Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-02-03
WILL PROBABLY SINK.
The Big North German Lloyd Liner,
Elder, in a Bad Way.
STILL HANGS FAST ON THE LEDGE
With Her Stern Sunk and Her Bow Ont Of Water
The Crew Compelled to Leave the Ship.
All the Mails and Passengers
Gotten OF Safely.

LONDON, February "A heavy gale
from the southwest set in last night,
causing heavy sea to run in the Chan
mel, which added very materially TO the
dangerous position of the North German
Lloyd steamer Elder, from New YORK
to Bremen, which ran on the Atherheld
Ledge, of the Isle Of Wight, while try
ing TO make Southampton, Sunday
night. The place where the steamer
lies is exposed to the full force OF the
wind and sea, and is one OF the most
perilous points for navigators in the
Channel, owing to the treacherous cur
rent which acts in toward the ledge,
which varies in velocity according TO
weather conditions, thus making 1t sl-
most impossible for navigators TO take
IL into their calculations. Even the
captains OF coasting vessels give the
place wide berth, and stand well oil
shore until the ledge is far astern.
The wind continued to freshen through
out the night and as 1t grew in force the
position of the Elder grew worse ana
worse and she has foundered quite hard
as the seas would lift her and then as
they rolled shoreward drop her upon the
rocks. All efforts made TO float her on
the high water last night were without
avail Her crew still stays by her and
all are safe for the present.
When Ii became sufficiently light this
morning TO allow Of the steamer being
seen clearly it was found that her stern
had sunk further In the deep water OF
the ledge, thus lifting her bow higher
up. This is an extremely dangerous
position, for should the steamer slide OIL
the ledge she would surely go to the
bottom.
The force Of the seas striking the
vessel during the night may be judged
from the fact that her propeller has
been washed away. This will render 1t
impossible for the steamer to use her
own steam in the efforts made to hoat
her, and she will have to depend en-
tirely upon the tugs, II she attempts to
get off. II is now believed that unless
great part Of the Elders cargo is taken
out and transferred to lighters, it will
not be possible to float her at all.
The wind has moderated since sun
rise, but 1t is still strong. 1t Is expect
ed that another attempt to haul the
Elder off will be made at noon to-day.
Captains of coasting vessels who have
arrived at Portsmouth, and who are
thoroughly well acquainted with the
Atherfeld Ledge, state, after having
seen the stranded steamer, that owing
to her exposed position, there Is little
hope that she will ever be saved.
Captain Helnecke has signalled to
shore that the leak in the Elder is gain
ing rapidly on the pumps and the Ath-
erfield life boat crew are making prepa-
rations in response to the signal TO
launch their boat and go to the assist
ance OF the crew and take them OIL the
endangered steamer.
A dispatch from Athertield timed II
a. m, states that the position OF the
Elder has become most critical The
tide was rising and as it approached
the food the water poured into the
steamer. Her aft hold was full and this
naturally pulled her stern down. She
lies at such an acute angle that her
fore-hold is perfectly dry. The sea is
washing over her quarter deck and TO
Judge from appearances she will never
float again.
II looks as though she would slide of
her resting place at any moment and
plunge to the bottom. Her officers have
decided that the steamer is In too dan
Rerous a position now for any one TO re-
main aboard Of her, and all hands are
hastily leaving her. At half-past nine
o'clock this morning two officers and
eight firemen, having with them case
of gold, were landed from the Elder by
life boat.
At noon report was received at
Lloyd's stating that the Elder was set
tling and that there was little hope OF
floating her. The despatch added that
the sea was rough and that the wind
was from the westward. With the ex-
ception of gold above mentioned none
of the bullion or specie aboard the
steamer has been landed.
A few bags Of the mail from the Elder
and 227 OF her passengers have ar
rived at Southampton. They were
driven from Atherfield across the Isle
of Wight to Cowes, where they took
steamer TO Southampton. Here all the
passengers destined for Bremen will be
transferred 10 the North German Lloyd
steamer Havel, which sailed from New
York, January 20, and which is expect
ed to arrive at Southampton this after
noon.
All the passengers concur in denying
the sensational reports that q panic pre-
vailed when the steamer struck or af-
terward. They say that these reports
were circulated by persons whose vivid
imaginations outran their discretion
and that as a matter OF fact there was
not the slightest trace Of any panic.
They say they were naturally startled
when the steamer brought up. but that
many of them had already discounted
an accident of some sort owing TO this
dense and almost impenetrable fog, and
when it did occur they were in no way
surprised.
The stories OF people running on
deck in their night clothes and crying
piteously, they say, were never fur
nished by any one on board the steamer,
and that but few passengers had re-
tired at the time. Most OF them were
M awaiting the time when the steamer
would reach Southampton, and when
the shock OF the stranding occurred the
people were very easily convinced that
tney were IN no danger. The very best
of discipline was observed by the crew.
A later dispatch from Atherfield says
that during the night the sea ran so
high that IL endangered the vessel so
that the crew we're compelled TO make
better ofing. The life boats, however,
being Of much lighter dranght, were
not in much danger Of striking the
rocks, and they lay alongside TO render
any service they might be called on TO
perform
The pumps on the Elder were kept
working at their full capacity all night
but though tons Of water poured out