Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-07-06
SIX HUNDRED
DIE IN WRECK.
Big Scandinavian American Liner
Goes Down Off Islet of
Rockall.
RUNS ON THE ROCKS.
The Norge, from Copenhagen to New
York, Sinks Off Coast of Scot
land During Storm.
WAS CROWDED WITH EMIGRANTs.

Grimsby, England, July Sit is now
known that 127 persons who were on
the Scandinavian-Amer liner Norge
when it struck have been saved. 1t is
said the rescued include Capt. Gundell
and the chief engineer.
There were 694 passengers and a crew
of seventy-one on the Norge, SO that with
the 127 rescued there remains 638 per-
sons unaccounted for and supposedly lost.
Lack of systematic drill among the
sailors is in a measure to blame for the
awful loss of life. The life belts were
in some cases rotten and in one instance
at least the falls of the lifeboats did not
work properly.
Runs on Rocks.
The Danish steamer Norge bound from
Copenhagen to New York. was wrecked
off the islet of Rockall, in the North AT
lantic last Tuesday. Early that morn
ing the Norge ran into heavy weather
and had to run out of her course. The
captain and crew battled with the ele-
ments and were fighting to get back to
the course when the boat hit the Rock
all reef. Two crashes following in quick
succession, the last more disastrous than
the first, opened up the bows and the
water poured in.
narrow companiOnways and men, women,
and children pushed and struggled and
made every other effort to reach the deck
where the boats were swung from the
davits.
Life Preservers in Bad Shape.
Many persons, retaining their presence
of mind, seized life preservers, only to
find in some instances that the strings
were rotten and they could not be quick
1ry, -. VI
reached the deck saw the nose Of the
Norge pinned directly against the rock.
1t remained there only few minutes.
for Capt. Gundell, commanding, who had
Immediately gone to the bridge, gave the
order to the engine room to reverse the
engines. Some men of the engineer force
had relatives among the passengers. and
after seeing them safely to the boats
they heroically returned to their stations
below.
Passengers Realize Peril:
Slowly the ship backed off, and as it
gained way it was found that water was
pouring into the hold This announce
ment, called out in Scandinavian and
presaging death, added to the supreme
fright and agony. The passengers who
were piled in the boats were the for
tunate ones who were to escape, while
the unfortunates, who saw death near,
clustered in the vicinity, seething, strug
Cling masses; some on their knees, pray
ing, surrounded by children, others sup.
plicating aid from anyone and shrieking
for permission to enter the boats, elbow
ing, fighting their way to the places
from which the boats were being low
cred.
Goes Down Nose First.
The sound of grinding ceased and the
bow of the Norge waved as the steamer
returned to deep water. The sea rushed
hungrily into the huge rents made by
the rocks in the iron hull. Swiftly the
vessel began to sink by the bows. With
out waiting for orders, without paying
attention to their proper manning, the
occupants began to lower the boats. The
starboard lifeboat began slowly to fall
when to the horror of those on board the
stern tackle failed, while the bow tackle
ran free.
Spilled Out Of Life Boat.
Soon the boat was almost perpendicu-
lar. Those who were in it chung desper-
ately to the sides and seats until 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 impact 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
first boat second, loaded principally
with women and children, was lowered.
This time the tackle ran smoothly, but
the hopes of escape of the passengers on
board were blasted.
The moment it touched the water
waves picked up the small craft as if it
had been feather and dashed it against
the side of the ship in spite of the fran
tic efforts of the passengers to fend it off.
The crash was heard on deck. Then the
sea swallowed more victims and pieces
of wreckage slowly drifted towards the
rock.
Vessel Settles in Water.
The upper deck of the Norge at the
time of the disaster to the second boat
was only a few feet from the water, and
it was apparent to every one that only
few minutes more and it would plunge
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 i'll blasphemy.
Suddenly one man threw himself over
board, and another followed his example.
Still another jumped into the water, and
soon around the ship hundreds of persons
were struggling i'll the sea, having pre-,
ferred death i'll the open than to being
submerged with the ship. Others deter
mined to stand by the ship, hoping
against hope that it would remain af1oat.
In few moments the ship went down.
News Reaches Copenhagen.
Copenhagen, July 5.-The news of the
disaster to the Danish steamer Norge off
the west coast of Scotland created in
describable excitement here. The Norge
had no frst-class passengers on board
and only nine on its second cabin list.
These included three Americans, Eliza
beth and Anna Buckley and Hilma
Fleischmann. All the others were in the
Storage. The Buckleys belonged to
Seattle. Hilma Fleischmann's address
is not known.
Firemen to Meet at Rice Lake.
Shell Lake, Wis, July Especial. i