers" Without a
moments hesitation, sigaalled
back Eyes, will take all on board and dc
the best can" then cut the tow line
and we dropped down 10 the Danmark.
At $50 a. m, we launched our two life
boats in charge Of Second Officer Lucas
and third Officer Forsyth, and these two
boats proceeded 10 the Danmark. 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. The women and chill
dren were removed first, and after them
the msle passengers and the crew. The
officers of the DADmark remained on board
their vessel. At , p. III. we
finished the work OF transfer
ring the passengers, having
nearly five hours, and getting
everybody with the exception of the
oflicers. safely On the Missouri without q
single accident of any kind. About one
hour later the barometer began falling,
the weather was coming in thick and look
ing dirty, and sent word to Captain
Kpudson aud his faithful officers TO leave
the ship and come on board the Missouri,
and sfter getting some provisions from the
Danmark, which bad now settled very
perceptibly in the water, that vessel was
finally abandoned, Captain Knudson being
the last to leave his ship.
THE STORM SWEPT MISSOURI.
az then counted heads and found that
we had on boaad, in addition to our own
crew of forty-fve men and four passengers,
500 cabin and steerage passengers, and six-
ty-nine of the officers and crew of the i'll
fated steamer. After we had taken every
body from the Danmark we pulled the
plugs out of the bottoms Of that vessels
boats, which we had used, and left them
TO sink to the bottom of the Atlantic. Our
last view of the Danmsrk showed that veg
sci to be rapidly going down. On looking
over our provisions we found, after care
fol estimate of the number of mouths
we had to feed, that We had only enough
food on board to last three days and
I decided to make all possible haste to
reach the port of ST. Michsels, which was
75O miles away. The cabin passengers OF
the Danmark were given accommodations
in the Missouri's passenger cabins, and the
officers gave up their cabins for the use OF
the women and children. We had started
for So. Michaels with all on board at p.
m. of the 9th. The weather was very
threatening ut that time, and the wind in
creased in volume as the night wore on.
Everything possible was done to
make the passengers comfortable.
All through the trying times
which had preceded this storm, the pas
sengers acted admirably. The gale kept
increasing in fury, and there was
sea running which was con-
tinually breaking over the vessel, and
taken altogether things looked dubious.
By daylight OF April 3, however, the gale
had materially decreased, and we were
able to make fine progress.
SAFE AT ST. InCHAEL's.
On April 10 at $3.50 3. m. We arrived at
st. Michael's. On April IL at Il a. m.
we landed $40 passengers and crew OF the
including Capt. Knudsen, at st.
Michaeps. In dividing up our load we
kent on board the Missouri the females,
endeayoring as far as possible to
leave the single men and those not having
children at ST. Michael's. At 6 m. OF the
same day we sailed from st. Michaels
with 365 people from the Danmark, in
cludipg eight of the crew of that vessel,
who were allowed to come with us. We
had fine weather all the way to Philadel-
mia. and a remarkably email amount OF
sickness-only three cases on bOard-con-
siderine the crowded conditions oil our
hoats All the officers cheerfnlly gave up
their quarters for the use Of the women
and children, and the best of good nature
has prevailed the entire trip. We had
nIenty to eat on the voyage from st.
SIicbaels here, having taken on supply at