Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-02-17
A MID-OCEAN RESCUE.
THE STEAMER ST. LOUIS
SAVES 2l2 LIVES.
A Big Ocean Liner sunk-HIdden Wreck
Stoves q Hole in the Dutch veendam
-DIStreSs Rockets Brought the Pass
ing Vessel to Aid.

NEW YORK, Feb l4-The American
line steamer st. Louis, Captain Ran
die, arriving Saturday from South
ampton, reported the loss at sea of the
Holland American line steamer Veen-
dam, Captain Stenger, from Rotterdam
for Now York. The passengers and
crew of the Veendam were saved by
the St. Louis.
At quarantine Captain Stenger of
the Veendam reported as follows:
"The Veendam left Rotterdam Febru-
airy with general cargo, o cabin,
11s steerage passengers and SIS crew,
bound for New York. Had strong
northwest gales and high west and
west northwest seas. Sunday at
about SIT p. M, ships time, being in
latitude 40. IS north, longitude 90 OF
west, the steamer struck su bmerged
wreckage, which probably tore 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 meantime
all our boats were made ready in or
der, if necessary, to leave the ship at
moments notice, because she was
now sinking rapidly by the stern.
"At 1870 in the morning we observed
the masthead lights of large steamer
bearing about east by south from u.s.
We made signals of distress by rockets
on which the vessel bore down on us.
We then decided for the safety CT 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 1:43 a. M, we COM
menced to transfer our passengers
and crew, using three boats of the
St Louis and one of ours Our men
were kept at the pumps
"At 4:53 Monday morning every
body had been transferred to the St
Louis When the last boat left the
Veendam was laboring very heavily
and sinking rapidly by the stern. The
transfer of the passengers and crew
took, notwithstanding the great diff
ficulties and high seas running, only
three hours and ten minutes and was
accomplished without the slightest
accident
'As the wreck was a dangerous OBJ
struction to navigation, we decided to
set her on fire, which was done. The
position of the wreck was then lati-
tude AZ. 10, north, longitude AT west
ION board the st. Louis we were
warmly received and the captain and
his officers did everything possible for
our comfort. We take this oppor-
tunity to express our utmost graft
tude, also in the name of the passen-
gers of the Veendam.
The passengers of the st. Louis
passed resolutions commencing the
gallant service and splendid seaman
ship displayed by the officers and crew
of the st. Louis in the rescue of the
Veendam's passengers and crew, and
also the perfect discipline maintained
by the officers and crew of the Veen-
dam.
The Veendam. was formerly the
White Star steamer Baltic. She was
built at Belfast, Ireland, by Harland
& Wolff, in 1871. She was four
masted barkentine rugged screw
steamer. She registered i,O36 gross
and 2,767 net tons and was AIS feet
long, Al feet beam and 81. % feet deep