The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-13
NORFOLK yIRGINIAN: SUNDAY FEBRUARY Is. laos

we could plainly hear the cries OF dis
tresS from the shivering and. fright
ened passengers. AS soon as we got
close by Captain Stenger told me there
was no hope OF saving the vessel, and
that all haste should be made in trans.
rerring the passengers to the ST. Louis.
THE first to be taken from the Veen.
dam was a 6-months-old baby. Fol-
lowing this about twenty more chill
oren, ranging in age from the swad-.
ding clothes period to 10 and IL years,
were lowered to our boat. AS soon
made back to the st. Louis, where
the youngsters were taken on board.
The Veendam was lalboring in a
heavy sea and the work of rescue was
difficult. The passengers were lowered
from the ships sides by means of life
Sings. The excitement on board the
Veendam was Intense. but Captain
Stenser and his crew managed to keep
the passengers in some kind Of discip-
line. After all the children had been
taken from the Veendam the women
were transferred to the life boats. Next
came the men, and last Of all the ships
crew. Many Of the women were 80
overcome that they had to be picked
up and dropped overheard into the arms
OF the life boat crew. Captain Stenger
behaved like a hero. Not only did he
crew, but he personally assisted In low
ering the children and more timid of
the women.
THE second boat to be lowered from
the ST. Louis was commanded by Geo.
Beckwith, senior second officer. No
sooner had this boat settled into the
sea than an immense swell smashed It
against the ships side and crushed 1t.
Another boat was quickly lowered and
into this officer Beckwith and his crew
were soon transferred. This boat took
eighteen women from the Veendam.
Henry Campbell, second officer of the
SIT. Louis, commanded the third boat,
which also took eighteen passengers
BY the time the third boat had pushed
off from the Veendam, I had again ar
rived with my boat and in the mean
time two of the Vecndams life boats
had been lowered, manned by the first
and second officers of the Veendan.
The second boat foundered before any
passengers had been taken aboard.
The o:aN, however, was quickly res
cued. II was 4:53 a. m. when the last
boat pulled up to the side of the ST.
Louis, just three hours and ten minutes
after the first boat had left our ship
My boat made four trips and transfer
red ninety passengers; Beckwith's made
two and transferred thirty-sX pasSen-
gers; Campbell's made two and also
transferred thtrty-six passengers, and
the VeendamS boats made three trips
and carried total of fifty passengers
THE last man 10 leave the Veendam
was Captain Stenger had to call him
several times befo:e he swung himself
over the side and left the ship to her
fate.
BY this time the stern of the Veen-
dam had settled perceptfbly and her
bow was almost entirely clear of the
water. Before leavng the Veendam
Captain StenEer set fire TO various parts
of the cabin. o
ASIDE from two men and children,
most of the passengers on the Veendam
behaved heroically. Though the sea
was running very high, we were in lit
tie danger of being swamped except
when close to the ships sides. The
passengers were drenched to the skim
We protected them as much as posi-
bic with oil skins and tarpaulins. When
the work of rescue was over the ST.
Louis had drifted until she was n mile
and quarter from all that remained
above water of the Feendam."
This is the second rescue in which Mr..
Seagrave has played prominent pant
The Veendam was formerly the White
Star steamer Baltic. She was built at
Belfast, Ireland by Harland & Wolff,
in 1871. She registered 4,036 gross and
2.767 net tons, and was 41S feet long
and 3l.9 feet deep.