Los Angeles herald., 1892-02-02
STEAMER STRANDED.
An Ocean Liner in a PerilOus
gPOsitiOn.
The Elder Aground at the Isle
of Wight.
All the Passengers Transferred to
the Shore.
Three Hundred Thousand Dollars II
Specie Piled on the Deck to Be
Sunk in a Safe Place In Case
of Emergency.
Associated Press Dispatches.


LONDON, Feb. 1.-Gales prevailed to-
day off Holyhead in the English chan
mel and along the eastern coast OF Eng
land and Scotland. A number OF coast
ing vessels were wrecked.
A dispatch was received this morning
from the signal station at St. Cath
crimes Point, at the southern extremity
of the Isle of Wight, stating that the
North German Lloyd steamer Elder,
from New York. January 23d, for
Bremen, stranded near that point last
night. The North German Lloyd's
agent at Southampton dispatched three
tugs from that place to take off the
Elders passengers. Government tugs
were also sent by the admiralty from
Portsmouth to endeavor to get the
steamer off.
Life boats began landing the passen-
gers this morning. On shore rocket
apparatus was made ready for use in
the event of its becoming necessary to
take off the passengers and crew by
means of breeches buoys.
The tugs reached the Elder in due
time. but no attempt was made to get
her off until high tide this evening.
A dispatch from St. Catherine point
tonight states that boats landed all the
passengers and mails. A nong the first
passengers landed were Mrs. Rickard, of
Kansas; Mrs. Martin, Mrs. and Miss
Grant and two children. New York;
Mrs. Wallseyer and three children,
Brooklyn, and Mrs. Bendig, Mr.. and
Mrs. Abraham, L. M. Kellner, Mr.. and
Mrs. Ashenden and Mr.. Rankin. Mr..
Ashenden said at the time the Elder
struck the weather was very foggy and
it was only possible to see objects a
short distance away. The passengers
were somewhat startled at first, but
were soon reassured by the news that
there was no danger. So confident were
the passengers in the assurances of the
captain of the Elder, that they were re-
luctant to quit the vessel in the lifeboat
when the life-savers first reached the
steamer and offered to transfer the pas
sengers to the shore. So the life
boat. returned. When Brightstone life
boat came along later on, the captain
again refused the offer of help, and the
boat started to return. The crew had
only rowed short distance, however,
when Mr.. Ashenden decided that as the
steamer still remained on the ledge and
there seemed but little Likelihood of her
getting afoat, it would be the safest
plan to go ashore, and he thereupon
shouted for the life-savers to come back.
He entered the boat with twelve others.
Soon afterwards two more lifeboats be-
gan landing the passengers as quickly
as possible. These took refuge tenn
porarily at hotel, while those landing
at Brightstone proceeded to London.
The passengers concur in the statement
that there is no apparent damage done
to the vessel.
Another report shows that the captain
of the Elder declined the services OF the
lifeboats until noon, expecting to hold
out until the arrival of the tugs. A
strong southwest wind arising accom-
panied by rain storm, he signalled the
shore for help. The vessel listed slightly
to port as the tide receded. Although
she appeared close to shore, it was
found impossible to reach her by double
rockets. AS the tide ebbed the wind
fell. By nightfall six tugs arrived, and
are awaiting the attempt to tow the yes
sci off, which will be made in the
morning
The landing OF the passengers became
somewhat risky after O'Clock in the
evening, when the wind, which was
blowing dead ashore, freshened consid-
erably and threatened to increase to a
gale. Much relief was felt when the
last load was safely landed.
The captain of the Elder took precau-
tions to save the large amount of money
on the steamer. He gave orders to have
it carried to the deck, and large num-
ber OF bags, containing all told $500, 900
in specie, were soon piled on the side
facing the shore. The big sum of money
was SO arranged, should necessity arise,
to be sunk in place of safety among
the rocks.
Captain Addison, one of the passen-
gers, highly praises the conduct of the
captain and crew. When the accident
happened, he says, there was not the
slightest confusion or excitement visible
among either officers or men during all
the trying time. Instead, military
calmness and discipline prevailed, and
every order was correctly given and as
correctly carried out. This had very
calming effect on the passengers.
The men in. charge of st. GATHERINGS
light say the fog siren was in full opera
tion at the time of the stranding OF the
ship, and blowing during the hours the
hours the fog lasted, and the electric light
was burning at the fullest power. The
weather was sointensely foggy, however,
that although the Elder was only three
miles distant, neither the sound OF the
siren nor the rays OF light penetrated
the fog to give those on the steamer any
intimation of danger.
The agents Of the company here state
that the Elder is lying in an easy posi-
ton, and no damage is reported. Fifty
seven bales OF cotton jettisoned from the
Elder, in attempts to float her, have
been saved.