Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 April 1884 — TRAGEDY AT SEA. [ARTICLE]

TRAGEDY AT SEA.

Particulars Regarding the Loss of the Steamship Daniel Steinmann. One Hundred and Twenty-nine Persons Find a Watery Grave. ■The steamship Daniel Steinmann Antwerp March 20 for Halifax and New York, with a general cargo. She carried a crew of thirty-eight men, and had ninety-eight passengers on board. The vessel made a good passage until she approached what is known as Mad Rock Shoal, near the entrance to Halifax harbor. A terrible gale and a dense fog prevailed. The ehip was being tossed about like a cork by the enormous: sea, when she struck upon the rocks. She immediately backed off, and the next moment struck upon anothershoal. Two immense holes were knocked iq her bottom. The doomed steamer immediately filled with water, and in a lew minutes went, down, only the top sail-yard being left above water. Dispatches irom Halifax, N. S„ give the lollowing details of the awful catastrophe: Ninety-one passengers, thirty-three sailors, and five officers were lost on the Daniel Steinmapn. The agent of the White Crossline yesterday reached the island, where the captain and eight other survivorswere. From the captain the story of the wreck was obtained. It appears in the two days prior to the disasterthe weather had been so foggy that he could get no reckonings. About 1C o’clock Thursday night he saw a light, which seemed aboutfive miles away, owing* to the tog, and which he thought was Cherbucto light. As he approached he saw that he was almost in Sambro. Before he could give any orders, the steamer struck twice and began sinking. He tried to run her ashore, but she down. As soon as she struck he ordered the passengers on deck, but they were swept overboard and drowned by the heavy seas. Two passengers and five of the crew managed to get out a boat and reach the shore. The ship settled stern first. The captain, who was at his post, threw off his boots and coat and took to the forward rigging. She sank 1 aster than he could climb, and he let go of the rigging. Finally he managed to get to the topgallant yard, where he clung with one of the passengers till 5 o'clock Friday morning, when they Were rescued by a boat from theisland. The captain declared that the first shock was light but the second heavy, and that the steering gear was lost then. He did not hear any fog signal during the whole of the time. After the second shock the steamer drifted over the rocks and anchored. There was little sea and the captain ordered the mates to lower the boats. Just then a monstroussea broke over the poop, washing overboard every passenger on the deck. Then.came an awful crash, and the ship went down like aflash.

Three surviving passengers of the Daniel Steinmann have arrived in this city. They say the vessel struck but lightly, twice. Thecaptain then summoned all on deck and directed them to prepare to enter the boats, if such would be necessary. One boat was launched and all made a rush for it, though, good discipline was maintained among the ship’s crew. The boat was well filled and attached to the steamer by a rope. When some of those on board were about cutting the line the steamer suddenly sunk, dragging the boat and its occupants down with it. The boat turned over and over, and every person in it was thrown out and drowned. When the iStern of the vessel sank the cries and screams of women and children were heartrending for a few minutes. Capt. Schoonhoven made his way up the forerigging. JTwo men caught the rigging of the jmainmast and endeavored to climb along the stay between the beads of the twomasts. In this perilous passage one lost his grip and was washed away. The other, John Neidermann, succeeded in reaching the forerigging by a desperate dfiort, in the course of which his legs were seized by some one drowning. Above him on the mast, qne bf the wire uplifts on the foretopgallant yard, was broken, and this gave play to the yard, which worked back and forth with the action pf the waves and threatened to tear out the mast, which quivered and crashed alarmingly. The captain fearing he would be obliged toabandon his dangerous position and swim, pulled off his boots. The two unfortunatesirom time to time, cried out together for help, but the roar of the wind and water drowned their feeblp voices, so that, even if assistance had been at hand, it is doubtful if they could have been heard. They were doomed to painfully watch the passing minutes and hours throughout the night till daybreak, jn this dismal watch they Icould feel the vessel drifting nearer and jnearer to Sambro Island. To add to the horror of their situation, they saw blue lights burning on shore, and signals to guide the boats to safety, while conscious they were beyond assistance or relief. Soon after daylight a boat put out from the cove, manned by five men, who approached them. The captain was by this time so benumbed that his companion, Nelderman, had to use force •to disengage him from the spar and assist him into the boat. He then followed, and both were landed and taken into the lighthouse.

Among the curious incidents connected with the escape of the seven persons landed in a boat during the night, one of the most thrilling was that of an Italian, he having grasped the boat just after she left the steamer. Her occupants refused to take him in because a number of other drowning persons had seized his legs and body, and it was certain the boat could not take them all without swamping, as she was already half full of water. The Italian at once dived and thus shook off those holding to him. He toon reappeared at the surface and again caught the boat. He was then taken in, but was so exhausted that for a time he was helpless. The boat was in danger of foundering, owing to the water that was -constantly coming in, and those in her took off their boots to bail her out. The Italian at first refused to assist in this work, but on being threatened with being thrown overboard again unless he assisted to keep the boat free, he made an effort to do so. Another singular escape was that of Nickola, a lad aged 19 years. Just as the boat left the sinking steamer, he jumped from the bridge, falling into the boat on his head. He sustained no injury except having- one leg bruised. The youngest person on board, so far as known, was an infant 3 months old. Amon g those drowned was a young couple, married just before the Steinmann sailed, and who had experienced only eighteen days of wedded life. Several large families perished altogether. One was a Swiss family—father, mother, and eight children. Another was a family from Holland of about the same size. Reports from the wreck up to this evening' say the vessel remains in the same position. The water was comparatively smooth today, and a large number of boats were grappling for the bodies. Three only were secured today, making eleven in all so far found. The first body recovered was that of a little girl 6 years old, one of whose eyes had been almost torn out. All the bodies were so terribly mutilated they could not be recognized. The faces are smashed in, the eyes torn out, and the remains otherwise disfigured. Three schooners with a diving crew go to work tomorrow if the weather is favorable.