The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-23
BULGARIA PROBABLY LOST.
STEAMERS ENTIRE STEERING
GEAR WAS WASHED AWAY.


1t impossible to Take OF Others.
Every Effort Made to Render .AR-
sistance-Horses stampeded and
TrampIed One Another to Death.
Experiences of Passengers.
Baltimore. Feb. 22-The British steam
ship Vittoria, Capt. Wetherell, arrived to-
day from Hull, via Hampton Roads, with
four of the crew of the missing Hamburg
American liner Bulgaria. The rescued
mariners arc: Second Mate o, Scharges,
Quartermasters Carl Ludtke and John
Schulz and Seaman William starke.
They were picked up by the Vittoria
from an open boat Of the Bulgaria three
and a half hours after they had been
cast adrift in latitude 40 N, longitude As
w. on Feb. 5.
These with the twenty-five women and
children who were picked up by the tank
steamer Weehawken and landed in Ponta
del Gada, Azore Islands, week ago, are
ell that have been heard from Of the crew
of eighty-nine men and forty-one passen-
gers which the Bulgaria had aboard when
she sailed from New York for Bremen,
Jan. 2S.
Capt Wetherell said that he sighted the
Bulgaria in a disabled condition at Z
O'Clock a. M, Feb. 5, flags flying and the
tank steamer Weehawken standing by and
communicating with her There was a
heavy sea on and his vessel drifted away
from the disabled craft, but he steamed
toward her and again located her.
.I4., ri fIa.,c cyfp
sci attempt 10 lower boat, and just aa
four of them got into t, IL broke loose
from the steamer and drifted away. The
four men made an effort 10 row back 20
the Bulgaria but could not approach her
on account of the high seas.
Could Not Reach others.
The Vittorla was preparing to lower a
boat to go TO the assistance of those on
the Bulgaria when the four men came
alongside After considerable difficulty
they were taken aboard.
During a lu.l the second officer of the
Bulgaria, accompanied by six of the crew
of the Vittoria. manned The boat just va
Gated and started for the sinking steamer.
They were scarcely away from the side
of the Vittoria, however. before another
gale began, and the brave fellows not be-
ing able to reach the Bulgaria. found it
impossible to return to the Vittorio until
several hours had passed
Capt Wetherelf would not abandon hope
of being of assistance to those on board
the Inflated vessel. and renamed in sight
of her until aightfall, when a perfect hur-
ricane arose and carried the waiting ship
miles away In the morning the Bulgaria
was not to be seen, and the Vittoria pro-
ceeded on her Journey.
Their Terrible Experience,
The story Of the experience of the Bui-
garia as told By Second Officer scharges,
is thrilling one
ION Feb /. at about 8 o'clock p. m.,"
said he, "a hurricane Of 50 severe a ma
ture was encountered that it was found
impossible 10 make any headway, and az
a. m. the following day we were forced
to heave to. The flying bridges both fore
and aft, were carried away and seamen
and passengers We're afraid TO venture On
deck for fear of being swept into the sea.
About a. m. the spring in the rudder,
which is used TO break the strain of
heavy seas, collapsed, and soon aherwal1
the entire steering gear was washed away.
The steamer then fell in the trough ami
was left as a toy at the mercy Of the
wind and waves.
The Horses sthmpeded.
Sea after sea 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 dis
order all over the ship. To make matters
worse 100 horses that were stabbed on the
upper deck stampeded, and in their fright
made a wild dash, tramp.ing each other
to death
This state of affairs lasted until all but
twenty had been killed or wounded la the
wash of the waves. Then the butcher OF
the vessel, with a number of seamen, went
into the pen and tried to quiet the beasts
that remained. This failing as did also
the attempt TO force the frenzied animals
overheard, their throats were cut. Before
the maddened animals were dispatched,
however, the butcher had both his legs
broken, and one of the seamen was badly
injured.
Cargo shifted to Port.
"Any idea THAI our troubles were over
was soon dispeIled, when il was found that
the vessel was leaking. All the hatch
covers had been blown off, and before they
could be replaced four of the seven holds
filed and all had considerable water in
them. The cargo next shifted, listing the
steamer heavily to port In addition the
carcasses Of the dead horses washed aport,
adding to the heavy list.
"All this did not happen In day. said
Mr. Scharges, "for hours had elapsed
since the first misfortune. Then for sew
enty-two hours passengers and crew work.
ed like slaves, throwing cargo overheard
to tighten the ship. but it was Of little
avail. One wave carried away eight OF
the lifeboats from low lying port side,
and with these went much of the hope
from the hearts OF passengers and crew.
AT O'Clock on the morning Of the
5th the order was given to call all hands
on deck to prepare to take to the small
boats. The waters had flooded the en-
gine room and four pumps could not keep
it down. 1t was then up 70 the crate bars,
but the firemen still managed to keep the
fires burning. Each passenger and sea-
man was given life preserver and the re-
manning boats were gotten ready and pro-
visioned
First Assistance Rendered.
Shortly after daylight the three steam
ers (the Weehawken, Vittoria and Koordis-
tan), one after another, hove in sight. The
Weehawken was the first to be Of SER
vice as she sent two boats in which the
twenty-five women and children were
placed. These were landed safely on the
Weehawken. but after that the storm in