The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-31

sighted In the meantime, but they
made no replies to the signals that
were set for them. The survivors
were nearly frozen, having hardly
any clothing, and their sufferings
were intense. Eventually the fishing
smack Wild Flower saw the signals
and bore down on the boat In q
short time the survivors were taken
aboard of her, where everything pos
sible was done for their comfort.
Mr.. Karl Hoffman,. the husband of
Mrs. Anna Hoffman,, is among the
survivors. He is IN q condition of
terrible distress from the loss of his
wife and son. He pathetica1ly ex-
hibited a gold watch that his wife
had slipped into his hand as she
parted with him to go to the star
board side of the steamer when the
order to that effect was given. He
said:
Karl HoRmannss Story.
sWe left Bremerhaven on Tuesday
afternoon at o'clock. Our cabin
was one of the second class and was
within six feet of the spot which re-
ceived the full force of the shock. My
wife, child and I were asleep when
was awakened at 500 o'clock by
what seemed to be the ringing of the
gers to meals. Finding that it was
still dark, jumped out of my birth,
but heard nothing to alarm me.
went back to my berth again, and
Immediately heard the rushing of
feet and shouting. = concluded some
thing serious had happened and
seized some clothing. I awakened
my wife and child, who hurrledly
| dressed, and then we all ran along
the corridor, with the others to the
deck. I was knocked down stairs
! caught on hook and managed to
save myself from being trampled
upon.
II got to the port side and saw that
| great damage had resulted from the
collision. The water was then rush
| ing into the steamer in a great tor
rent. The night was very dark,
though the sky was clear The sea
was very rough. Two boats were
lowered. I caught my boy and threw
him into one of the boats. Calling to
my wife to accompany me, got into
| it, but at that moment there was a
shout for the women and children to
| go to the starboard side. Slipping
her watch into my hand my wife left
M and the boy was taken out of the
boat while I sat there.
we
tried to rescue those in the water, but
all save one, Anna Blocker, disap-
peared. Our boat was then showed
off. We saw many vessels, but could
not attract their attention. We used
sails and shirts for signals, but the
passing vessels paid no attention to
them Eventually the signals were
answered by the fishing smack Wild
| Flower.
after the collision rockets were
| fred from the steamer, but no help
came. | think that it was impossible
that any others were rescued, as the
ship sank almost Immediately after
we had left it. do not believe that
the steerage passengers were aware
of the accident, because the collision
| did not make much noise. We were
exposed to bitter sea and heavy
winds for over five hours. The boat
shipped water constantly"
The Chief e ngineer Talks.
Chief Engineer Neussel1, in an in
terview said THE steamer that ran
into US appeared to be a vessel Of
about 1900 tons. Nothing was visible
by which either her name or her hail
ing port could be ascertained. The
chief engineer declined to give any
opinion as to how the catastrophe
EIbe had had a good pas
sage until the accident occurred
Not more than twenty minutes
elapsed before the steamer sank. 1t
was only the position that the Elbe
assumed when the water rushing
into her made its volume felt that
prevented the launching of more
boats. Everything possible, includ-
ing the firing of rockets, was done in
the short time before the vessel set
tied down. The night was very. dark
at the time of the collision.
zone report has it that there were
about 400 persons on the Elbe, 24O of
whom were passengers 16O officers
and crew and a mum Der of cattlemen
who were returning to the United
States. The rescued are now at the
Sailors home at Lowestoft and the
Suffolk hotel at that place.
The Lost Ship.
The Lloyds company regarded The
E1be as one of their staunchest Ships
She was of 4,51O gross tonnage, S, 000
horse power, 418 feet long, a. feet
beam, 35 feet deep and capable of a
speed of II knots an hour. Her pass
enger accommodating capacity was
800 first cabin, 100 second cabin and
900 Storage. She was built in 1881
by the Fairfield Ship Building COM
pany of Glasgow.
The Crathie put in to Mas Luis.
Holland, in a damaged condition.
She reported that she had been in
collision with an unknown ocean
steamer. Many dispatches were for
warded to Mas Luis to the com.
marder of the Crathie, asking if he
had rescued any of the Elbe's passen.
gers. Up to a late hour, however. no
answers were received to these dis
Oh nj, - L Il
Crathrie, after the accident, had
rather sought her own safety than to
rescue the people on the doomed EIbe.
Taylor In south America
PIERRE, S. D., Jan. 31.-It is now