Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-07
Steamer Sinks After Being
Rammed in Chesapeake
Bay; Captain and Wife
and Crew Lose Lives.
HIGH WIND WROUGHT
BIG PROPERTY LOSS
An 80-Mile Gale During the
Night Blew Woman Un-
der Car, Painter Off a
Scaffold.

Newport News, Va, Jan. Eight
survivors of the steamer Julia Lucken-
bach, rammed and sunk In the Cheasa-
peake bay early yesterday by the Brit
fish trimp Indrakaula arrived here to-
day and told how twenty-five of their
number had gone down In the icy
waters without chance for life. The
eight, after a six hour battle with the
terrific gale which swept the whole
coast, were taken from the rigging
OF their sunken ship by the Danish
steamer Penna, and brought here.
Captain and Wife Drown.
The Luckenbach from Port Iona to
Baltimore was about to anchor off the
Tangier gas buoy at the mouth of the
Potomac early yesterday when the
Indrakaula caught her practically In
the line with her number two hold.
She went down like a rock and only
the men on deck had chance for life.
The Indrakuala madly damaged and in
danger of sinking drew off and
beached to save herself. Captain Gil
bert of the Luckenbach and his wife
were among the lost The survivors
had little more than taken to the top
most parts Of the rigging Of the sub
merged bulk when the sweeping gale
OF yesterday passed over the bay, and
for six hours they fought for life while
some OF their number exhausted, drop
ped off one by one to death.
With a wind blowing at cyclonic
velocity and waves beating against
them the hardest ones held fast until
their clothes were torn to shreds and
they were on the verge Of exhaustion.
Chief Engineer Chris. Knudson was
one of those in the rigging. He en-
dured the gale until his hands were
bleeding from gripping the ropes. He
became exhausted and went down be.
fore assistance came.
Praise Penna's Crew.
The Danish steamer Penna which
came to their assistance could not
reach them at first even with lifeboats
because Of the heavy sea. After many
unsuccessful attempts life lines were
run to the struggling men and they
were taken off one at time. More
than two hours we're required to get
of the eight saved. When taken on
board the Penna. some were uncon-
scious. According to the survivors
Captain Gilbert the first and second
ohicers were standing on the bridge
when the collision occurred. There
was no opportunity to give alarm to
those below Captain Gilbert made a
desperate effort to reach his wife and !
when last seen was swimming aft Of !
the sinking ship. 81 don't know, for
escaped" said Officer Hunt, after
the ship went down I found myself
dangling in the rigging and there
stayed. Not life boat was to be had,
30 quickly did the Luckenbach go
down. ~ never suffered such tortures
In my life as I did those six hours I
chung there My clothes were torn to
shreds by the high winds and the seas
beat me almost into insensibility. Too
much cannot be said in praise Of the
daring bravery displayed by the Of
hcers and crew Of the Penna, who
rescued U.S."
off7cers New York Men.
New York, Jan. 4.-The steamer
Julia Luckenbach was commanded by
Captain H. A. Gilbert of New York
Frederick H. Hunt Of New York, was
her first officer, and Christopher
Knudsen Of Brooklyn, her chief en-
gineer. Her crew was signed in Balti-
more and the names were not known
here.
The vessel was formerly the Dutch
steamer Zaandam and was built in
Rotterdam in 1882. She was of 300
tons gross burden and 313 feet in
length. Her owners here had receiv- ,
ed no advices Of the disaster this ,
morning. 7
The Indrakuala, newly built steel Q
steamer of 5,723 tons burden and 430 9
'eet in length, was bound from Balti- +
more to New York enroute from =,
She is reported to have
passed Baltimore at 4:15 p. M, Thurs J.
lay.