The times., 1898-02-13
RESCUED IN IN MIOOCEssgg
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reported that the water had gained
eighteen inches, and the ctticers knew
that the ship was doomedand that Their
only hope lay in meeting steamship
or-taking TO the tossing sea in the ships
small boats. Every man on the ship
who was able TO work was working, and
every woman was praying or screaming
or weeping Night had settled black as
pitch The dim lights of the ship made
the darkness over the ocean deeper.
A half-hour more passed. TITS gained
about nine inches, SIR reported the en-
gineer. No sign of aid was visible. The
captain sent up several signals of dis
tress, but not an answering signal came.
Another hour went by. Broken-backed,
almost, the men at the pumps struggled
on with despera ton. The engineer re-
ported the water always gaining-eight-
cen inches i'm the last hour. There was
no moon and there were no stars. To
those aboard the ship the night seemed
growing blacker and The waves higher
and higher. and their cracking, smash
ing sound louder. Inch by inch the old
ship settled. 1t was not easy TO stand
on the slippery decks. In the interval
of a few waves the forelights We're lit.
IL was nearly midnight. There had been
no answering signal and no light any
where in the darkness. There was eleven
rising The officers told the men that
they were right in the line of the big
steamers from Southampton, and that IL
would certainly be but few hours when
one would see their signals. Ihus en-
couraged, the men employed every ounce
of energy.
Al last from the east, an answering
rocket shot up A few minutes later on
the horizon the masthead light OF
shin appeared The light mounted out OF
the water. making straight for the Neeh-
dam
II was the st. Louis.
Cant Stenger signalled the name OF
ship. said she was sinking, ana askeu
TO be taken off. boat was sent from
tba 81 Louis over the rough sea
Then began the work of transferring
the passe myers. The children and wo-
men in the steerage were sent frst. Chiet
officer Segrave Of the St Louis. took an
active part in the work of rescue. A
third of the passengers of the big liner
were gathered on deck and cheered as
each rescued was taken aboard Fer
three hours the st. Louis lay by. and in
that time Segraves boat made four trips
and brought off all told. ninety persons
Another boat made two trips and
brought off thirty-three, and third
two trips and got off thirty-siN, While
the Veendam's own boat made three
trips and brought off fifty, most OF them
members of the crew.
on the last trip of the chief officers
boat and the Neeuiam's boat SesraVe
stood by until the captain STEPPED off.
Capt. Stenger said there was no doubt
that his ship would sink within couple
of hours.
He said she was directly in the line Of
the ocean liners and il was not safe
to abandon her there whf1a she fcated
He said he would fire her. and then he
disappeared into the cabin AS stated
before he piled everything high and
threw kerosene on the pile. As he ran
out of the cabin after firing the pile the
flames followed him. He clambered
over the side and dropped into his own
boat and the Neendam was left to burn
and sink.
The St Louis was a mile and a half
away when the boats left the burning
ship. The Veendam was well down at
the stern then, and had heavy list.
That mile and q half was the hardest
the men had ever rowed, they said, but
they reached the liner in safety, in spite
Of the heavy seas.
The ST. Louis then proceeded on her
way. having been delayed, all told, less
than three and half hours.
She got to her pier at noon today, be-
ing delayed in coming up by the fog
This story was gathered today from
the various statements OF the rescued
and the rescuers. The crew OF the
Veendam was sent to HobokeT, ana;
with the exception Of the captain and
the doctor. went aboard the Sparndam,
of the same line, to return TO their
homes.
The agent of the Holland-Amelican
yine said today that the Neendam was
valued at about 100000. and that ner
raTeTo was probably worth about $780,
000 .,o
All the officers of the Neendam, who
were seen today, were questioned ABOUT
the cause Of the accident. None OF them
would express any opinion except me
captain, who said that the EeeiiuShn le,.i
ia t,,,,rtx P submerged wreck. The
agent of the line, when he was ques-
Toned. said that this was surlnlse,
based principally on the fact that 1ne
shin had been passing through Wrechase
for half an hour before the aeciuei'-