Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-02-04


The lifeboat crews and their passengers
got along very well for time, but when
they got into the combers they had to
exercise the greatest skill to prevent the
boat from being capsized. Much diff
Guilty was experienced in shooting the
boats through the surf, but finally every
body was landed in safety.
LONDON, Feb. AIT $50 o'clock this
morning two officers and eight iiremen,
having with them case Of gold, were
landed by lifeboat from the steamer
Elder which was wrecked on Atherileld
Ledge.
At noon report was received at
Lloyds stating that the Elder was set
Ting, and that there was little hope of
floating her. The dispatch added that
the sea was rough and that the wind
was from the westward
With the exception of the gold, above
mentioned, none of the bullion or specie
aboard the steamer has been landed.
The lifeboats, however, being of much
lighter draught, were not in much
danger of striking the rocks, and they
lay alongside TO render any service they
might be called upon to perform.
PASSENGERS AT SOUTHAMPTON.
A few bags of the mail from the
Elder and 227 of her passengers have
arrived at southampton. They We're
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 to the North German LLOYD
steamer lavel, which sailed from New
York January Goth, and which is ex-
pected to arrive at Southampton this
afternoon.
A later dispatch from Atherfeld says
says that during the night the sea ran so
high that ii endangered the tugs lying
by the stranded steamer, and for their
own safety they were compelled to
make better otling. 1t was impossible
to attempt to get strain on the Elder
from the tugs, and they, therefore, made
no attempt TO get her off.
A dispatch timed $50 p. M, has been
received from Atheriield. Ii says that
from daylight until that time the beach
in the vicinity of Atherfield Ledge was
filled with people from miles around,
| all anxious to sec the spectacle of a
great transatlantic steamer piled upon
the rocks.
A RAIN AND HAIL STORM.
Shortly before haf-past two the sky
i'll The west grew blacker and blacker,
and in a short time the storm clouds,
hurrylng before an ever-increasing wind,
covered the whole sky. A furious rain
poured down, and, to add to the dis
comfort Of those whose duty called
them to the shore, 1t was accompanied
by pelting hailstones. The crowd OF
| sight-seers on the beach sought shelter
from the storm and scattered in every
| direction
The sea was dashed to increasing fury
by the freshening gale, and as the huge
rollers would sweep in from the Chan
mel they would strike the stranded
steamer with sulien boom and sweep
almost entirely over her. The Elder
has shown throughout the terrible
| pounding she received that there was
nothing faulty in her construction. She
has, for hour after hour, stood Il batter
ing from sea and rock that in the case Of
a weaker vessel would long ere this have
torn her to pieces.
EVERYBODY SAFELY LANDED.
At $50 O'Clock a dispatch was sent
from Atherfield stating that the life
boats have again been launched and are
battling their way through the heavy
seas in the direction OF the steamer.
They are going to try and rescue some
Of the members Of thu ships company.
who arc still aboard the vessel. and
whose position has become very precari-
Gus owing to the increased severity of
the gale. A few of the crew remained
on the Elder to prevent her from becom-
ing an abandoned wreck, and il these
men the lifeboats are seeking to save.
a despatch was sent from Atherheld
at O'Clock this. evening stating that the
llfe-boats which went to the rescue of
the men remaining on tile Elder, after a
perilous voyage, succeeded in their mis-
sion and brought everybody from the
ship to shore in safety.
AS each liie-boat carrying members of
the RIDERS crew reached the shore in
safety after its terrible struggle through
the toaming waters, it was indeed a
touching sight to see the rescued men
embrace each other in the exuberance
Of their great joy.
TIE LAST TO LEAVE THE SHIP.
The captain of the Elder was the last
person to leave the vessel. All the
officers and men were made as comfort
able as possible, and were supplied with
dry clothes and warm food before start
Ing on the journey to Newport in
coaches. The crew had evidently
suffered terribly from exposure to the
cold air and the waves, which dashed
against the stranded vessel and flung
huge volumes of icy spray over them.
All hands worked steadily at the
pumps throughout the long night, yet
in spite of every effort the water gained
rapidly on them, until finally the lower
decks and then the afterdeck promenade
We're gradually submerged. The voyage
was Captain Heinecke's first one on the
Elder from New York.
In an interview one of the officers of
the ship said
| At the time of the accident sound
ing was being taken every five minutes,
and the vessel was at her slowest speed.
| was on the bridge when she first came
in contact with the rocks.
ATHERFIELD LEDGE.
Atherield Ledge, where the Elder is
stranded, lies almost due north by west
| of St. GATHERINGS Point the southorn