The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-13
Collided with a Submerged Wreck In
Midocean while En- Route from
Rotterdam to New York.
PASSENGERS AND CREW SAFE
REsCUED ny THE STEAMER ST. LOUIS
WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY.
gig People Taken on in Three Hours
sign BrecIxinrsdge Drowned.


NEW YORK. Feb. 22.--The American line
steamer St. Louis, Captain Rabdle, which
arrived to-day from Southampton, reports
the loss at sea of the Holland-American
line steamer Veendam, Captain Stenger,
from Rotterdam for New York. The pas
sengers and crew We're saved by the st.
Louis. At quarantine Captain Stenger, of
the Veendam, reported as follows:
sgrbe yeendam left Rotterdam Feb. with
a general cargo, nine cabin, 1lS steerage
passengers and eighty-five crew, bound for
New York We had strong northwest gales
and high west and west-northwest seas.
Feb 6, at SIT D. M, ships time, being in
latitude 1875 north, longitude 2O:01 west.
the steamer struck a submerged wreck or
wreckage, which probably tore hole in the
ships bottom and broke her propeller shaft.
We found that our ship making con-
siderable water We Immediately set all
pumps to work, but Notwithstanding this
the water gained on us. In the meantime.
all our boats were made ready in order,
if necessary, to leave the ship at a mo-
ment'S notice.
Eat 1:3O a. IN. we observed the mast
head lights of large steamer bearing
about east by south from us. We made
signals of distress, on which the vessel
bore down on US. We then decided, for
the safety of the passengers and crew, to
abandon the ship. The vessel proved to
be the St Louis, of the American line,
bound from Southampton for New York.
We hailed her and reported that our ship
was sinking, and that wished to be
taken off, At 1:43 a. m. we began to trans
fer our passengers and crew, using three
boats of the st. Louis and one of ours.
Our men were kept at the pur1ps. At 1853
a. M Monday morning everybody had been
transferred to the st. Louis. When the last
boat left the Veendam was laboring heavily
and sinking rapidly by the stern. The trans
fer of the passengers and crew took, not
withstanding the great difficulties and high
seas running, three hours and ten min
utes and was accomplished without the
slightest accident. AS the wreck was
dangerous obstruction TO navigation we de-
cided to set her on fire, which was done.
The position OF the wreck was then lati-
tude 1918 north, longitude 19:47 west.
ION board the st. Louis were warmly
received and the captain and his officers
did everything possible for our comfort.
we take this opportunity to express our
utmost gratitude; also in the name of the
passengers of the Veendam."
CAPTAIN STENGER'S REPORT.
The captain of the st. Louis reports as
follows: 1.-The St Louis left Southamp-
ton Feb 5, at 1924 a. M, with 221 cabin and
1873 steerage passengers. She experienced
west and northwest winds and heavy seas
until the morning of the 7th, when, at
1:22 a. M, she sighted a steamer bearing
west half SOUTH seven miles distant. send
ing UP distress rockets The ST. Louis bore
down and stopped near her at 1:43 a. m.
The captain reported her to be the steamer
Veendam. of the Holland-American line,
from Rotterdam for New York, in a sink
ing condition. The captain asked to be
taken off, as the Veendam was sinking
rapidly We Immediately responded to his
wishes by sending three of our life boats,
the first in charge of Mr.. Segrave, OF the
st. Louis, the second in charge of Mr..
Beckwith senior second officer, which made
two trips, and the third in charge of Mr..
Campbell extra second officer, which made
two trips, the Veendam using one OF her
boats In three hours and ten minutes, or
at 453 they had succeeded in transferring
all the passengers and crew, 2l2 in all, SAFE
ly on board the st. Louis, without the
slightest accident or injury to any of them
Our boats were somewhat damaged by
coming in contact with the ships side,
as the steamers were rolling heavily in the
sea. At 4:53 we proceeded on our course,
leaving the Veendam sinking low in the sea
aft. and cast her boat adrift. near her. We
distributed the passengers and crew
amongst our own according to classes and
made then as comfortable as possible. The
position of the Veendam was latitude 1919,
longitude 19:47. We take pleasure in saying
that Captain Stenger and his officers main
tanned perfect discipline on their ship and
very ably assisted us in disembarking the
passengers"
Captain Stenger, who was in command of
the Veendam, has an excellent record and
is comparatively young man. In January,
1894 while in command of the Amsterdam,
Captain Stenger lost his first officer and six
seamen, who put off in a small boat dur
ing terrific weather to attempt to rescue the
crew of the American schooner Mary Wells,
which was in sinking condition. Captain
Stenger made further efforts to rescue the
crew of the Mary Wells, and is now In pos
session OF a handsome gold watch presented
to him by President Cleveland on behalf OF
The American people for his gallant action
on that occasion.
STORY OF THE RESCUE.
Inc SJ. Louis Was Vel SiVW III NAMING
her dock. owing to the dense fog which
overhung the river to-day. A great crowd
awaited her arrival. When at noon the
American liner was finally moored Thomas
b. Seagrave first officer of the St. Louis,
who commanded the first boat that was
lowered, and who, according TO all &C
counts. is the real hero of the rescue, told
a modest story of the occurrence. He said;
1T was shortly after l o'clock Monday
morning last that the officers on board the
st. Louis first noticed the signals OF dis
tress so familiar to and yet so dreaded by
seamen The rockets were being fired, as
near as can jude. about five miles to the
starboard of us Orders We're al once given
and the St. Louis promptly changed her
course AS soon as we got close enough TO
the Inflated vessel signals were run up IN
forming us that the vessel was IN sore
distress and that the passengers ana crew
desired TO be taken off soon as possible.
tXVfth the aid of glasses We discovered that
the shin in distress had an immense hole
in her side to the aft and was slowly, but
steadily settling A high rolling sea was
running at the time. A storm had been
raging q few hours previously, but the sea
had Gained considera bly,. Our captain az
once ordered the lifeboats manned and
the work of rescue began. was given
command Of the FIRST boat 10 DC lowered.
faFT III