Evening star., 1898-02-12
OCEAN LINER LOST
Veendam of Rotterdam Sunk at Sea
on February 6.
PASSENGERS And CREW ALL SAVED
American Steamer St. Louis GAL
lantIy Effected the Rescue.
STRUCK SUBMERGED WRECK

NEW YORK, February 12-The Amer
lean line steamer St. Louis Capt Randle
which arrived today from Southampton re-
ports the loss at sea of the Holland-Amer-
lean line steamer Veendam, Capt. Stenger,
from Rotterdam for New York. The pas
sengers and crew of the Veendam were
saved by the ST. Louis
AT quarantine Captain Stenger of the
Veendam reported as follows:
THE Veendam left RotteI dam February 3
with a general car go, nine cabin, 11S steer
age passengers and eighty-five crew, bound
for New York Had strong northwest gales
ard high W. and W.NW. seas. February
6 at about 5:1I pm, ships time. being in
latitude 1875 N. longitude 2O.O1 W., the
steamer struck a submerged wreck or
wreckase, which probably tore a hole in
the ships bottom and broke her propeller
shaft. We found that our ship was making
considerable water. We Immediately set
all pumps to work, but Notwithstanding
this the water gained on us. In the mean
time Our boats were made ready in order, II
necessary, to leave the ship at moments
notice, because she was now sinking rap
idly by the stern.
St. Louis Lights Sighted.
'At 80 am We observed the masthead
lights Of large steamer bearing about
east by south from US. We made signals
OF distress, which the vessel bore down
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 South
ampton for New York. We hailed her, and
reported that our ship was sinking, and
that We wished TO be taken off. At LIB
am We commenced to transfer our pas
sensers and crew, using three boats OF the
ST. Louis and of ships. Our men
Were kept at the pumps.
AT 4.53 O'Clock Monday morning every
body had been transferred to the st. Louis.
When the last boat left the Neenddm was
labcring very heavily and sinking rapidly
BY the stern The transfer of the passen-
gers and crew took, Notwithstanding the
great difficulties and high sea running,
three hours and ten minutes, and ac-
complished without the slightest accident.
As the wreck was a dangerous obstruc-
ti0n to navigation we decided to set her
fire, which done
The position of the wreck was then lat
itude 1919 north, longitude 1911 west.
"On board the ST. Louis We were warmly
received, and the captain and his officers
did everything possible for our comfort.
We take this opportunity to express
utmost gratitude also in the name of the
passengers of the Veendam.''
The captain of the St. Louis, in his re-
port, says:
Capt. Handles Compliment.
I'VE take pleasure in saying that Capt
Stenger and his officers maintained perfect
discipline on their ship, and very ably as
sisted US in disembarking the passengers"
The passengers of the ST. Louis passed
resolutions oommeEding the gallant service
and splendid seananship displayed by the
officers and crew of the st. Louis in the
rescue of the Neendams passengers and
crew.
Star steamer Baltic. Sne was built at Bel
fast, Ireland, by Harland & Wolff in ISL
She was d four-masted barkentin=-rigged
screw steamer She registered 1896 gross
and 2.16I net tons, and was AIS feet long
Al feet beam and 3l.9 feet deep.
Mr.. Segrave's story.
The St. Louis was very slow in making
her dock, owing to the dense fog which
OverhUng the river today. A great crowd
awaited her arrival When, at noon, the
American liner was finally moored, Thomas
B. Segrave. first officer of the St. Louis,
who commanded the first boat that was
lowered. and who, according 20 all ac-
counts. is the real hero of the rescue, told
a modest story of the occurrence. He said
1t was shortly after 1 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 dreaded by
Seamen- The rockets were being fired, as
near as | can judge, about five miles TO the
starboard of US. Orders were at once given,
and the St Louis promptly changed her
course.
'.As soon as we got close enough to the ILL
fated vessel signals were run up that the
vessel was in sore distress, and that the
passengers and crew desired to be taken off
as soon as possible. With the aid of
glasses We discovered that the ship in dis
tresS had an immense hole in her side to
the aft and was slowly but steadily sink
ing high rolling was running at the
time.
"A storm mad been raging a few hours
previously but the sea had calmed con-
Sr tar ltrr- Sr.x,
hfeboats manned and the work of rescue
began i was given command of the first
boat TO be lowered. We were then lying
OF about quarter of a mile from the
Veendam- AS our lifeboats drew nearer we
could plainly hear the cries of distress
from the shivering and frightened pas
sengers.
As soon as we got close by Capt. Stem
ger told me there was no hope of saving
th9 vessel and that all haste should be
made IN transferring the passengers to the
St Louis
Baby First Rescued.
The first to be taken from the Veendam
was u six months old baby. Following
this about twenty more children ranging
in age from the swaddIing clothes period
TO t=n and twelve years. were lowered to
our boat. AS soon as this was done we
pushed off, and made back to the ST. Louis
where the youngsters were taken on board.
The Feendam was laboring in a heavy
sea. and the work of rescue difficult.
The passengers were lowered from the
ships sides by means of life sings. The
excitement on board the Veendam was in
tense, but Captain Stenger and his crew
managed to keep the passengers in some
kind OF discipline After all the children
had been taken off the women >-re trans
ferred TO the life boats.
Next came the men, and last of all the
ships crew Many of the women were so
overcome that they had to be picked up
and dropped overheard into the arms of
the life-boat crew. Capt. Stenger behaved
like hero Not only did he direct the
efforts of his officers and crew, bu: he per-
sonaIly ASSISTED in lowering the passengers
United States Marines Land at Nana
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, via Galveston
Tex. February PA detachment of forty