The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-12
STORY or THE DISASTER.
Ship Went on the Rocks During a.
Hurricane.

Hurricane.
MADRID, Dec. 11-A dispatch re-
ceived here from Villagarcia, estimates
the number of victims of the Salier
disaster at 400
The Salier was commanded by Capt.
Wempe. The steamer had a general
cargo. The disaster occurred during y
dense fog and very heavy weather.
The Salier had fearful passage from
Bremen to this port. Two of her boats
We're swept overheard by the heavy
seas, which beat over her. and she
sustained other damages from the
same cause. 1t is believed that about
400 persons perished. The steamer
struck during. the. night of Monday
last On a ledge of rocks about t5so ara
one-haR miles off Cape CCrrubedo, on
her way from this place to Yillagarc,a.
where she was to ship another lot OF
steerage passengers. bCund for Buen6s
Ayres. A large amount Of wreckage
IS reported 10 have washed ashore
The search made for possible scryi-
Vors of the wreck has SO far been
without result, and but little hope is
entertained of reseuing any of the pas
sengers or crew.
The Salier was an old vessel, which
the North German Lloyd Co. had
agreed to sell to an Italian firm, trad
ing between Italian and American
ports, but owing to some slight dis
was not completed and the steamer
was sent on another voyage She was
considered to be in every way sea-
worthy, and the only reason the North
German Lloyd Co, had for selling the
Salier was that there were more
ness to take her place. Her last trip
across the Atlantic was made in Sept.
last when she left Baltimore for
Bremen, arriving there safely Sept. 23.
Capt. Wempe had commanded the
steamer for a number OF years. The
weather was thick and heavy. 1t was
night time. and the Salier had to run
far enough south to clear the rocks
Cff Cape Corrubedo, before starboArd-
ing her helm, and heading southwest,
gradually pointing up westward and
then In a northwesterly direction. in
order to head into the bay leading up
to Villagarcia. But Capt. Wempe seems
to have been thrown out Of his recK-
oning by the fog and rain and 10 have
headed to port too soon with the re-
suit that he failed to clear the rocks
below Cape Corrubedo and went down
with his ship and all hands.
OF the steerage passengers, there
were over 100 Russians, about thirty
five GaltciaEs, some Germans and
about 200 Spaniards, according to the
estimates, all on their way to the
Argentine republic looking for new
homes for themselves and families. If
the disaster had occurred after the
Salier touched at Villagarcia. the loss
OF life would have been much greater,
as it is. understood there We're nearly
100 more passengers, men, women ana
children awaiting at that port to en-
bark on board the Salier for Buenos
AyreS.
Owing to the fact that there seems
to be no survivors of the wreck there
Is little else but theory to fall back on
to account for the disaster Experts
here look upon the loss Of the Salier
as having been due to causes. probably
in every particular, similar to those
which led to the loss OF the British
steamer Drummond Castle, of the Cas-
tie line, off Ushant, on the northwest
ern extremity OF France, in June last
AS in the case OF the .Salier, the
weather previous to the wreck of the
DIummond Castle was thick, which
prevented Capt. Pierce, her commander.
from seeing the light. When he be-
lieved he was far enough north, Capt.
Pierce ordered the helm Of the Drum
mond Castle to be ported and with
fine rain and fog, headed her on a
northeasterly course for the Bristol
channel. But he was apparently out Of
his reckoning, for the Drummond Cas-
tie seems to have run at full speed
upon a ridge of rocks extending from
the island of Molene, half way be-
France The concussion, it was gen
orally admitted at the time, must have
ripped the steamer open from stem TO.
stern, and she apparently pitched over
the reef and sank almost Immediately
afterward in deep water, for no trace.
of her was found.
Like the Drummond Castle, it Is be-
heved that the Salier was making the
best time possible under the circum-
stances, for, after leaving Bremen, the
Salier had touched at Antwerp and
this port and her commander was anx-
ious to have his vessels head pointing
or her voyage acruss the Atlantic
ocean. Another theory of the cause
of the disaster is that the SaIier's
steering gear was carried away while
she was heading around the rocks for
Villagarcia, and that she thus became
unrnanag geable and was driven upon the
reef, which Is about two and a half
miles from land The passengers of
the Salier. it is conectu.ed, must all,
or nearly all. have been IN their berths
in the steerage at the tinne the steamer
struck. and 1t Is thought that the
great majority OF them wsre drowned
before they could tumble out on deck,
Tor no bodaes WI Sagaservers have
been found. - sfar as known At present