The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-31
COLLISION At SEA
The North German Lloyd
Steamer ElbG Goes Down
Near LOWeSt0it.
OYER $50 PERSONS PERISH
Only Three Small Boats at Hand to
Accommodate $50 Passengers.
Twenty-One ReScued-fate
of Other Boat Load Is
in Doubt-fales of
Suffering.

London. Jan. 30.-The North German
Lloyd steamer Efbe bound from Bre-
men for New York, was sunk in COLI
sion with a small steamer fifty miles
off Lowestoft early this morning. She
carried $50 souls. But twenty-one sur
vivors have been saved but Il few 9th
ers may be still afoat in one of the
ships small boats. At 10 o'clock this
evening the number of lives lost was
given out At $50. The survivors of the
wreck were landed at Luwestoft by the
fishing smack Wildhower at $40 o'clock
this evening
They are: Stollberg. third officer:
Neussel, first engineer; Weser, pay
master; Schultheiss, Linkmeyer and
Sitting assistant paymasters; Furst,
chief stoker: Vioebe, steward; Wenning,
singer, and Slebert, sailors: Dreson and
Bltke. ordinary sslman; Deharde. Ger
man pilot: Greenham, English pilot;
Holman, Lugen, schlegel and Vevera,
Anna Bunscker, salon passengers, and
Bolthen, steerage passengers. Hof-
mann's home is in Nebraska. His wife
and boy went down with the ship. All
of them were in pitlable condition.
The passengers We're but half clothed
Their few garments were frozen stiff
their hair was coated with ice, and
anxiety and effort had exhausted them
so completely tha t they had to be
helped ashore. The officers and sailors
We're fully dressed, but their clothes
had been drenched and frozen and they
had been almost paralyZed with cold
and fatigue. They had been ashore
three hours before they had recovered
sufficiently to tell the story of the
wreck. Their accounts agreed upon the
following points:
The Elbe left Bremen on Tuesday
afternoon. The few hours of the voyage
before the disaster were uneventful.
At o'clock this morning the wind was
blowing very hard and tremendous
sea was running. The morning was
unusually dark. Numerous lights We're
seen in all directions, showing that
many vessels We're near by. The cap
tain ordered, therefore, that rockets
should be sent up at regular intervals
TO warn the craft to keep out of the
Elbes course.
\ Warning UnhecdeI.
1t was near o'clock and the Elbe
was some fifty miles off LowestOft
coast of Suffolk, when the lookout man
sighted a steamer of about 1900 tons
approaching. He gave the word and
as a precaution, the number of rockets
was doubled and they We're sent up at
short intervals. The warning was with
out effect. The steamer came on with
unchecked speed and before the Elbe
could change her course or reduce hei
speed notably there was the terrific
crash of the collision. The Elbe was
hit abaft her engine room. When the
small steamer wrenched away an enor-
nous hold was left in the Elbe's side
The water poured through and down
into the engine room in q cataract
The room filed almost Immediately
lie tllSlHtS were sum anu lIIt DlS MUM
began to settle.
Tho passengers were in bed. The bit
ter cold and rough sea mad prevented
any early rising and none except the
officers and crew on duty was on deck
when the ship was struck. The shock
and crash reused everybody. The steer.
age was in panic in a moment and
men, women and children, half dressed
or In their night clothes came crowd
ting up the cOmpanionways. They had
heard the sound of rushing waters as
the other steamer backed off and had
felt the Elbe lurch and settle They
had grasped the fact that 1t was then
life or death with them, and. almost tC
a man. had succumbed to their terror
They clung together in groups, facing
the cold storm and cried aloud for helr
or prayed ON their knees for deliver.
ance. The officers and crew were calm
For few moments they went among
the terror-stricken groups. trying t.
f;ulst them and encouraging them tC
hope that the vessel might be saved
1t was soon apparent, however, thai
the Elbe was settling steadily. Tn,
officers were convinced that she wa,
about to founder and gave orders e
lower the boats.
In short time three boats were go
alongside, but the seas were breakinl
over the steamer with great force ant
the first boat was swamped before any
body could get into It, The other tw,
boats, lowered at about the same time
Were. filed quickly with members Of tn
crew and some passengers, but th
number was small. as the boats helC
only twenty persons each.
List of Passengers.
New York, Jan. 29.-Following is ;
full list of the passengers on the Elb
when the Inflated vessel sailed yes
terday from Bremen:
First class-Fritz Appel, Munich; Hug
Becker, Chemnitz. Director Baumann
Berlin; Mrs Hermne Sander Falmouth
Miss Anton Fischer, Washington: Johl
i. Vincke. St Charles. Mo-; Charles Wiy
New York. Mrs M. c. Connors. Soutl
Dakota Henry N. Castle, Honolulu
Dorothy Castle, Honolulu; Mrs. Klipfel
Brandenburg; Louis Thewett. Win
lessrs. schnell, Dueren, Ernst and Heer
en-. New York; Domingo Furrer, NGaute
Second class--Mrs. Louise Kuhn, New
York; Jake Frank, Buffalo; Kugei