The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-07-08


board were blasted. The moment It
touched the water waves picked up the
lsmaiI craft as IL 1t had been a feather
land dashed it against the side Of the
lship despite the frantic efforts OF the
passengers to send IL on. The crash
was heard on deck Then thes Sea swat
llowed more victims and pieces Of
rock.
The upper deck Of the Norge at the
time of the disaster to the second boat
was only a few feet from the water
land it was apparent to every one that
a few minutes more and she
would plunge beneath the water.
In the finaf crisis those who were
able to remember clearly what happen
led say hat the shrieks and sobs died
broken by the curses OF some men
whose fear found vent in blasphemy.
Suddenly one man threw himself
and another followed his ex-
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
than to being submerged with the
Others determined to stand by
the ship, hoping against hope that h
would remain afioat.
Three boats. it is known, successfully
reached h sea. The passengers fran
lticaHy pulled away from the doomed
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 women in the boat which reach-
led Grimsby hid their eyes, but the
men who were sitting facing the Norge
SAY they saw the captain still on the
bridge and he passengers on deck In
ATTITUDES of resignation. While they
Hooked the Norge plunged forward,
lher stern shot up in the air and she
disappeared. The swimmers in the VI
lcinity Of the ship were drawn into the
Vortex, around which they swirled like
lchips in the Maelstrom.
But twelve nut elapsed from the
time the ship struck unit she sank.
A fine Scotch mist which was falling
lat the time, shut out the other sur
lvivors from the view of those who were
brought to Grimsby. The latter, so
lsoon as their boat was clear Of the
scene Of the wreck, devoted themselves
Ito thoughts OF their w safety. A
Jacket was tied to an oar which was in
turn fastened in the bow Of the boat
land a sailor, a Dane. took charge OF
1.-THE boat. Men and women were put
Ito work keeping the boa af1oat al a
lhole had been stove in her bow when
lit was lowered from the ship. An ex-
tamination OF the water cask showed
that it did nc contain a drop of water.
There were some biscuits, however
land these were eaten by the shipwreck-
led people during the tw~enty-four hours
Inn. June 2Sth, until they were picked
Iup by the Grimsby trawler Sylvia.
Karl Mathieson, the Danish sailor
jwho assumed charge of the boat
brought to Grimsby, only Joined the
Norge at Copenhagen, just before she
Isailed for New FORK. He said he new
nothing about the ships arrangement
lin case of collision or fire. He had
never been instructed in fire drill, and
Ibid no understand what it meant. He
Twas on deck when the vessel struck,
but he did not know until he heard the
icaptain shouting the order to man the
boats that the damage was great.
Mathieson said to the representative
lof the Associated Press:
81 worked with the third mate and
followed him to the different boats.
FThe first we attempted to lower fouled
Iher tackle, keeping her stern fixed while
her bows fell and SHOT the occupants
Into the water. A heavy sea washed
the boat against the ships side. We
went to another, a crowd of Shrieking
women and children following. The
Launching operations were not conduct
ed simultaneously, the officers n
crew going from one to another. Had
men been set at work at each boat,
more would have been saved. Some Of
1.-The crew were worse than the passen>
lgers and but for the officers, would have
Iput off in the boats themselves. These
were put back and threatened with
death unless they obeyed orders. The
lcaptain never left the bridge, but he
shouted so many orders that the crew
did not know what to do. Therefore /
tstuck to the third mate. Together we
Jumped into a small boat just before
the vessel went down, but we did not
think so many were left behind as ap-
lpeared on the water when the Norge
sank. Those remaining on board were
chiefly and children. I saw
only two other boats ahoat, one a big
life boat, easily carrying sixty persons
and the other a smaller boat carrying
possibly forty. No other boats got
Iaway, though there were eight on
pboat.