The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-13
Loss at Sea of the Big Passenger
Steamer VOndam.
STORIES OF SIMPLEPEOPLE
PIETY FOUND VENT IN THEIR
DIRE EXTREMITY.
When the Women Heard the Men
Chant the Jewish Prayer Before
Death, They Gave Up All As Lost
lis Storage Passengers at
Barge Office

New York, Feb. 12.-The American
line steamer st. Louis, Captain Ran
dali. which arrived today from South
ampton, reports the loss at sea of the
Holland American line steamer Won
dam, Captain Steiner, from Rotterdam
to New York. The passengers and crew
were saved by the st. Louis
At quarantine Captain Steiner, OF the
Vondam, reported as follows;
THE Vondam left Rotterdam FEB Z,
with a cargo. nine cabin and lis steer
age passengers, and So of crew, bound
for New York Had strong northwest
gales and high west and west-north-
west seas Feb. 6, at about 5:1I D. M,
ships time, being in lat. 1875 north,
long. POI west. the steamer struck d
submerged wreck or wreckaSe, which
tore a hole in the ships bottom and
broke her propeller shaft. We found
that our ship was making considerable
water We at once set all pumps TO
work, but Notwithstanding the water
gained or us. In the meantime our
boats were made ready, in order, if nee
essary, to leave the ship, as she was
now sinking rapidly by the stern.
RESCUE AT HAND.
cat 1880 p. m, we observed the lights
of a large steamer bearing about east
by south from us. We made signals or
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 we wished to be
taken off. At 1:45 a m, we commenced
to transfer our passengers and crew,
using three boats of the st. Louis, and
one of ours. Our men were kept at the
pumps.
Abb a. m, Monday. everybody had
been transferred to the St. Louis. As
the wreck was a dangerous obstruction
to navigation, We decided TO set her on
f-e. which was DONE"
TWO PASSENGERS.
Mendel Mandon and David Devin-
ishke. two Storage passengers, OF the
Vondam, both hailing from koveno Gu
berna, Russian Poland, told joint
story of what befeli the Inflated HOl-
land-American liner.
1T was after ; o'clock on Sunday,
and we were three days out, that there
came a terrible crash. We did not know
what was the matter. The women, for
the most part sick, sprang from their
cots and began TO rush about. They
Shriel1ed dreadfully. The ship stopped,
and from the rush around We knew
that there must be some great trouble,
ard we began 10 pray to God for his
protection. Suddenly one of the officers
came 70 the steerage and ordered all
men or deck. We obeyed, and were
put to work on the pumps.
FELL ON OUR KNEES.
1.-THE crew were brave fellows. Not d
man would get off until all of us were
safe. When we were on the st. Louis
ard fou2d not a soul was missing, We
fell on our knees, some of us, and
thanked our God. We have been splen-
didly treated on this ship. We have no
clothing. only what we are wearing"
Chaia Naitke, who came to this coun-
try with her father from SushkOvalen,
Danish Gnerna, Russia, spoke for the
women who were rescued.
THE JEWISH PRAYER.
1--WE We're nearly all of US sick" she
said, when the crash came. But we
became suddenly well. Our sickness
some of the men saying the 'Shema'
(Jewish prayer before death), and 9TH
ers saying the psalms, We thought that
the end had come. When all the men
were ordered upon the deck. we fol-
lowd, because we were afraid to stay
where we could not see
The lis steerage passengers were all
taken to the barge Office. OF these 20
were detained because of lack o. Wis
ible means of support. rhe captain, Of
ficers and crew of the Vondunl sailed
for Rotterdam on the SDaarndam, this
afternoon.