1889-09-12-Wisconsin
Diary of Daniel Kent Greene
Greene, Daniel Kent, [Diary] in Greene, Gordon Kay, Daniel Kent Greene: His Life and Times, 1858-1921 (privately printed, 1960) pp. 60-62.
… We had a rough voyage all the way. . . .Tuesday Sept. 10th we reached Sandy Hook between 4 & 5 o'clock & were obliged to lay there all night. The sea was so rough the pilots did not find us although there were 27 out hunting for us. . . .The storm and sea were so rough the captain dared not leave the Sandy Hook light ship without a pilot. Between 9 & 10 o'clock a German vessel came along going out to sea. Our captain signaled for a pilot and received the welcome answer that they had one. . . .We were anchored about two o'clock."
This was Wednesday and members of the company found they had to remain in NewYork until Friday to catch the next boat to Norfolk, Virginia. Fortunately they were granted accommodation and meals aboard the Wisconsin without extra charge.
Elder [Daniel] Greene made a thorough report of the voyage and before sending it to PresidentTeasdale, he read it to Captain Worrall for verification. "He pronounced it correct, eulogized our people highly, and assured me that there was no man living he thought more of than he did of President Teasdale." (President Teasdale, incidentally, was a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles at the time). [p.60]
By Saturday afternoon the "Roanoke" had delivered the voyagers to Norfolk and at 4:10p.m. the special immigrant train consisting of three coaches and a baggage car was on its way west. …
Elder Payne's Account of the Immigrants' Trip
"From England to Utah," The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star 51:41, (Oct. 14, 1889) pp. 643-46.
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Sandy Hook was reached about three o'clock on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 11th, but the water was so dangerously rough at this time that no pilot would venture out, and the Wisconsin was compelled to lay at anchor until next morning, drifting around the lighthouse, and occasionally tossing about in a most unpleasant fashion. Indeed a large number of passengers - more especially the women and children - were so terrified that they preferred to walk the cabins during the greater part of the night instead of going to bed, the frequent blowing of the fog-horn by no means lessening their terror.
Morning at length came, still the waters raged violently and still no pilot could be seen. Three other vessels were now awaiting that anxiously-looked-for guide.
Towards eleven o'clock a.m. a boat was lowered from the Wisconsin's side and a crew of six men started out on the tossing sea, now and again being almost lost to view amid the angry waves. This frail craft was making for an outward bound steamer, off which the pilot was taken and rowed to the Wisconsin. Having been put on board, the vessel headed for New York Harbor, where it safely landed us about three o'clock in the afternoon. Having remained on board all night, we were met next morning by Mr. Gibson, agent of the Guion Line, and by him treated with every courtesy.
The same afternoon we proceeded to the Old Dominion Docks, took up our abode there for the night, and on the following day, at 2:30 p.m. set sail for Norfolk [Virginia]. The voyage was an extremely pleasant one, and we were treated handsomely. The journey from New York to Norfolk occupied some twenty-four hours.
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