The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-07-08
zoo fMIGRANTS
ARE DROWNED
GO DOWN IN WRECK OF THE
STEAMER NORGE OFF COAST
OF SCOTLAND.
STRIKES The ROCkHAll REEF
PASSENGERS AROUSED FROM
SLEEP TO FACE ALMOST IN.
SLANT DEATH.
ONLY ABOUT 1870 ARE SAVED
NO TRAGEDY OF THE SEA HAS
HAD MORE APPALLING CON-
SEQUENCES.

Grimsby, Eng, July GA lone pile
or granite rising sheer out of the At
lantic 290 miles from the Scottish
mainland is now a monument to al
most seven hundred dead. Bodies
wash against the rocks or lie in the
ocean bed at it's base. Nearby. com
pletely hidden in the water is the Scan
dlnavian-Americane liner Norge, which
was carrying eight hundred Danes.
N~orwegians, Swedes and Firms to join
relatives or friends in America. Of
these only about 100 were saved.
No tragedy of the sea has had more
appalling consequences 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, Rasping Sound
as If the null was being showed over
huge rocks. Then silence, as the clang-
ing bells brought the engines to a stop.
Those of the passengers who were
standing at the time the steamer
struck the rock were thrown against
the b%ulkheads or on the decks and
had not recovered their feet VIII "a a
stentorian voice gave the terrifying
orders:
All hands on deck. Hurry or YOU
may sink"
Immediately there was a rush for
the narrow cOmpanionways and men
m and children pushed and strug
gled and made every other effort tC
reach the deck where the boats swuna
from the davits. Many persons retain
ing their presence Of mind, seized life
pr%eservers only to find in some in
stances that the strings were rotter
and that they could not be quickly pu'
around their bodies. Those VII,
reached the deck saw the nose of th'
Morse pinned directly against the rock
1t remained there only a few minutes
for Capt. Gundell, commanding, wn,
had Immediately gone to the bridge
gave the order to the engine room t.
reverse the engines. Some Of the en-
gineer force had relatives among III
passengers and after seeing them safe
ly to the boats they herOically return
ed to their stations below.
Slowly the ship backed off and a.
she gained way it was found that wa
ter was pouring into her hold. This
announcement called out in Scandina
Wan and presaging death, added to the
supreme fright and agony. The pas
amman "ho y;1ol - 4ho loo@e
were the fortunate ones who we're tc
escape, while the u~nfortunates, who
saw death near, clustered in the vicin.
ity,
Settling, Struggling Masses,
some on their knees, praying, sur.
rounded by children, others supplicat.
ing aid from any one and shrieking for
permission to enter the boats, fighting
their way to the places from which the
boats were being lowered. The sound
Of grinding ceased, the bow of the
Norge waved as the steamer returned
to deep water. The sea rushed hun
grily into the huge rents made by the
rocks in the iron hull. Swiftly the
| vessel began to sink by the bows.
Without waiting for orders, without
paying attention to their proper man
ming the occupants began to lower the
| boats. The %starboard lifeboat began
slowly to fall when to the horror of
| these on board, the stern tackle failed,
while the bow tackle ran free.
Soon the boat was almost perpen'
dicular. Those who were in it
Chung Desperately
to the sides and seats until a great
wave came towering along and struck
the boat, smashing it against the side
of the ship. The occupants Of the
boat who were not killed by the i'm
pact were thrown into the water. The
crew and passengers on deck had nc
time to spare to assist the few wnc
had a chance to escape, but lost it
Undeterred by the experience OF the
first boat a second, loaded principally
with women and children. was lower
ed. This time the tackle ran smooth
ly, but the hopes of escape of the pas
sengers on board were blasted. lhe
moment it touched the water, waves
picked up the small craft as If 1T hae