The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-23
FATE OF STEAMER BULGARIA
FOUR OF CREW BROUGHT IN BY
THE TITORIA.

HhoOd That the Bulgaria Weathered
the Storm-AwfuI Experiences Aboard
Her-One Hundred Horses Stampetiet
and Their Throats Had to be Cut
Baltimore, Feb 22-The British
steamship Vitoria, Captain Wetherell
arrived to-day from Hull with four of
the crew of the missing Hamburg
American liner Bularia. The rescued
mariners are: Second Mate o. Scharges,
Quartermasters Carl Ludke and John
Schulz and Seaman William Starke.
They We're picked up by the Vitoria
from an open boat Of the Bulgaria three
and half hours after they had been
cast adrift in latitude 40 N, longitude
43 W., on February 5. These with the
twenty-five women and children who
| We're picked up by the tank steamer
Weehawken and landed in Ponta del
Gada, Azore islands, week ago, are
all that have been heard of the crew
Oh elghty-nine men and forty-one pas
sengers, which the Bulgaria had aboard
when she sailed from New York for
Bremen January 2S Captain Wether-
ell said that he sighted the Bulgaria in
disabled condition at a. M, Febru-
airy and the tank steamer Weehawken
standing by and communicate ting with
her. There was heavy sea on and
his vessel drifted away from the dis
abled craft, but he steamed toward her
and again located her
He saw the men aboard the crippled
vessel attempt to lower a boat and Just
as four of them got into it, it broke
loose from the steamer and drifted
away. The four men tried to row back
to the Bulgaria. but could not approach
her on account of heavy seas. The
Vitora was preparing to lower boat
to go to the assistance of those on the
Bulgaria when the four men came
alongside. With considerable difficulty
they were taken aboard. During a lull
the second officer of the Bulgaria, ac-
companied by six of the crew of the
Vitoria, manned the boat just vacated
and started for the sinking steamer.
They were scarcely away from the side
of the Vitoria, however, before another
gale began and the brave fellows, not
being able to reach the Bulgaria, found
it impossible to return to the Vitoria
until several hours had passed Cap
tain Wetherell remained in sight of the
Bulgaria until nightfall, when a hurri-
cane arose and carried the waiting ship
miles away. In the morning the Bull
gafia was not to be seen and the Vitoria
proceeded on her voyage. The story of
the experience of the Bulgaria and her
passengers and crew as told by Second
Officer Scharges is a thrilling one.
"On February 1 at about 8 p. m.,''
said he, "a hurricane of so severe a ma
ture was encountered that it was found
impossible to make any headway and at
2 a. m. we were forced to heave to. The
flying bridges both fore and aft were
carried away and seamen and pas
sengers were afraid to venture Oh deck
for fear of being swept into the sea.
About Z a. M the spring in the rudder
which was used to break the strain of
heavy seas collapsed and soon after
wards the entire steering gear was
washed away. The steamer then fell
into the trough and was left at the
mercy of wind and waves Sea after
ca swept over us, smashing in the doors
of the cabin and deck houses, flooding
the main deck, washing in the awning
deck and creating havoc and disorder all
over the ship.
zone hundred horses stabbed on the |
upper forward deck stampeded and in
their fright made wild dash, tramp
ling each other to death. After about |
twenty had been killed or drowned in
the wash of the waves, the butcher of
the vessel with a number of seamen
went into the pen and tried to quiet |
them. This failing, as did also the at
tempt to force the frenzied animals |
overboard their throats were cut. Be-
fore the animals were despatched. how
ever, the butcher had both his legs
broken and one of the seamen was badly
injured. 1t was soon found that the
vessel was leaking. All the hatch COW
arings had been blown off and four of
he seven holds had filled and all had
water in them. The cargo
lext shifted, listing the steamer heavily
% port. The carcasses of the dead
lorses added to the heavy list.
Then for seventy-two hours passen-
,ers and crew worked like slaves, throw
ng cargo overheard to tighten the ship,
,ut it was of little avail Inch by inch,
oot by foot, the ship settled and as
he sank deeper and waves washed
With greater force over her. One wave
arred away eight of the lifeboats. At
o'clock on the morning of the fifth
he order was given to call all hands on
leck to prepare to take to the small
,oats. The water flooded the engine
DOM and four pumps could not keep it
oWn, it was then up to the CRATE bars
Zach passenger and seaman was given
life preserver and the remaining boats
we're got ready and provisioned, Short
Y after daylight the steamers Weehaw-
zen, Nitoria and hooristan, one after
mother, hove in sight The WeehaW-
en- sent two boats, in which twenty-five
women and children were placed. These
5ere safely placed on board the Wee
awken, but after that the storm in
reased in violence. One of our boats ,
yas smashed and it became almost i'm {
ossible to lower another on account of
ne vessel being so far down on the port |
ide and correspondingly high on the
tarboard, where the remaining boats