The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-23
SURVIVORS OF
The BULGARIA.
The Steamer Vittoria Lands -Four of
Her Crew in Baltimore.
THEY TELL A THRILLING TALE.
ca,gbt a Hurricane OF February
First. Their Vessel Was Disabled,
Left Like a Toy at the Mercy
Of the Waves,

Steamer Vittoria, Captain Wetherell, ar
rived to-day from Hull via Hampton with
four of the crew Of the missing Hamburg
American Liner Bulgaria. The rescued
mariners are.
second Male 0. Scharges. Quartermas-
tiers carl Ludtke ana John schulz, and
seaman William StaTke.
They were picked up by the NlttofiA
from an open boat OF the Bulgaria,
three and q mali hours after they had
been cast adrilt, in latitude ~, north;
longitude A., west. on February 9th.
These. with the twenty-five women
and children who were picked up by the
Tank Steamer Weehawken and landed
ia Ponta Del GaGa, Azore ISLANDS a
week aeO. are all mat have been near u
from OF the crew OF eighty-nine men ana
forty-one passengers, which the bulgaria
had aboard when she sailed from Ne"
York for Bremen, January Sth'
WAS DISABLED.
Cantain Wetheren said that he sighted
the bulgaria i'm a disabled condition at
IA. ~ February 5th, fass lying ana
me tank steamer Weehawken standing
b, and communicating with her. mere
va "a heavy sea on and his vessel DRIFT
ed away from the disabled crait, D1t
ne steamed toward Der and again locdt-
o1 her lie saw the men aboard the GRIP
Med vessel attempt to lower boat an
lust as four of them got into II, II oroNs
loos. from the steamer and drltted away.
The four men made an enoIl TO TO"
back 10 the Bulgaria, but could not ap-
proach her OF account or the iisH Sa''
q.hc Nif0ria was preparing 20 lower a
boa+ IN go TO the assistance OF those ON
Tho BULGARIA when the four men came
efoaosfIs. After considerable dlilcuity
,be, we're taken aboard. During lull
the second officer OF the Bulgaria, Ac-
COMMANDED hv six Of the crew OF tne
x-irtoria manned the boat just vacated,
and started FOR the sinking steamer
T-bev were scarcely away from tns size
of the Vittoria before another gaze De
pan and tho brave fellows not oeing aoie
10 reach the Bulgaria, found 1t impossl-
tIa to return 10 the Vittoria until several
hours had passed. captain Ne'nefo ~
no- abandon hope of being Of assistance
m those on board tine Inflated vessel
ana remained in sight OF her until night
rsu ,vhen a pcrfect hurricane arose ana
csrriod tho waiting ship miles away. In
tbo morning the Bulgaria was not 10 be-
seen and the Nittorid proceeded on h'r
way. .,o
pulraria as told by Second ono
Echargcs, IS a tnrllilHb -.
4 THRILLING STORY.
con February LIST. at about S +. NJ
said be "a hurricane of so severe a. ma
turo was encountered that it was foun'
lmpossible % make any headway' ah'
az A. NJ. the following day We wer'
forced TO heave 10. The flying bridges
both fore and aft. We're carried away
ana seamen and passengers were aIral'
10 venture on deck. for fear OF oeini
swept into the sea. About \. NJ. th'
rudder. which IS used 10 break the straii
of heavy seas. collapsed and soon after
ward the entire steering gear was WASH
cd away. Tho steamer then ieh lnt'
the trough Of the sea and was lett az
a tov al the mercy of the wind an'
waves.
"Sea after sea swept over us. smash
inc I'm the doors of the cabin and deck
houses. nooding the main deck, wash
ing In the awning deck and credtinl
havoc and disorder all over the ship. II
make matters worse. one hundred horse
that were stabbed on the upper FORWARD
deck. stampeded. and in their fright mad
wild DASH trampling each other q
death
HORSES BUTCHERED.
This state of affairs lasted until al
but twenty had been killed or droWnee
I'm the wash of the waves. Then th'
butcher of the vessel with number o
seamen went into the pen and tried II
Quiet the beasts that remained. Ihl'
falling as did also the attempt to force
the frenzied animals overheard, Jheh
threats were cut. Before the maddene'
animals were dispatched, however. The
butcher had both his legs broken anC
one Of the seamen was badly injured.
ANY idea that our troubles We're Owe
were soon dispeled when il was tounC
that the vessel was leaking. All tn
hatch covers had been blown of, and be
fore they could be replaced four oil th'
seven holds had filled and all had con
siderable water in them. The cargo mex
shifted. listing the vessel heavily TO port
In addition the carcasses Of the dea'
horses washed aport, adding TO the heaV.
list.
"All this I'D not happen I'm day
said Mr.. Scharges, FOR hours ha'
elapsed since the first misfortune. Thei
for fOrty-seyen hours passengers dn'
crew worked Ike slaves, throwing carg'
overheard 10 lighecn ship. bat 10 was lit
tie avail. one wave carried away elgh
Of the iifc-b0ats from the low-iying por
side. and with these went much OF th
none of the passengers and crew. Al
o'clock on the morning OF the 5th orde
was given 20 call all hands to prepare Il
| take to the small boats. The water ha
/ flooded the engine room and four pump
could not keep IL down. IL was then M
10 tne CRATE bars. but tho flremen still
managed 20 keep the fires burning. Fac
! passenger and seaman was given life
/ preserver and the remaining boats wer
/ gotten ready and provisioned.
Shortly after daylight the three steam
| e-e-the Weehawken, Nittoria and Coor
| dfstan. one after another. hove IN sight
! THE NVeehawken was the first 10 be o
service az she sent two boats and tn
/ twenty-five women and children wer'
| nlaced m them. These were landed safe
| H. on the Weehawken. but after tina
! tbo storm increased IN violence.
! one of our boats smashed and II becam
| almost impossible 10 lower another Of
! aocount OF the vessel being so far dow
| on the port side and correspondingll
! bieh on the starbOard. where the remain
Inc boats were made fast.
ONE BOAT LAUNCHED.
Another attempt was made ana ONT
was successfully gotten mo me SEA
Tho three men and myself who wer
/ sayed with me. jumped into her 70 tax
| line oars. when by some unfortunate &c
| -. ~, ,,ora cut loose The men on