The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-01-18
HEROES WERE THEY.
Brave Life-Savers From the Steam
ship Amsterdam
PERISH. WHILE ATTEMPTINGR
OF the Crew of a Wrecked Schooner.
Six Of Them Drowned , and Another
Crew Volunteers to Make a Second
Attcmpt-The Schooner Disappears
and All on Board Are Doubtless
Lost-Only One of tho Rescuins
Party is Saved.

New York, Jan. 1.-THE steamship
Amsterdam Dutch s from Rotterdam,
January 3. arrived at the bar this morn
ing. She had continuation of heavy.
gales from all around the compass,
with tremendous high seas and q very
low barometer.
OnSunday, January IA, latitude 1921,
longitude 59:1S, about II a. M, in 4
strong northwest breeze and moderate
high seas, she sighted schoon err south,
showing an American union down and
at half mast. She made for the
schooner, and saw that the sea was
washing constantly over her. and that
only by hard pumping she was kept
afoat. She had crew CT about four
teen men. The crew signalled the
Amsterdam by gestures that the vessel
was in a sinking condition, and that
they were anxious to leave the ship,
Showing at the same time, by throwing
overheard pieces of their boats, that
some had been wrecked.
The captain of the steamer called his
crew on deck and told them the posi-
ton in which the schooner was. I'm
mediately the first officer and six of the
Amsterdan's crew offered themselves
to man boat. and go to their rescue.
No. life boat left the Amsterdam and
everything went all right until in the
vicinity of tho wreck. when n sudden
snow storm with squalls capsized the
boat with the result that three of the
crew disappeared Immediately and the
remaining four succeeded in taking
hold of the capsized boat. The captain
,>f ~ orI or 90 RI haJ =
assistance and succeeded in getting
alongside, but the remaining four men
were thoroughly exhausted by the cold
and in consequence were not able to
take hold Of the life saving apparatus
which was given to them, and they
were drowned, with the exception Of
one sailor, who, by extraordinary pres
ence of mind, got hold of rope and
was taken on board.
Another crew presented themselves
to man a second boat, but, owing to the
increasing wind and sea the; captain OBJ
jected, and concluded to wait for better
weather and calm sea. The Amster-
dam kept in the vicinity of the wreck
until when in a snow squall she lost
sight of her, and although search was
made she was not able to find any trace
of the wreck, and proceeded on her
voyage. The wreck appeared to be the
American fishing schooner, Maggie q.
Wells.
The following are the names Of the
Amsterdam crew who went to the rescue
OF the sinking schooner and were lost:
Chief officer, ]. Meyer, aged twenty
eight; second boatswain, e. Requart;
carpenter, A. J. Oudy; steerage steward,
A. Boss; quartermaster, +. G. Eich-
horn; seaman, a. VonVleet. Seaman
a. Vanderbilt, who was an export
swimmer, saved. 70 5::--..s5 ~
The Maggie E. Wells'is thought to be
q vessel< OF that name whose Nportls
Gloucester, Mass.
Although every possible means OF
saving the sailors was employed, their
strength was SO far spent that they
were unable to keep their hold on the
ropes and bolts thrown them. and in the
very act of being lifted to the deck
three fell back exhausted and were
drowned, only one reaching the deck
safely. The passengers of the Amster-
dam were very much impressed with
the efforts of all the ships officers and
crew to save the crew OF American sail
ors. The captain did everything in his
power and remained in the vicinity
until he lost all trace of the schooner
and further waiting was useless.