As the many groups of our sisters made the arduous trip from Europe to North America they faced all the maladies and dangers of late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries ocean voyages. Mother Leonarda’s diary includes descriptions of her trip on the Funch: six first class cabins and steerage accommodations for 400, stormy weather with waves so high they swept across the decks, and gathering on the lower deck for hymns and prayers.
Many other early sisters made the trip on the steamship Auguste André and not all trips were uneventful as the following article from the December 15, 1874, edition of the New York Times reports.
A STEAM-SHIP IN DANGER
THE GERMAN STEAMER AUGUST ANDRE AGROUND IN THE LOWER BAY
— GRAVE FEARS FOR HER SAFETY.
The steam-ship August Andre, from Antwerp for this port, went ashore on Sunday at 11:30 P.M., at Romer Shoals, situated in the Lower Bay, midway between Sandy Hook and Coney Island. The vessel was hard aground and in a precarious position up to a late hour last night, and it was feared that if the wind, then blowing north-west, should change to north-east, she would be seriously damaged, if she was not totally wrecked, by the heavy seas which would break on her from seaward. The Coast Wrecking Company, which was apprised of the accident early yesterday morning, immediately sent out the steamer Relief, under the command of Capt. Wolcott, and fully equipped with the necessary appliances for saving life and cargo, to the distressed ship. The wreckers were unable to render much aid on account of the rough weather, but kept close in her neighborhood during the day sand night, hoping that the weather would moderate sufficiently to allow them to extend a helping hand. At one time the stress of weather was so great that the Wrecking Company’s steamer was obliged to take shelter inside the Horseshoe.
The ship was loaded with a miscellaneous cargo, consisting of about 800 tons of sugar, a quantity of iron, and other articles such as are imported to this country from Antwerp. There were also some passengers on board, among whom were a number of Catholic Sisters of Charity. The latter, together with other passengers, have been taken from the ship, and have gone to their places of destination in this City. A small portion of the ship’s cargo, the coast wreckers say, was thrown overboard, with the hope that she might be thus got afloat, but the sacrifice was unavailing. It was believed last night that she would have to be lightened before she could be got off shore, but there were no fears of her safety, as she is a new and stanch vessel, unless, as has been stated, the wind should change to a stiff north-easter. No fault is attached to the officers of the vessel for the unlucky accident, as the darkness of the night was intense, and it is supposed that she had got outside of the channel when she was struck on the shoals. She was consigned to Funch, Edye & Co., and Mr. Edye was aboard the vessel nearly all day yesterday exerting himself to secure her eventual safety. The steamer had a licensed pilot on board when she struck, and the accident will be made the subject of an inquiry by the Board of Pilot Commissioners.
The so-called “Sisters of Charity” were none other than our own Sisters Euphrasia Edelbrock, Aquina Mannefeld, Franziska Scheid (who would later make another hazardous journey to Brazil), Cypriana Gülker (who was later known for her ability to obtain free railroad passes for use of our sisters traveling back and forth across the country), and Clothilde Aertker (who later became the first official novice director for the North Americn Mission, 1893-1906). The steamship Auguste André continued in service until 1879 when it was renamed the Helvetia and became a cargo vessel. It sank off Cape Breton Island September 5, 1885.