St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-02-08

| EnBllSU luSutIN "' =.
telling her storyto the English repor
ters She said she is an orphan, q
wears old, had been visiting relative
in Bremen, and was returning by
wayof Southampton to Portsmouth
where she earns living as lady
companion. .,
said, II did not undress, but lay
down in my berth with my clothe'
on. was sleeping lightly when th'
crash came. Somebody was at my
door almost Immediately calling tt
me that | must get ready 10 leave the
ship. | put on my hat and Jacket
took my watch and money in my
belt, and joined the other cabin pas
senpers who were rushing for the
deck. | could see that the ship was
sinking. A lifeboat near me was be
ing got ready and two men who had
helped me in the crowd put me into
it. As soon as the boat reached the
water it began to fill. | did not no.
tice the waves washing over me and
| believe the water came from the
plup.hoIe in the bottom OF the boat,
but do not know. AS the boat sank
the other persons in it grasped the
sides of the ship, which had settled
almost 10 level with the water.
they clambered up to the deck, but
could only cling to the EIbe's rail-
After two or three trials another life
boat was launched. | worked my
way along the side of the ship and
grasped one of the oars. A sailor
pulled me in with great difficulty and
laid me in the bottom OF the boat. l
had been in the water about 10 min
utes and was almost paralyzed. |
did not see anybody else in the water,
and the roaring Of the wind and
waves prevented my hearing the
cries OF the perishing. AS was in
the bottom OF the boat | could not
see the Elbe go down, but the men in
the boat told me when the end came,
The waves swept over the gunwale
of the boat continually, so the men
could not stop bailng for minute.
There was no rest for them from the
time we left the steamship until we
boarded the Wild Flower"
POOR MR.. HOFFMAN.
In the interview given Mr.. Hoff-
man made this explanation
II heard the captains orders TO
send women and children to the star
board side. have been used to
obeying orders, as | have been under
military discipline So l even let my
boy go, although he had gotinto the
boat with me. 1t was the engineer
who took him out and"--signi6cant-
ly-"the engineer is still alive"
The Graphic reporter says: Zone
memory will linger in the minds of
all who visited the survivors in
Lowestoft. 1t is the vision of poor
Hoffman sitting broken-hearted by
the hreside and saying nothing ex-
cept My poor boy; my poor little
boy. "
MAIL NATTER LOST.
Capt. Brooks, superintendent OF
the mail service has received a cable
gram from the director general of the
German postoffice department. say.
ing that 220 sacks of mail matter
destined for the United States was
lost in the disaster and nothing has
been heard of the missing mail clerks.
THE DEAD NUMBER 3o3.
All reports received confirm the
statements from Bremen that the
steamship Elbe carried 149 officers
and sailors, so cabin passengers and
1875 Storage passengers, or 324
persons in all There are u surviv-
ors, The dead, therefore, number
303.
THE TRAVELLERS BLAMED.
Several survivors blame the traw-
lers that ignored the signals for help.
The fishermen say, however, that
they could not have gone to the res.
cue soon enough unless they had cut
themselves free.
STATEMENT OF THE CRATHIE's MATE
A statement OF the Crathie's mate
was photographed from Rotterdam
He says:
ut was impossible to avoid the
collision, although difference of &c
rods in our rate of speed would have
averted it. After we struck we
could not get our ropes and chains
clear, but had to cut them. Ibid not
hear any commotion or cries for help
from the other vessel. One of oul
stokers was asleep at the time and
was injured by the broken plates
which were forced inward. One O
his ears was cut off entirely"
THE ELBE's COURSE.
The Elbe's course at the time OF the
collision is given as south-southwest
HOOPS CURED Me,