Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-07-05
The Steamer Disaster Off Coast
Of Scotland Costs Hundreds
of Lives
THE DETAILS OF THE HORROR
Survivors Tell of Terrible Moments
When Passengers We're Compelled to
leap From ship--Attempt to Lower
Boats Was Nos successful-ship
q Sank in Twelve Minutes,

ment to nearly zoo dead. Bodies wash
against the rocks or lie in the ocean
bed at its base Near by, completely
hidden in the water, is the Scandna-
Wan American liner Norge. which was
carrying 500 Danes, Norwegians, Firms
and Swedes To join relatives or friends
In America. or these only about 1St
were saved. The Norge struck on the
rocks Tuesday, June IS. and Went down
within few minutes. The Norge
which had been in the Copenhagen
New York service OF the Scandinavian
American line for II number or years,
was ali iron vessel of 3,3IS tons gross
and 2.12I tons net.
The Norge was built at Glasgow by
A. Stephen & Sons in 1881. when she
was christened Pieler De Coninck.
When she was pure hased by the Unit
ed States company of Copenhagen she
was renamed the Norge. The vessel
was equipped with six water-tight
bulkheads.
No tragedy of this, sea has had more
appalling conseque and none has
occurred in a shorter time. The pas
sengers were suddenly aroused from
their sleep. terrified by the contact OF
the bows of the ship with the solid
granite, followed by a grinding. rasp-
ing sound, as if the hull was being
showed over huge rocks. Then silence,
az the changing bells brought the en-
zines to a stop Those of the passen-
gers who were standing at the time the
{1,<. Nfrar throw
against the buIkheads or on the decks,
and had not recovered their feet when
a stentorian voice gave the terrifying
order:
'sAll hands on deck; hurry or you
may sink
Immediately there was rush for the
marrow companton-wa and men.
women and children pushed and strug-
gied and made every effort to reach
the deck. where the boats swung from
the 6avits. Many persons retained their
presence of mind, seized life preserf-
ers only to find in some instances that
the strings were rotten and they oculd
not be quickly put around their bodies.
Those who reached the deck saw the
nose of the Norge pinned directly
against the rock. 1t remained there
only q few minutes. for Captain Gum
nell. commanding, who had i,nmedf-
ntely gone to the bridge. gave the orr
der to the engine room to reverse the
engines Some mell of the engineer
force had relatives among the passen-
gers. ard after seeing them safely tic
the boats, they heroically returned 10
their stations below.
Slowly the ship backed off and as she
gained Roadway 1t was found that the
water was pouring into her hold.
This announcement, called out IN
Scandinavian and presaging death,
added to the supreme fright ana
agony. The passengers who We're piled
in the boats were the fortunate ones
who were to escape, while the unfortu-
mates who saw deiith near. clustered
An the vicinity, seething, struggling
masses. some on their knees, praying.
surrounded by children, others suppl
eating aid from anyone and shrieking
FOR permission to enter the boats, ell
bowling, fighting Their way to the places
from which the boats were being low
cred. The sound of grinding ceased
and the bow OF the Norge yawned az
the steamer returned to deep water.
The sea rushed hungrily into the huge
rents made by the big rocks In the iron
hull. Swiftly the vessel began to sink
by the bows Without waiting for or
ders. without paying attention to their
proper manning, the occupants began
slowly TO lower the boats. The star
board lifeboat began slowly to fall
when to the horror Of those on board
the stern tackle failed, while the bow
tackle ran free.
Soon the boat was almost perpendic-
ular. Those who were in 1t chung des-
perately to the sides and seats until .
great wave came towering along aud
struck the boat smashing it against
the side Of the ship. The occupants
were thrown into the water. The crew
and passengers on deck had no time to
spare to assist the few who had a
chance to escape. but lost 1t.
Updeterred by the experience of the
first boat. second, loaded principally
with women and children, was lowered
This time the tacll, ran smoothly, but
the hopes of escape by the passengers
on board were blasted. The moment
st touched water waves picked up the
small craft as If it had been feather
and dashed it against the side at the
ship, in spite of the frantic efforts af
the passengers to fend 1t off. The
era sh was heard on deck. Then the
sen swallowed more victims and pieces
OF wreckage slowly drifted toward the
rock.
The upper deck of the Norge at the
time of the diseastei. to the second boat
was only a few feet from the water
and 1t was apparent to everyone that
only few minutes more and she
would plunge beneath the waves. In
the final crisis those who were able
to remember clearly what had happen
ed say that the shlieks and sobs died
away, and that the quiet was only
broken by the curses of some men
whose fear found vent in blasphel1N
Hundreds Struggle in Waves.
Suddenly one man threw himself
overheard and another followed MS
example. Still another jumped into
the water, and soon around the ship
hundreds of persons We're struggling
the sea, having preferred death in the
open to be submerged on the shin
Others chose to stand by the ship
hoping against hope that she would
remain afoat.
Three boats, it is known, successfully
reached the sea. The passengers
frantiealiy pulled away from the doom
ed ship, passing by poor wretches who
were still afioat. and who vainly begged
to be taken on board, while from the
ship came long; despairing cries. The
woman In the btaat which reached