The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-02

LONDON. Feb. The steamship Elder Of
tho North German Lloyd Steamship Com
panv. Captain Heinecke which left New Iork
for Bremen on January 23d. went ashore last
night on the Atherheld rocks. nine miles west
of Ventor. Isle Of Wight. The coast guards
men noticed the fog whistle Of big steam
ship blowing during the night, but as there
are so many vessels passing up and down the
channel no danger was anticipated, until sud-
denly rockets were seen TO Hare upward
through the night, mist and fog, and then a
steamships whistle was heard blowing the
long uninterrupted note OF distress. The en-
tire cOast-guard crew was immediately sum-
mOned and the neghDOTing stations were
promptly notified 90 send reintCrcements 70
the spot. The life boat of the coast
guard station near Atheriield rocks was
then manned and run cut through the
surf. A tremendous sea was running as the
lfe-bOat 1ut midnight put 90 sea ana III au-
dition it was bitterly cold. the wind freezing
the water upon the lie-savers' oars ana OIL
skins. Thirteen of the passengers were saiely
landed at Athertield IN the lite-0oat AFTER
passing through an experience among me
waves oil the shore that they are not
likely to forget tor tho remainder OF
their lives The life-boat was tossed
about like cork. Her passengers
and crew were half drowned be-
meath the crosts of towering breakers
and were repeatedly lost 90 view from the
ship and from the shore. but the ne ooat
was so skiliully handled that tie thr-
teen passengers and tne crew OF the liie-ooat
were all landed near the coast guard station;
where there were crowds OF people gathered
attracted by the rapidly spread news OF the
wreck. The half-drowued passengers ana
life savers were heartily choerod upon
landing and received every assistance
from the people gathered t. welcome them.
THEIR GALLANT EFFORTS.
The ife-boat crew thr ughout the day con-
tinued their gallant efforts % battle success
fully with the wind. waves and rocks The
lie-boats took the greatest risks IN their de-
termination to approach tho Elder. and were
in constant danger of being stove in y the
sharp-Dointed rocks. The ATTEMPT 90 pass tho
rocky barrOws alone IS a most hazardous un-
dertaking. rs the sea had not this afternoon
abated IN the slightest degree IN violence.
Most of the lady passengers feared to take the
risk If going on IN the frst iite-b0at, and
as there WAS plenty of room Captain heinecke
allowed some of the male passengers TO
land IN the first boat load taken ashore. -Four
children were slowed away IN TAO bottom or
the boat under the thwart5 and amid the legs
of the lifo boat crew The children. I'm order
against the weather, were covered over with
tarpaulins. but everybody in the boat was
repeatedly drenched o. the skin by the seas
which swept into the small craft. When the
ie-b0ats reached the line or where the SURF
beat upon them 10 was with real oltncGlty
that they escaped being swamped.
The boats were finally ridden BOWS Oh INTO
the breakers and when they reached certain
point they were seized by coast guardsmen
and Others who had yentured out into the surf
as far as possible. and with q rush the boats
were dragged in amid cheers up the beach,
and the passengers and crew landed IN safety
Those of the poor Danes Norweglans
Swedes and Germans who were among the
Elders steera g passengers landed during the
afternoon and evening are compelled TO re-
main for the present at Atherfield. where the
agents Of the North German Company are
doing everything possible for them.
LOST ALL THEIR GOODS.
But these poor people have in many cases
lost all their baggage ana Otner property. and
there was so much weeping and bewalllng of
the fate which had over taken them that few
of these people seemed TO have either the
time 0r the inclination tO realize that they
have had a narrow escape Of finding death IN
watery grave. The cOastguardsmen and
Others who were present in the boats and
tugs about the Elder during the earlier part
of the day are unanimously Of the OPINION
that had the gale increased at the rate
it did increase during the early part of
the morning that it Is possible that there
would have been q considerable loss Of life.
A sudden and unexpected moderation Of wind
and sea alone seemed 90 have saved the Elder
from much re seri us damage. At five
o'clock this evening the life-boats had made
thirteen trips and had landed about two
hundred people. The work of rescuing was
then continued and 1t was hoped that all tho
4 -. .sNt
Nrw N0Br. feb. The steamship Elder
left this port on January I'D at II o'clock a.
NJ. There were nineteen first cabin and
twenty-five second cabin passengers, 40
steerage and about seventy in the crew. Cap
tain Heinecke was in charge. III vessel -
$50 tons register. and was considered one or
the hest vessels of the North German Lloyd
fleets The passengers were mostly Germans,
Scandinayians and Danes returning to their
native lands.