Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-02-02
THE WRECKED EIDER
Nearly All the Passengers
 ] Have Been Taken Off.
LIFE BOATS STILL AT WORK
Part of the Vessels Cargo Has Had
 to be Jettisoned

A Scene of Terror Followed the Stranding of the Elder on the Rocks i'm a Fog Which Was So Dense that the Officers Could Not See Further Than Half the Length of the Vessel Ahead--Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds in Silver Coin and Several Cases of Gold Ready to be Thrown Overheard Should the Vessel Sink, in Order to Facilitate the Work of the Divers Who Would be Called Into Service.
 LONDON, Feb. 2.-The cause of the running aground of the North German Lloyd steamer Elder on the Atherfield rocks, nine miles from Ventnor, Isle of Wight, was the dense fog which prevailed and prevented the officers from seeing further than half the length of the ship ahead.
 When the vessel struck scene of ter TOT followed. The passengers rushed on deck, and were with difficulty calmed by the officers, who assured them that there was no danger. Women and children cried piteously, and the male passen- gers were also much alarmed, but were prevailed upon to return to their cabins and make the necessary preparations to abandon the ship should such a course be found necessary. The ship was cradled in the rocks about @ mile from the shore.
 Help was immediately sent, and the ifeboats have now taken off nearly all the passengers, although it was hard work, 8 heavy sea and strong gale pre- vaiiing.
 Those of the poor Danes, Norwegians, Swedes and Germans who were among the Elders steerage passengers landed are compelled to remain for the present at Atherfeld, where the agents of the North German Lloyd Company are doing everything possible for them.
 The coast guardsmen and others who were present in the boats and tugs about the Elder are unanimously of the opinion that, had the gale increased, there would have been a considerable loss of life, for the lifeboats, owing to the rocks and heavy seas, were almost useless, and would have been dashed to pieces either against the Elders sides or against the rocks. A sudden and unexpected modera- tion of wind and sea alone seems to have saved the Elder from much more serious damage.
 About midnight, at high water, an effort will be made by government tugs and by tugs employed by the steamship company to pull off the stranded steam ship.
 All the necessary hawsers were run on board of her or else were run out from her during the afternoon. Even should the tugs succeed in dragging the steamer off shore, it is not certain that she will remain long ahoat, and every precaution has been taken in view of the possibility of her sinking.
 Seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds in silver coin and several cases of gold, which formed part of the Elder S cargo, have been taken up on deck and have been wrapped in canvas, on the shore side of the deck, ready to be thrown overheard in the event of the Elder com mencing to founder.
 This will facilitate the work of the divers who will be sent to recover the bullion as soon as the weather permits of such operations.
 NEW YORK, Feb. 2.-The steamship Elder left this port on January 23rd at Il o'clock a. m. There were fifteen first cabin and twenty-five second cabin passengs, one hundred and seventy five steerage and about seventy in the crew. Captain Heinecke was in charge. The vessel is five thousand five hundred tons register and was considered one of the best vessels of the North German Lloyds feet. The passengers were mostly Ger mans, Scandinavians, and Danes return ! ing to their native lands. Her cargo consists of large consignment of cotton for English and German manufacturers