The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1904-07-09

would be plunged beneath the waves.
In the final crisis those who were able
to remember clearly what happened
say that the shrieks and sobs died
away and that the quiet was only
broken by the curses of some men
whose fear found vent in b%lasphemy.
Suddenly one man threw himself
overheard and another followed his ex-
ample. Still another jumped into the
water and soon round the ship hun
dreds of persons were struggling in
the sea having preferred death in the
open than to being submerged with
the ship. Others determined to stand
by the ship, hoping against hope that
she would remain aioat.
Three Boats Reach the Sea.
Three boats, it is known, success
fully reached the sea. The passengers
frantically pulled away from the
doomed ship passing by poor wretches
who were still afoat and who vainly
begged to be taken on board, while
from the ship came long, d%espairing
cries. The women in the boat which
reached Grir:sby hid their eyes. but:
the men WHO were sitting facing the
Norge say they saw the captain still
on the bridge a1d the passengers on
deck in attitudes OF resignation. While
they looked the Norge plunged for
ward, her stern sho; up in the air and
she disappeared. The swimmers in
the vicinity Of the ship were drawn
into the vortex. around which they
swiried like chips in the maelstrom.
But twelve minutes elapsed from the
time the ship struck until she sank.
A fine Scotch mist which was falling
at the time
Shut Out the Other Survivors
from the view Of those who were
brought to Grimsby. The latter, soon
as their boat was clear Of the scene of
the wreck. devoted themselves to
thoughts Of their own safety.
A Jacket was tied to an oar which
was in turn fastened in the how OF the
boat and a sailor. a Dane. took charge
OF the boat. Men and women we're
put to work keeping the boat af1oat,
as a hole had been stove in her bow
when it vas lowered from the ship.
An examination of the hold showed
tibet it'did not contain asdrop OF water.
There were some biscuits, however,
and these were eaten by the ship
wrecked people during the twenty-four
hours from the time the ship struck at
2 a. m. June Is. until they were picked
up by the Grimsby trawl, Sylvia.
So dazed we're the survivors of the
Norge who were safely brought to
Grimsby that it was 'dihicult to obtain
. connected
Story Of the Disaster.
Twenty.rix persons in all reached here.
nineteen men. six women and one
child, q girl six years old. Every one
the great majority If those who went
down were on their way to Join rela,
tives OF friends located principally IN
the 'northw estern states.
The sailor who had assumed ;c0m-
mand Of the lifeboat that was brought
to Grimsby said:
Il xaw only two other boats afioat,
one 4 big ifeboat easily carrying sixty
persons and the other a smaller boat,
carrying possibly forty. No other
boats got away. though there were
eight on board"
Many deeds of heroism shine bright
~ through the pail of the catastrophe.
That Of Jams Peters Jansen, who has
relatives in Brooklyn, N. Y, is told
with admiration by the survivors. He
Was of the engineers Of the Norge.
When the Ship Struck
he learned the extent of the disaster
and went below to where his relatives
were and told them and those nearby
to go at once to the upper deck. He
accompanied them to the boats and
saw them safely on board. He. was
urged to join them but said he must
return to the engine oom and shout
ing a farewell ran to his post of duty,
where he died.
Some of the male passengers, with
out a. thought Of self, placed women
and children in the boats, preferring
to remain behind rather than take ad-
vantage Of their strength
The crew of the Norge appear to
have behaved well after the first panic
when. it is said, the officers were com
PEELED to drive them back from the
boats. But there apparently was no
discipline. the orders the captain
shouted from the bridge being
Misinterpreted or Unheard.
So far as the survivors here remem-
Der there was no systematic distribu-
tion of the people to the boats which
were not adequately manned. No at
tempt was made by any of the sur
vivors to saw property. There was
time to make preparations.
The correspondent Of the Associated
Press made a careful inquiry to dis.
cover why the Norge was so far of
her course. Rockhall reef is known to
every sailor or the North Atlantic and
is marked plainly on the charts. A
current sweeps in its direction
and. it is presumed. owing to absence
~ lnArft1 lso <>u1Dln, <ho% &h1 ~.--