The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-01-01

10, AL OtcF bHo dig SDlp-NOUOuy
was Killed but the Ships Doctor Was
Kept Busy Setting Broken Bones-The
Wave smote the Smoke Stack but that
Was Placed in Irons.
New York, Decembe 31.-The Red Star
morning, four days overdue, and
brought story of storm and havoc such
as is rarely experienced. The Rhineland
left Antwerp, December IS. On passing
Lands End and the Lizard she was con-
fronted with strong headwinds. On the
night of the 10th the wind blew a gale
from the southwest by west and the seas
made the big iron steamer tremble and
pitch. At midnight she was in about
longitude II. degrees west and latitude
50 degrees north.
On the bridge were Capt. Mills, Chief
Officer Dobson and Third Officer Kroger.
S econd Officer Kenny was in charge of
the first watch, which was putting the
heavy storm doors over the companion
way entrances The second watch was
on the point of relieving the first when a
cry came from the bridge, Look out for
a wave.n There was numbering noise,
the crashing of tim bers and the steamer
shook from. stem to stern, staggering
under thousands of tons of water. The
wave was not less than thirty-five feet
high and met her head on and swept the
up to the bridge. When it passed the
decks were nearly deserted. Of tbe
twenty-seven men of the two watches,
hardly one was in sight. The officers on
the bridge were at least thirty feet above
the water and, by catching hold Of the
rail they were able to resist the water,
though passing beyond them it demol-
companionway roof. The seamen and
petty officers on the promenade deck
were swept along as if they were feathers
and were dropped on various parts of the
deck aft. Quartermaster Theodore
Very had been experimenting the work
of fastening the door on the entrance to
the forward port companionway on the
poop deck. He was swept over the chocks
of the port boats and, but for the rigging,
would have gone overheard. He fell be-
low on the main deck with a bad wound
in his neck. The inner door was stove
in the companionway to the main saloon,
which was flooded. The steel raft on the
port side forward was carried away and
the stanchions which supported it were
twisted off. A life boat on the port side
was carried away and the iron guard
rail of the promenade deck whipped up
from its holdings for distance of $50
feet and swept overheard.
The seas continued mountain high and
the steamer lurched terribly. The
officers and few men started to look
after the other men. They found the
men in various portions of the vessel
some unconscious. The unfortunates
were carried into the second cabin.
The ships surgeon found ten men requir-
ing treatment, three having sustained
serious injury. Carpenter Castelyn had
his left thigh fractured. Seraphim
Correwin aged 16, had his left leg broken
in two places. Henry Moostys, sailor,
had his thigh fractured. Boatswain
Messiant and Mr.. Custin and Seamen
vligker. Buyssert, Huygas and Baker
were hurt. Others were badly shaken
ZIP and bruised. When morning came
it revealed further damage. The guy
ropes supporting the great funnel were
partly gone and the stack itself loosened.
Little could be done in the way of re-
pairing owing to the rough weather. A
chain was got about the stack just above
the whistle and guys were made of rope
and iron cables. During the day of the
21st these guys were carried away and
again the funnel threatened to 90 but
second time it was secured. The heavy
door at one of the starboard side COM
panion was smashed and two lights
in the main saloon broken in. For four
days the high winds and heavy seas con-
tinued with unabated fury until on the
7th easy running was found. A head
wind on the 26th SO retarded progress
that only sixty miles were made in
twenty-four hours.
When the Rhineland came in she was
listed several degrees to starboard seem
ing to indicate that her cargo had
shifted. The officers refused to admit
this explaining that more coal was used
from the port side. None of the passen-
gers were hurt.