The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-23

Correspondence Of The Journal ii
Christiania, Norway, July 1.-THE
first news Of more than local import
ance received in this city in the early
morning of the Fourth Of July was
very sad news. The newspapers, in
extra editions, printed the first cables
received saying that the Norge had
gone down and almost her entire
human load of 500 persons with her.
It was one Of those overwhelming
calamities which stir the whole world.
1t was on the bright sunshiny
morning of June "a that I last left
the illfated Norge, a few minutes
before she was ready to proceed from
here to New York by way of Chris
tianssand. My wishes of pleasant
trip to the officers on deck when 1
left the ship now seem mockery.
The next day the Norge left Chris
tianssand and on the morning Of June
% she struck ground eighteen miles
south from the well-known Rockall,
northwest Of Scotland. This isolated
piece of rock looks like a sailing YES
sci in the distance when you pass the
place on one of the Scandinavian
American line steamers.
The Norge actually struck eighteen
miles south from Rockall; 1t is be-
lieved that she must have gone on
! an underground rock, not marked
down on the charts. 1t is asserted
that it Is nothing short of gross care
. lessness on England's part not to have
. a lighthouse on Rockall, which lies
| 200 miles from the coast Of Scotland
, and is only 100 meters in circumfer-
J ence and rs feet high above sea level.
There Is nowhere In any ocean a rock
which can be compared with Rock
! all in shape and location.
. The first news of the disaster came
/ to this city last Monday morning at
9:15, by cable from 'Grimsby. Some
; of the rescued have already been sent
by Atlantic boats from Liverpool to
America, while others are still in hos
pitfalls, nearly all reported to be doing
well under the circumstances. 1t is
stated that Norge had lifeboats suf.
ficient to hold only 200 persons, thus
nearly all who had a possible chance
to get away in the boats have reached
shore. The Inflated passengers have
! been received with the greatest sym
pathy and hospitality at the ports O
landing.
A touching story is told about +;
young Norwegian who jumped from
the lifeboat in order to make room
for his 21-year- old sister. She though
him lost forever, but he was later OF
now among the saved. The sister
= almost crazed with sorrow over he
brothers supposed death for her sake
/ has now, to her overwhelming JOY
, learned that also he has been safel
, landed.
The Norge was one of the best boat
j the company had before the buildin
of Oscar H., United States and He'll
\ Olav. She was bought in Antwerp |
p, 1889, and was then called Piter d
-, Conick She was built in Glasgow i
=, 1881 by Stephen & Son. Displace
! ment, 3,318 gross registered tons; ne
i2,121 tons. New engines were ir
. + stalled in 1897. She was reported
! be we'll constructed and had thre
decks.
Her first captain was Mr.. Knudsel
who died from sunstroke in Ne
York about four years ago. Sine
a then ". J. Gundel has been her cal
! tain.
Captain Gundel, who is 43 years
age, is man who has worked himse
up from the lowest rank to capital
He is of the true sailor type, we
liked among his colleagues and high
4 esteemed by his superiors. He is col