The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-06-02

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NEW YoRx, June lin the face Of a
northwest gallo which sent tons OF
water over her bows the Netherlands
American steamship Amsterdam was
hoye-to near mid-ocean early Monday
morning a week ago yesterday to rescue
the captain and crew Of the dismantted
and fast sinking Swedish bark signe.
Tho rain was pouring in torrents at the
time. The signc was nearly full. of
water, her pumps were choked, her
lifeboats smashed and her seapen utter
ly exhausted.
The Amsterdam, which was on her
way from Rotterdam to this port,
reached New York yesterday With the
crew Of the lost Signe. They. comprised
Capt. F. o. Larsen, First Mate Q. Syl-
van, Second Mate D. Person, Carpenter
Carl Haaldsen, Stewart Nils Olsen,
Sailors Carl Olsen, Gustaf Allen, Helger
Helgesen and Cabin Boy Gustat Dahl
gram, ten persons in all.
With cargo OF silver sand in bulk,
below decks. the Sfg1e, vessel OF -5l2
tons, left Antwerp on April %. She
called at Blessington and left that port
for Pictou, N. s.. on. May l. Fair
weather and favorable breezes famed
the bark's sails up to May q, when she
was fairly in mid-ocearl.
Then, us Captain Larsen related, the
first evidence OF the storm that was TO
follow appeared. It became bitterly
cold and a succession Of squalls occur
red. At half.past two in the afternoon
two large ieebergs were seen to the
northward. They were each nearly
half a mile long and in places more
than one huHdred feet high.
NEARBY ZERO WEATHER.
The Thermometer had dropped to
five degrees Fahrenheit, the wind was
biting cold and the water as it dashed
against the sbark's sides froze in thin
layers until her hull glittered with an
icy armor. The temperature went down
to three degrees, and as the night wore
away tho squalls settled down into q
steady northwest gale, which compelled
the crew to stow all the heavy canvass.
This was on week ago last Saturday,
and it was not until eight o'clock Sun
day morning that the frat calamity
overlook the little bark. At that hour
the mainmast snapped off a short dis
lance above the deck and went by the
board, carrying with III tangled mass
OF sails and Jigging.
Captain Larsen ordered the broken
mast cut away and the men had started
to obey. Not dozen strokes had been
struck, however, when the mizzenrnast
fell also, and following II came the fore
topmast and torgallant mast The
spars came crashing down on deck in a
confused mass, burying and crushing
into splinters the vessels three life
boats.
That none OF the crew was injured by
the falling spars was wonderful, but all
escaped unframed. Rhe storm was
now hurricane and waves made a
clean break over the Signe. To make
matters worse the seams under the
strain OF the falling masts had parted
and tho vessel was leaking rapidly.
In spite OF everything the crew
worked with a will, cleared the deck of
the wreckage and then manned the
pumps, Here new difficulty faced
them, for the fine sand In the bark's
hold sucked intothe pumps and choked
the valves. Every effort was made to
clear the pumps, and, in desperation,
the brine soaked, hungry and despond-
emit crew worked for hours, hoping for
rescue. The air was warmer but that
was the only comfort.
A large steamer was seen to the
northwest on Sunday afternoon, and
rockets were sent up. The steamer,
however, paid no attention and kept on
her course. 1t was not until fifteen
minutes past tweve o'clock on Monday
morning that the lights OF the Amster-
dam were seen. Captain Stenger, OF the
steamship, had seen the distress sig
mails, and be ordered the Amsterdam
hove to q short distance of. 1t was in
north latitude 43 deg. 40 min, west
longitude 43 deg. So min.
ruR RESCUE
There was terrific sea running. 1t
broke with the noise OF big guns on the
Amsterdam's forward turtleback, and
Captain stenger decided TO wait for day.
light to attempt to rescue.
Two life boats were made ready, and
at half.past three in the morning, just
daybreak, Chief officer G. Landmann,
OF the Amsterdam, took charge Of q
boat manned by eight sailors. They
reached tho bark and took Off tho crew,
who lowered themselves over the leo
side OF the bark with difficulty. The
life boat narrowly escaped being dashed
to pieces against the hark,s side.
Captain Larsen, OF the Signe, was the
last to get into the boat. Before doing
80 he tried to lower small iron chest
containing the ships log, his private
papers, iewelry and a large amount Of
money. Tho chest struck tho side OF
the boat, went overheard and sunk inl-
medlately. The captain saved none Of
his instruments or his wardrobe and
his men had only the clothes they wore.
The Amsterdam resumed her voyage
with tho rescued crew on board at q
quarter OF five in the morning. The
rescue was accomplished in sixty.fye
minutes from the time the Amsserdam's
life-boat left the steamship, but she
was delayed in all five hours,
Every kindness was shown Captain
Larsen and his men on the steamship,
and Chief Mate Landmann, Of the Am
sterdatn, and the rescuiug boats crew
were cheered to the echo.
There was a surprise dinner in the
cabin in the afternoon in honor Of Cap
tain stenger, his officers and crew, and
Charles Mackenzie, cabin passenger,
collected purse of $50 for Chief Officer
Landmann. Another purse was dtvid-
ed among the sailors who manned tho