Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-08
ONE VICTIM A WESTERNER
Edward Dangerfeld Of Kansas Goes Down
Aboard Waesland.
HARAoNIDts DAMAGED BY COLLISION
Heroic Efforts OF Crew Prevents
Large List OF FataIitIes-OnIy
Two Lives known TO
he Lost.

Red star line steamer Waesland Wednesday
night about forty miles southwest Of Holy
head and which was towed to this port
early this morning by the tugs sent in
search Of II, has a great hole in Its bows.
One OF the rescued passengers Of the Waes-
land, who was on board Hafmonldes, said
Waesland was run into smidships in a
fog at midnight and sank half an hour
afterward, it's boilers bursting as It went
down. The report that only two Of the
passengers Of waesland, a man and q
child, lost their lives, appears to be con-
Armed. In addition, one woman was injured.
Some Of waesland's boats were in the
water a couple Of hours before. owing to
the fog, they could get alongside Harmon
ides. When Harmonides arrived here its
decks were crowded with half-clad passen-
gers Of Waesland, whose pale and haggard
faces told the story Of their trying expert
ences. SO hurried was the departure OF the
passengers from the sinking ship that in
some cases they were only covered by
blankets and handkerchiefs were their only
headgear.
When the disaster occurred Wednesday
night the two vessels were steaming slowly
OF the coast Of the island Of Angieeey.
Harmonides crashed head-on into waesland
and backed away, but once again struck the
l l1Ch 9A1hlhB HAAPf inahAhH y kINob 8nR III ~
side. Though the sea was perfectly smooth
the densenese Of the fog added to the ter
rors Of the passengers OF Waesland.
women and Children First.
The women rushed on deck screaming,
but were poon reassured by the ~oficers.
The boats were quickly lowered, but the
operation resulted in two fatalities. tn
end Of one Of the ifeboats slipped from lie
| 40 vttr "a ,~aot,f4ofad onn - a.. noa,,,a0es
into the water. A steerage passenger. Ed
ward Dangerheld of Kansas, struck his
head against the boat fittings and was In
stantly killed and Elsie Waett, IL years
old, the daughter of Rev. A. Waett, was
drowned. The other persons who were In
the boat were picked up. The bravery Of
the passengers, many of whom we're Sean
dinavian emigrants. was exemplary. Prece-
dence was given to the women and children.
AS the last boats were leaving the fast
sinking ship. whose decks were already
awash, an explosion announced that Its
boilers had burst, and forty minutes after
the FIRST impact Waesland gave a mighty
lurch and disappeared beneath the waves,
sinking about midway between Holyhead
and Tuskar light. Nothing was saved ex-
cept what the passengers and crew wore.
The boats containing the passengers were
for a time separated, owing to the fog, but
eventually they all reached the sides OF
Harmonides and the survivors we're taken
on board that vessel, where everything pos
sible was done for their comfort. A pilot
boat met Harmonides of the island OF
Anglesey and communicated the new of
the disaster to persons ashore. with the
result that tugs were dispatched to search
for Harmonides and accompanied the
steamer to this port. Here the passengers
were landed and comfortably housed. They
will proceed to Philadelphia on board the
steamer Noordlandl The surviving passen-
gers. as a rule. escaped with only a few
slight bruises.
Harmonides' stem and bow plates were
so torn and twisted that It appeared marvel
lous that Il escaped sinking. 1t also has a
deep dent in its port side.
Omcer Describes Scene.
An oficer of waesland. In an interview,
gave a graphic description Of the loss Of
the steamer. He said:
81 saw the whole affair. l was late In
turning in az the night was foggy, and was
naturally apprehensive. Practically all
the passengers had retired. / was taking
a last look at the weather and in SO doing
peered over the ships side when, without
the slightest warning. there came a fearful
crash which made Wsesland stagEer from
stem to~stern.
my God, we are struck 1 shouted.
"Then there doomed right over our ships
bow the ahip which had run into US. 1t
was terrifying. of course. We instantly
recognized the peril. The darkness at that
time was impenetrable, but there was no
mistakins the terrible consequences OF such
an impact. The nose of Harmonides APP
peared to have eaten right into our side.
4 M ~ .~-~ l.. IA
speed than was necessary to keep Roadway.
We were struck at right-angles. q tire
mendous hole was made and for a moment
the stem Of Harmonides was literally In
side our ship.
"A rush Of excited people from all parts
Of the ship Immediately ensued. The pas
sengers tumbled up, just as they had re-
tired for the night. The men, women and
children were In their nightdresses. In a
few instances the passengers had thrown
a shawl or blanket over their shoulders.
Terror and besilderment reigned for q few
moments. but the passengers gradually
ranged themselves In groups about the
deck, where they we're best sheltered, and
the crew worked like clockwork in getting
out the boats. The only exception to the
good behavior OF the passengers was In the
case OF a saloon passenger, who rushed
hANn~A 0A0 tAN1 ~o -
heaven and earth to rescue him. Fortunately
the other passengers were not affected by
this mans pitiable mental agony. but were
quietly and methodically marshalled into
the boats.
Experiences Was TryiHn.
1.-THE experience in the small boats was
trying on account OF the darkness and cold.
We did not know exactly where 70 were
and for a long time could not discover the
whereabouts Of Harmonides. though It was
near all the time. The boats stood away
from the sinking Waesland. for fear OF
being sucked down, and We could hear the
rending and tearing Of its timhers as II
seemed to break in two. Then there was a
terrible explosion as the boiler blew up
and all was over.
1--WE drlfted and rowed. seemingly two
to three hours. when w finally got In touch
with H~armonides. We had no d~ifheulty in
getting on board. All our effects went TO
the bottom with Waesland.
THE collision was terrific alike in the
suddeness OF the shock and in the COM
pleteness OF the steaper's destruction and
we think we we're most fortunate In es.
Gaping as we did"