The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-08
scenes on the Red Star Line steamer
Described by Survivors, Who
Landed at Liverpool.
PASSENGERS MUCH ALARMED
But WERE SOON QUIETED AND ALL
ACTED BRAVELY, EXCEPT ONE.
Two Lost by the Fall Of LifebOat-
Woman Injured-Latest Ac-
count of the Collision.

which was in collision with and sank the
Red Star line steamer Waesland Wednes-
day night, about forty miles southwest OF
Holyhead, and which was towed TO this
port early this morning by the tug sent In
search of her, has big hole in her bow.
One of the rescued passengers of the
Waesland, who was on board the Harmon
ides said the Waesland was run into amid
ships in a fog at midnight and sank forty
minutes afterward, her boilers bursting as
she went down. The report that only two
of the passengers of the Waesland, a man
and child, lost their lives, is confirmed.
In addition one woman was injured. Some
of the Waesiand's boats were in the
ter couple OF hours, but owing to the fog
they could not get alongside the Harmon
ides.
When the Harmonides arrived here her
decks were crowded with half-clad passen-
gers of the Waesland, whose pale and bag
gard faces told the story of their trying
experiences. So hurried was the depart
ure 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
~ off the coast OF the Island of Anglesey.
The Harmonides crashed head-on into the
Waesland and backed away, but once again
struck the then sinking ship, making
great gap in her side. Though the sea
perfectly smooth, the denseness of the fog
added to the terrors of the passengers of
the Waesland. The women rushed on deck
screaming, but were soon treasured by the
officers. The boats were quickly lowered,
but the opera ton resulted in two fatalities.
The end of one of the lifeboats slipped
from its davit and precipitated the occu-
pants of the boat into the A steerage
passenger, Edward Dangerfield, of Kansas,
struck his head against the boats fittings
and was instantly killed. and Elsie En-
NETT, twelve years old, the daughter of
Rev. A. NJ. Emmett, was drowned. The
other persons who were in the boat were
picked up.
BOILERS EXPLODED.
The bravery of the passengers, many Of
whom were Scandinavian emgrants. was
exemplary Precedence 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 her boilers had burst, and
forty minutes after the first impact the
Waesland gave a mighty lurch and dis
appeared beneath the waves, sinking about
midway between Holyhead and Tuskar
the passengers and crew wore. The boats
taking the passengers were for a time
separated, owing TO the fog, but eventu-
ally they all reached the sides of the Har-
monides and the survivors were taken on
board that vessel, where everything pos
sible done for their comfort
A pilot boat met the Harmonides off
the Island of Anglesey and communicated
the news of the disaster to persons ashore,
with the result that tugs were dispatched
to search for the Harmonides and accom-
fa1 he faQ r0Ear fO aa~f J.
passengers were landed and safely and
comfortably housed. They will proceed 10
Philadelphia next Wednesday on board the
Red Star line steamer Noordland. The
surviving passengers, as a rule, escaped
with only few slight bruises.
The Harmonidess stern and bow plates
marvellous that she escaped sinking. she
has a deep dent in her port side.
An officer of the Waesland. in in
terview, gave a graphic description of tie
loss of the steamer. He said Il saw tie
whole affair. l was late in turning in, as
the night WAS f9ggy and we naturally
passengers had retired / was taking a
last look at the weather, and in doing so
peered over the ships side when. without
the slightest warning, there came a fearful
crash which made the Waesland stagger
from stem to stern.
90 My God, we are struck I shouted
Then there doomed right over our ships
bow the steamer 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
mistaking the terrible consequences of
such an impact. The nose of the Har-
monides appeared TO have eaten right into
our side. We were going very slowly,
with no more speed than was necessary 10
keep Roadway. We were struck at right
angles, tremendous hole was made, and
for moment the stem of the Harmonides
was literally inside ship.
A CRAZED PASSENGER
=.
of the ship Immediately ensued. The pas
sengers tumbled out just as they had re-
tired for the night. The men, women and
children were in their night dresses In
a few instances the passengers had thrown
a shawl a blanket over their shoulders.
Terror and bewilderment reigned for a few
moments, but the passengers gradually
ranged themselves in groups about the
decks where they were best sheltered and
the crew worked like clockwork i'm getting
out the boats. The only exception to the
good behavior of the passengers was IN
the case of a saloon passenger, who rushed
hither and thitheT, calling i'm turn on heaven
and earth TO rescue him. Fortunately The
other passengers were not affected by this
mans pitiable mental agony, but were
quietly and methodically marshaled into
the boats
1.-THE experiences in the small boats were
trying on account of the darkness and cold
We did not know exactly where we were
and for a long time could not discover the
whereabouts of the Harmonides. though she
was near by. The boats stood well awav
from the sinking Waesland for fear of he
ing sucked down, and we could hear the
rending and tearing Of her timbers as she
seemed to break in two. Then there WIS
a terrible explosion as the boilers blew nm
and all over. We drifted and rowed for
seemingly two three hours. when We.
finally got into touch with the Harmonide-
We had no difficulty in getting on boaro
the Waesland. The collision was terrific
alike in the suddenness of the shock and
in the completeness of the steamers de-
struction, and we think we were most
fortunate in escaping as we did"
p Z. Ferguson, a saloon passenger who.
curiously enough. was on board the Waes-
land when she cOllided with a schooner nor
far from Philadelphia, says the PRINCIPAL
excitement took the form of rushing Tor
life belts. He saw man who had seven
life belts attached to various parts of hrs
body. AS the last boat. i'm which Mr. Fer
guson was seated, was leaving the ship-s
side cries for help were heard on board
of her, and the boat returned and found
that two of the Waesland's crew had been
throughout from the first impact TO the
last boat leaving the sinking steamer and
only discovered his perilous position when
the sea water flooded his bunk through the
port holes.
DIT. F.. Fl. Shelmerdne OF PHILADELPHIA.
who. with his wife, was a passenger on
board the Waesland. attributes the acct
ing TO spring on board, thereby breaking
his own neck and causing the death OF
Elsie Emmett. DR. Shelmerdine lost his
valuable instruments and Jewelry. He SAYS