Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-13
THE YEENDAM LOST.
WRECKED AT SEA ON TUE SIXTH
INSTANT.
PASSENGERS AND CREW ALL SAVED.
rhev Arc Rescued I'm n Particularly
ursve and Skilful Manner by the
Omcers and Crew of the ST.
louis.

Nrw YORK. February l2.-The Ame~i-
%, Line steamer st. Louis. Captain RAN
.rs which arrived to-day from Southamp-
,,-. reports the loss at sea Of the Hol-
,.rd-Amorca Line steamer veennam.
c.atain stenger, from Rotterdam for
Now York
The passengers and crew OF the veen-
dam were saved by the st. Louis. At
Quarantine. Captain Stenger. OF the Veen-
dam. reported as follows:
"Tho Vecndam left Rotterdam Febru-
,ry go. with a general cargo. nine cabin.
f,S stoerage passengers. and a crew of
srh,y-fye bound for New York Had
strong northwest gales and high west
-~f north winds and seas. February
s.h. no about 5;17 p. NJ. ships time. being
n latitude 4S5, north; longitude 2O.m.
vest. 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
was making considerable water. We i'm
ms5.ateiy set all pumps to work. but not
outstanding this the water gained on
us i'm The mean time. all our boats were
made ready. in order. IL necessary. to
leave The ship at a moments notice. be-
cause she WAS now sinking RAPIDLY at
the stern. At 1:S0 A. NJ, we observed
He masthead lights Of a large steamer.
barring about east by south from US. We
made signals Of distress. on which the
vessel bore down on us. We then de-
cisd. for the safety Of the passengers
end crew. to abandon the ship. The yes
SD proved 70 be the st. Louis. Of the
American Line. bound from SOUTHAMPTON
ior New York. We hailed her and re-
ported that our ship was sinking. and
that we wished 10 be taken Off. At 1:4S
A. ". we commenced to transfer our pas
sansers and crew, using three boats of
'he ST. Louis and one Of our ships. Our
men were kept at the pumps.
AT 1853 A. NJ. Monday morning every
body had been transferred TO the ST.
Louis. When the last boat left the
teendam was laboring very heavily. and
sinking rapidly.
The transfer Of the passengers and
crew TOOK, notwithstanding the great diff
% liiles and the high sea running. only
e nours and 10 minutes. and was accom-
Tished without the slightest accident.
AS the wreck was a dangerous obstruc-
u'n 10 navigation. we decided to set her
ol IRE, which was done.
me position of the wreck was then
latitude 1913 north: longitude 19.47. west.
Dh BOARD the St Louis we were warm
y received, and the captain and his Of
tcers did everything possible for our com
ioil We take this opportunity In ex-
.-ess our utmost gratitude. also. in the
.Ane or the passengers Of the Veendam."
FINE STEAMSHIP.
The passengers Of the St. Louis COM
-ehd the gallant spirit and splendid sea-
lanship displayed by the officers and
rev Of the ST. Louis IN the -escrc az
Fesrqan's passengers and crew.
lie hIst-class passengers on the Veen-
.am were Mary Ealinger. United States:
!. - hapties, Holland; Victor Gallowitz
p lhsafy' Mrs. Victor Gallowitz. Hun
gary,
ne second-class passengers were Ger
.Ia hromsel, Holland; Bertha Won
excite Hungary; Frank Lohman. United
states Fannie Golub, United States. VIII !
le.m Ruling, Germany.
captain Stenger, who was In command
% me Veendam. has an excellent record.
ana is comparatively a young man. In
anuary' 1894. while I'm command Of the
amsterdam, Captain Stenger lost his first
'llcer and six seamen, who put off in a
mail boat during terrific weather, 10 at
empt TO rescue the crew of the Ameri- |
an schooner Mary Wells. which was In
made further efforts 10 rescue the crew
lt the Mary Wells, and is now in pos- |
.sslon OF handsome gold watch pre- /
ented 10 him by President Cleveland |
Do behalf Of the American people, for his |
'aliant action on that occasion.
lhe 81 Louis was very slow in making |
ief dock, owing 10 a dense fog, which |
'Ferhung the river to-day. A great crowd |
waited her arrival When. at noon. the
american liner was finally moored. /
nomas B. Seagraye. first officer Of the |
~ Louis, was commanded the first boat |
nat was lowered, and who according
% all accounts, is the real hero of the
escue, told a modest story of the occur
ence He said:
10 was shortly after ! o'clock Monday
morning last that the officers on board
ne 81. Louis first noticed the signals Of
STRESS so familiar to- and yet so dread
u by seamen. The rockets We're being
red, as nearly as i can judge, about
ye miles 10 the starboard Of us. orders
we're az once given, and the st. Louis
fomptly changed her course.
AS soon as We got close enough to The
i-fated vessel, signals were run up in
orming US that the vessel was in sore
stress. and that the passengers and
rev desired "a he fakqn on as SOON ac
ossible With the aid OF glasses we
lscoYered that the ship in distress had
n immense hole In her side 10 the ait,
nd was slowly. but steadily settling. A
eh rolling sea was running at the
lme storm had been raging previous
3, but the sea was calming consldera-
ly"
WORK OF RESCUE.
"Our captain ordered the lfe-boats
lanned. and the work Of rescue began.
Was given command of the first boat TO
e lowered. We were then lying off about
quarter Of mile from the Neendam-
De- our life-boats drew nearer we could
la'nly hear the cries OF distress from
be- shivering and frightened passengers.
s soon as we got close by, Captain
ierger told me there was no hope Of
aF.ng the vessel. and that all haste
holid be made in transferring the pas
tneers 10 the St. Louis.
"Ihe first 20 be taken from the Neen-
au was a 6-months old baby. Follow
's this about twenty more children,
inging IN age from the swaddling-
ofhes period 10 10 and II years, were
'Wered 70 our boat. As soon as this
'as done we pushed off and made back
The 81. Louis. where the youngsters