The Portland daily press., 1890-09-20
THE SHIP CHALLENGER IN PORT.
Capt. Thompson's Story OF his
Battle with Old ocean.
How Eight Men Were Swept Away to
Find Watery Graves.
a Voyage Destined to Become Fa-
nous In ForecastIe Yarns.

Boston, September 1S.-The ship Chal-
lenger, Capt. Thompson. arrived In THIS port
this morning after one of the hardest expert
ences which has ever fallen to the lot OF
sailing vessel. She now lies in the stream,
but of the grand vessel which left England
month ago, one OF the finest American ships
afloat, there new remains but sound hull,
and the stumps of her fore and mainmasts.
The cause of all thisldevastation was the
terrible hurricane which occurred August 81,
and in addition to the dismantling of the yes
sci, eight of her crew now lie in watery
graves, while four more are now at the hos
pital suffering from injuries received at that
time.
The story, as taken from the captains re-
port, is that the Challenger left West III ar
tlepool, Eng, July 80 in ballast, for New
York, and until the last day Of August expe- %
that date the wind started in from WNW,
changing about o'clock In the afternoon to
Sc. The captain then noting that the
weather looked threatening ordered all
hands to shorten sail. and clewed up the
three royals, the mizzen topgallant sail and
the upper mizZen tOpgallant sail. hauled and
furled the main upper toDgallant and fore
salls. The wind was now coming very
freshly, and the vessel was being steered
right before it, At 30 all hands were furl-
Ing the foretop and topgallant sails, when
the foresail blew out of the bolt ropes, car
rying away the jibboom and the foretop and
topgallant mast All the men were either
thrown into the sea or flung to the deck in
the dismantled rigging.
Eight of them-George Bruhm of Copen-
hagen, Thomas Gaul OF Austria, k0u FrOs-
berg of Sweden. g. Olsen of Germany, @.
III. Ludwig Of Germany, Charles Flemming
of Richmond, Va, Ole Olsen of Norway and
German sailor named Winvrin-all went
overheard and were never seen afterward.
Four more fell to the deck and were badly
injured. At o'clock all the sails which
were furled blew out of the gaskets and the
maintopmast went by the board, and with 1t
the mixentop-gallant mast. At o'clock
there was slight lull In the storm. but in
a half an hour it broke with redoubled fury.
At 6.45 the miZzen-mast was carried
away, and the vessel ran helpless in
the storm until Q o'clock, during which
time the wind blew at the rate of 100
walk the decks the wind was so heavy,
and nothing could be done toward clearing
away the wreckage until the next morning,
when the weather moderated. Then the
captain set the crew to making splints for
the injured and cleared the decks from en-
cumbrances.
In short time the weather became better,
and although the Challenger was spoken
several times she was able to proceed
without assistance. Her owners, Soule q
Co., of Bath, Me-, telegraphed the Boston
agents, John Flinter & Co., to have her put
in at Bath for repairs, but the despatch came
too late The vessel was sighted off tle
cape last night by the tug Herald and towed
to Boston.
The health officer who boarded the ship
praised the manner in which the injured men
were cared for. They are now in the pospi-
tai and doing well. OF the twenty-five men
who left England, but ten are now in the
vessel.