The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-01-31

LONDON, Jan. SQ-The North German
Lloyd steamer Elbe. Captain Won Cos
sci. from Bremen yesterday for Now
York VIA Southampton, ha, been sunk
Ia collision with the British steamer
Crathis, bound from Rotterdam for
Aberdeen. At the time OF sending this
diapatoh, tho exact loss OF lie 10 un-
known, but report has it that 1t was
enormous. The disaster occurred be.
fore dayligb. this morning at 4 point
uoue thirty miles from tho Hook Of
Holland.
The first intima,ion Of tho Disaster
came from Loweatoit Suffolk, ono OF
the chief Eaglish fishing ports. Late
thia afternoon despatch wau received
from that place saying that i. vas re-
ported there that q transatlantic line.
steamer had been sunk in the North
sea and that the loss OF life was very
great Tho first dispatches stated that
there had neen $50 persons on the Elbe,
and that only nineteen had been saved.
the rescued having been landed at
Loue.toit by fishing smscks. Later
dispatches 10 the Exchange Telegraph
Company and TO Lloyd confirmed the
report OF the loss Of the steamer and
still later 1t vm learned that the
Crs,hio. tho steamer that sunk the
Elbe, had put into Mans Luis. Holland.
10 damaged condition. She reported
that sbe had been in q collision with an
onknoyn OCEAN steamer.
THE yIRsr REPORT.
Towards evening. over two hours and
shalt after tho news had reached the
London Offices oil The Associated Press
and hsd been cabled to America, the
agents In this city OF the North German
Lloyd Steamship Company received the
following cable message:
Most deplorable news from loves.
toit 1t states that tho Elbs sunk
through a collision at ak o'clock this
morning. Boat No. 8, with third officer
stallours, purser Weser. engineer Neus-
sell and nineteen persons. landed ut
Lowestott No further news so far"
When the news OF tho disaater be.
came generally known through the
mediums Of .tickers OF tho Exchange
Telegraph Company, in the clubs and
places Of public resort, the excitement
was intense. Cable dispatches were nt
once forwarded to all the principal
European cities and soon food Of re-
turn dispatches were received asking
for further information which, at that
time. 1t was Impossible to obtain. The
agents here OF the company did every
thing possible TO learn al! the facts and
AZ soon as any new Information was re-.
ceiyed II wa, at once cabled to the vari.
ous European capisols.
LARGE oERMAS PASSENGER LIST.
Tho dispatches from Germany show
that the nows caused the greatest OK.
c,,emens and sorrow. most all the off,
GERS and crow OF tho Lost steamer and a
majority OF tho passengers being Ger.
mans.
I. was at frs. hoped that the reports
Of the disaster had been exaggerated
and that most, II not all, OF tho passon-
gers and crow had escaped, either By
means OF the ships boats or by being
picked up by passing vessels. But as
tine wore on it WAS apparent that the
fret reports Of the sinking OF tho steam.
or had minimized the horrors OF the
disastor.
Many dispatches were forwarded to
Masas Luis. to tho commander oil the
steamer Crathie. asking him II he had
ro,crcd any OF the Elbo's passengers.
Up tola late hour, however, no answers
were received to thcso dispatches and
the belief grows that the Crathie. after
the accident. had rather sought hor own
safoty than TO rescue tho people on the
doomed Elbe.
HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
From the details now nt hand It is
learned that tho Elbe wa, proceeding
along at her usual rate of speed and
keeping tho ordinary lookouts. Tho
night was dark. but thcro was no gale.
Suddenly tho forward lookout OF the
E!be reported 10 the officer on deck that
the lights oil steamer were close
aboard ovor the port bow. Before tho
courso OF tho Elbs could bo changed so
MS 10 ahoer her Off from tho approach.
ing steamer. tho latter struck her Just
about tho engine room. going through
hor plates as though they wore paste.
board and sticking her nose nlnost Gu
ttrc'y through tho hull OF the Elbc.
For timo the Crathis held tho EIbe
on her nose, but then her engines were
revsrsod aud ahc backed OF. OF tho
aperture she had made. As sho did 80
the water rnshod Into the Ebs In a tor.
rent and she began Immediately to
so.tle.
Tim nfEicara In nharua of iha ahin nj