The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-02-12
Fatally Injured.
CAPTAIN DA1z1EL.

CAPTAIN DALZIEL.
GREENoCK, Scotland, Feb. 1.-THE AL
Ian steamer Pomeranian, from Glasgow
Tor New York, returned here after terri
BILE experience. When about twelve hun
dred miles out. during heavy storm,
everything above decks was swept away
by huge wave which boarded the vessel
when nobody was prepared for it.
4 The Pomeranian encountered boisterous
weather Immediately after leaving port
and it was thought the wind would soon
blow itself out but instead of abating the
gale increased in severity until the day of
the disaster. The 4th of February
dawned with frightful gale raging and
tremendously high seas running. The
matches were battened down and covered
with tarpaulins, the ventilators turned
leeward, and every precaution dictated
by good seamanship had been taken to
prevent water getting below. Several
seas were shipped but they did no damage
when suddenly a tremendous sea reared
Its crest a short distance ahead OF the
steamer as she plunged down the wave.
Before she could rise, the sea came over
the starboard bow and tons OF green water
aft, and almost at the same time the fall
ing wave astern came aboard.
The result almost defes description.
The deck, saloon, chart house, bridge and
boats were smashed to pieces and partly
washed overheard. The deck was COW
cred with almost an inextricable mass of
wreckage, and the utmost confusion
reigned. AT first the full extent of the
disaster was not known, but as the steam
er began to pay of before the wind and
sea it was at once seen that the quarter
mast had been carried overheard. Two
sailors sprang to the wheel and soon put
the steamer on her course, and then it
was found that Captain Dalzier was miss
ing.
He was last seen standing on the lee
side of the steamer, aft the saloon, in con-
versation with saloon passenger named
John Stewart. They were both dashed
against the deck house and then carried
with terrific force and damned beneath
the steam winches. Captain DalZier's legs
were broken and he sustained internalin in
juries. He was carefully removed to his
room, but he died the next morning.
Stewart S legs were also broken and he
sustained other injuries, from the effect
OF which he died In a few hours.
At the time of the accident the second
officer, John Cook, WIS on the bridge
with John Hamilton, fourth officer, and
both of them were carried overheard and
drowned. In the saloon deck house
when the sea broke over the steamer,
were James Gibson and Lillian Gibson of
Dalketit, and Jane Gallery of London
derry, all cabin passengers. They were
carried over the side and were not after
ward seen. David Forbes of Dundee, a
second-cabin passenger, and James
Pritchard land Fred Westbury, stew
ards. were also lost in the same manner.
When the sea boarded the steamer every
man about deck who saw it coming
grabbed hold of the straneheons or any
thing else convenient, and it was due to
this that the loss of life was not much
greater.
For time the utmost CONSERVATION
prevailed, but this gave way to a feeling
of sadness when it was found that so
Ziel fatally injured and unconscious in
the ca bin, the command OF the steamer
deYOlyed upon the first officer. When
the chart room was carried away the
charts, sextants and quadrants, in fact,
everything absolutely necessary to the
navigation of the ship went with it. The
binacle box and compass on the bridge
had also gone overheard, and had it not
been that the after compass remained it is
doubtful If the steamer would have
reached port for many days yet.
The situation of affairs was terrible.
The first officer called the remaining Of
ficers of the steamer into consultation
and 1t was decided TO put about and re-
turn to Greenock. This was at once done,
and without any instruments with which
to take an observation the voyage was
made entirely by dead reckoning and was
necessarily slow. The first officer is
highly commended for his skillful sea-
manship in navigating the Pomaranian
under such adverse circumstances.
The scene at the burial of Captain Dali
zieI was one of the saddest ever witnessed
at sea. The crew and passengers stood
silently weeping during the simple and
mournful ceremony. The waves were
running mountain high and all felt that
they, too, might soon be with the de-
parted captain. Veteran sailors who
were on board declare that during
an experience OF thirty years this
storm was the worst they ever
encountered. If the ship had not been
staunch and the discipline good they
would have foundered. Although the
discomfort endured was very great mo-
body complained and everybody looked
forward with eagerness to the safe ar
rival on land and all were only too glad
to be alive to complain OF a lack of accom-
moGations. The interior of the ship was
badly damaged and will require extensive
repairs.