The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-02-08

snA, PEMB1NA COUNT
The poor women and children went
down without hardly being able to ut
ter prayer. It was terrible. The
steamship must b. full Of dead bedisa..
They were caught Ike rats IN . trap.
I can't tell you any moro about it. AL.
I know 10 that heard . terrible crash
and It was followed BY an awful sound
Of rushing water and escaping steam.
It was very dark down below where
I was. But somehow, I managed to
push my way ON deck. The ship re-
sounded with heartrendlng cries from
all quarters, although the officers
seemed to be doing all they could to
calm the people. I saw lot Of sail
ors making Q rush for boat, and I
Joined in with them. Somehow the
boat was lowered and I managed to
scramble into It, although It seemed
to me % IL about hundred people
were trying to do the same thing. We
pushed some Of them away, for It was
utterly impossible to load the boat any
more, and we could see that the Elbe
was doomed She was rolling terribly
and settling down ON one side In a
manner which seemed to threaten
turning her over entirely. Somehow
or other we got away, and number
of people were drowned as they
Jumped into the sea and swan after
us. OF course we could not put back
for anybody or we would have been
pulled under by the people who were
already struggling In the water. Some
time later. I can't say how long, for
was too Mortified to think, the Elbe
gave a fearful lurch sideways aud
sank with bursting sound. It
seemed to me as IL something blew up
| on board Of her as she went down.
I don't know what became Of the YES
sci that ran into us. I saw a light
somewhere In the distance, and sup
posed It was her, but I can't ray any
thing for certain. I had O brother on
board who was from Germany, like
myself. We were on our way to the
United States, where we have rela-
tives. I don't know how many peo-
pie were drowned, but should think
at least 300. persons went down in
that terrible ship. There was another
boat lowered at about the same time
that we got away, but It sunk soon af
terward. think 1t was 30 crowded
with people that It could not float
The chief engineer, who had charge Of
our boat, is very nice man, and he
did oil he could for US while we drlfted
about. He says that he is certain that
third boat was lowered from the
Elbe, and he believed that she would
surely be able to reach the coast Of
Holland. In safety. He wanted the
English fishing smacks to take us to
the German coast, but the fishermen
insisted upon bringing us here"
Northwestern People Lost.
Winona, Minn., Feb. III. r.
Gertischer, Sr., lost on the steamer
Elbe, was one of the pioneers of the
city and about sixty years Of age.
He had for many years held the po.
sitt0n Of chief engineer for the Laird
Norton company. Hell eft In company
with son. for Germany about the
middle Of November to look up q leg.
acy and also for a pleasure trip. The
son remained in Europe. Three sons
and three daughters survive him. His
wife died last summer
London, Feb. 2.-The oficials Of the
North German Lloyds have given out
for publication the following figures as
the total number of persons on board
the Elbc: Is first cabin, 81 second
cabin, going from Bremen to South
ampton; 1877 steerage and 149 crew;
total, 1884; 20 are known to have been
saved, making total Of 314 lost.
A strong northeast gale blew through
out the night. accompanied by severe
frost, but this did not deter the coast
guards. and customs officers from keep
Ing up an active watch all night long
for any survivors of the Elbe. The
coast giinrdsmen and the custom house
officers have been on duty continuously
for forty-eight hours, the whole force
Of both branches having been on duty,
but nothing ~ seen Of the missing boat,
and not vestige Of wreckage from her
has yet been washed ashore. The ma.
jority Of people here have abandoned
all hope Of hearing of the rescue Of
any more Of the Elbe's passengers or
crew, as many Of the Yarmouth and
L0westOft fishing Smacks are known
to have been plying near the scene Of
the disaster. and they have not yet re.
turned. which they certainly would
have done had they picked up any sur
vivors.
A dispatch from Ramsgage this aft.
srnoon announces that the lifeboats Of
that place have reurned. after having
ben for fifteen hours at sea searching
for survivors Of the steamship Elbe.
But no trace Of either the missing life-
boat or wreckage was found, and peo-
pie there believe that the rockets seen
by the Ramsgate life savers were those
thrown up by the Elbe. The Broad.
stairs lifeboat also returned to her sta
ton this morning, and was nearly
wrecked while working through the
surf. She was overturned and her crew
was severely buffeted, several Of them
being injured.
NEau%suass FAah Ea tNherv