Evening journal., 1909-09-29
GERE SURVIVORS
TELL OF RESCUE
MesSbOy BaiIed Out Boat
And Saved ExhalSi.d
Companions

we were struck by heavy seas. That
IS all about it. Generally, when a ship
sinks no one ever knows anything
more about II, and every man on board
is drowned God alone saved us Sat
urday"
II was a thankful group Of battered
sailors who stood yesterday afternoon
in the Office Of the Norwegian consul
in Second street, Philadelphia. and told
Of the terrible fight they had had with
wind, water and cold following the
sinking Of the Norwegian coal steam
ship Gere. which went down about
forty miles south OF Lewes last Sat-
urday.
In simple words OF gratitude 10 Pro-
vldence. Julius Meyer, captain Of the
sunken ship, described the feelings OF
all the men. out of the crew OF nf-
teen. eight were drowned and seven
came back safe after a thrilling exhi-
bition OF pluck and endurance.
Upon the sinking Of the boat, which
was bound for Cuba. carrying 936 tons
of coal the men who were saved bat
tered for two and a half hours in the
raging seas. clinging fast TO one Of
the ships lifeboats.
In all that time the desperate sailors
tried to get into the lifeboat. which
was filled with water and which de-
fed every attempt to right her.
Boy Balls Out Lifeboat.
Finally Conrad Kundren, a 16-year-
old lad. the messboy, succeeded in
climbing into the little craft and bail
ing It out sufficiently TO receive the
other men. who were stiff and exhaus-
ted from the cold. Then by a miracle
of chance the crew came upon a float
ing sail from their sunSen ship, and
rigging It up they finally reached the
Winter Quarter lightship. situated ten
miles to the south. There they stayed
until yesterday afternoon. when the
ship Arroyo brought them TO this port.
BY luck, the captains wife, who is
staying in Camden. did not sail with
him. She intended leaving for Norway
next Friday.
a pathetic feature of the wreck is
that one Of two brothers who have
been together before the mast for ff-
teen years was drowned. The surviv-
ing brother looked the picture of in
Iconsolable grief yesterday
In reply TO rumors that the boat had
been overloaded with coal, causing her
to sink. Captain Meyer said emphati-
caliy that she had a tonnage of 114t
and that the rough weather alone was
responsible for her fate.
The men who were saved are: Cap
tain Meyer. Peter Holm. first mate
I Axel Hansen, Gus Anderson, Fran
Nagel, Conrad Kundren and Angus
Dessengthon.
The drowned men we're; Holvs
Nelson. chief engineer, last seen cling
/ ing TO mast; Ivan Lepsul John Bru
land. August Anderson. John j. Hum
phrey an American; Otto Steen, Svrrl
Hansen and Knud Knudsen.
Men Below All Lost.
From the stories told by the men
the wreck occurred a few minutes be
fore noon. Alex Hansen was az tn
wheel at the time of the accident.
The vessel was riding north north
est gale and the seas we're running
high when suddenly a broadside wav
struck the Gere and sent her stag
gering over on her side. Another wav
hit her with like fury and then he
fate was certain.
Most of the men were on deck at thi
time. busy with their MONDAY work
but those who were below firing tn
engines and attending to the machin
cry were never seen again.
When the survivors filed into tn
Norwegian consurs office yesterday {
make affidavits about the wreck, the
were clad I'm tattered and torn clothes
lent them by the lightship's crew. bu
I they didn't care much how they looked
j They had been too near death for thai