Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-10-05
THE ENGINEERS STORY.
He Tells of the Suffering Endured By
 People of Wrecked Steamer.

HOng kong, Oct o.--furtner Qe- tails have been received of the wreck of the emigrant steamer Char ter House, voyaging between Hoihow and HongKong which foundered of Hainan Head September 30 with the loss of more than sixty lives. The North German Lloyd steamer Kohsic- hang picked up raft belonging to the Charter House on which were Chief Engineer Dowse, twenty-three of the crew and two women after they had been drifting for 4S hours, On the third and last evening, Oct 2, the survivors on the raft deserted smoke on the horizon. On observing the Kohsichangs hull there was great joy and the Chinese of the party became frantically happy at the prospect of quenching their madden ing thirst and appeasing their gnaw- ing hunger. et.~ Captain Rosiefsky of the Kohsic- hang, rescued the survivors, includ- ing little boy. They had almost | collapsed from exhaustion and were carried on board the Kohsichang, be- ing unable to walk. Despite the doc tors unremitting attention, the boy | died an hour after being taken aboard. Chief Engineer Dowse has been removed to a hospital. The crew of the Kohsichang gave un- | bounded attention to the survivors. Among those who went down with the Charter House and were drowned | FarQuharson, second officer Grigor and Engineers Forbes and Maurmann besides the ships doctor and 60 others.
 | Chhief Engineer Dowse, who was among those picked up on the raft by the German Lloyd steamer Koh- sichang. in his statement made to- day said:
 | Previous to starting on the voy- age to Hong Kong the Charter House | landed 700 emigrants at Hoihow. She departed at 3:30 o'clock on the afternoon of September 2S, bound for Hong Kong with 97 people on board, including six British officers, the doctor, and full cargo of sugar. Six hours later she was overtaken by typhoon and preparations were made to ride out the gale. The off, cers were posted at their respective stations. The wind increased, car rying away the masts and rails, the vessel tossing cork-like on mountain ous waves, sustaining considerable damage from the sea. The engines were slowed down but the wind in- creased and the chances were slight for the vessel weathering the storm. Between 8 and g o'clock on Septem- Der 29, the weight of the storm was encountered, and the word was pass ed along that the ship was founder ing, the boats were made ready to take the passengers on board, and the crew was lined up on deck. Ow- ing to the heavy sea 1t was found impossible to launch the boats, but the passengers and crew got into them and awaited the sinking of the steamer, hoping that they would chance to float when she went down Despite the darkness and the j immi. inn ]. nent danger of drowning, there was an entire absence of panic. The off. cers did their duty calmly. while the Chinese passengers and crew emulat- ed the officers by their courage in the \presence of death.
 Meanwhile the second officer was missed, and it was surmised he was washed overheard.
 When finally the Charter House settled between the waves only the after-boat got away. The others were smashed The ships officers were in the after-boat which capsized. man. aged to reach a raft containing seven Chinese. Afterwards I saw Engineers Forbes and Maurmann upon another raft.
 They called out to me that they were all right. I afterwards lost sight of all craft until Sunday, Sep tember 30. when I met raft carry ing the two firemen.
 We kept together all day and to- wards evening found vacant raft which I lashed to the one I was on. We were cramped for space and found 1t impossible to lie down to sleep.
 We drifted until Monday after noon October 1, when we sighted a lifeboat, which disappeared the fol- l Inwiuu morninp"