The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-03
The Wreck Of the Elder on Her
First Trip Under Capt.
Heinecke.
Furiously Pounded by Heavy
Sea Rolled Up by
Hurricane.
Not Life Lost-The Vessel
VIII Sink.

LONDON. Feb. 2.-Ths gale last night
caused A heavy ssa to run in the channel
which added to the dangerous position Of
the steamer Elder on AtherHeld ledge. 4
place exposed to tho full force Of the wind
and sea and Of the mott perilous points in
the channel. The wind continued to freshen
throughout tho night and the position Of
the Elder grew worao and worse. She
pounded quito hard upon the rocks. The
crew stayed with her. The stern sank fur.
thsr. lifting the bow higher. Should she
slide off the ledge she would surely 20 to
the bottom. Capt Heinecke s1gnalled that
the leak was gaining rapidly on the pumps.
The Atherteld lifeboat Grew made
preparations to 20 to the assistance of the
crew. AT IL o'clock the position Of the
Elder had become most critical. The tide
was rising and as it approached = flood
of water poured into the steamer. The
afterhold filed, pallinQ the stern down and
leaving the forehold perfectly dry. The
sea washed over the quartsrdeck and il
looked as though she would slide of at any
moment. All hands hastily left her. The
pumps we're kept working at their full
capacity all night but the sea kept slowly
gaining, the water pouring through the
hole in her side where the rocks had torn
III the IRON plates. At daylight signals
were run up asking for help. The life
boats were Immediately sent ont. and after
dangerous passage every body was landed
in safety. A few bags of mail and PIT pas
sengers were taken to southampton, where
ali destined for Bremen will be transferred
to the steamer Havsl, which has arrived at
Southampton. This afternoon all the pas
sengers concur in denying the sensational
reports that . panic prevailed when the
steamer struck or afterwards.
A dispatch from Athsrfisld at seven
o'clock this evening stated that the life
boats, after an exceedingly perilous voyage,
succeeded in bringing everybody from the
ship to the shore in safety. AS the tide
went down the storm increased in violence.
The Elder has showed through the terrible
pounding she received that thore was moth
ing faulty in her construction. Hour after
hour to-day she stood q bAttering from sea
and rocks that, in the case of a weaker YES.
sci, would long beforeshave torn her tC
pieces. At the time the life-boat set out
this afternoon to rescue the remainder Of
the srew remaining on the steamer the
storm had gained terrible violence.
The life-boat crew at Atherfield had q
tremendous struggle to get their craft be-
yond the breakers that were piling high ar
on the shore, and even after they got past
the breakers they hAd dlflcult task
Their course was directly in the eye of q
wind that was now blowing hurricane
but slowly but surely the boat forged
ahead. Some times she would appear or
the crest of high sea, and then disappear
in a trough and thus it continued until she
got under the lee of tho Elder. line wal
taken from the steamer, and dropping
alongside, she took on board as many OF
the Grew as she could safely carry and
headed for the shore. The boats fron
Brightstone and Lewis had similar expert
enoes.
The captain of the Elder was the last
person to leave the vessel. The voyage was
Captain Henecke's first on the Elder from
New York In IN interview. one of the off
GERS of the ship says the passage was a good
one. They did not sec land till they signted
Lizard, and it was difficult to recognize
points in the fog. Tho Elder steamed
slowly along the English Channel Sunday
with sharp lookout for pilota. but none
were ssen. The captain had personal charge
of the ship. AT tina time of the aociden,
eoundings were being taken every five min
utes and the vessel was at slowest speed
For short time after we struck. none OF
us realized the real state of affairs, but
presently the fog lifted somewhat, reveal.
ing the ships position. close to the cliffs
and firmly cradled in the rocks. We still
expected, however, to tloat uninjured with
the tide"