The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-01-30
PERILs OF THE SOUND.

The Steamers Con influential, Empire state,
and Old Colony Locked In Ice-The
soverest Weather for Many YeRrs-The
Passen gers Of the Continental Landed
the Ice, on which they Cross the
Sound to Wi.ItestOne, L. 1.
That danger lies across the pathway of those
who "go down to the sea in ships and do busi-
ness in great waters" is fact very well known
to those who have "done IT," There are dan
gers, however often experienced nearer to the
main land, and at this season OF the year they
are too frequently found Oh that fierce body of
seawater called Long Island Sound. When the
winter sets in in real earnest, and the mercury
drops down and threatens TO go through zero,
ice will gather, and navigation become matter
of no little peril to the craft that have the pluck
10 leave their moorings and undertake their
regular trips up and down the Sound.
Sometimes the boats are obliged to stop run
ming altogether, owing to the severity of the
weather aud the abundance of ice, which will
not yield TO the blows gwen it by the sharp
prows of steamboats,. Usually, however, Sound
navigation is continued during the winter with
but little interruption, the smaller propellers
and the sloops and sChoOners belonging to
towns along the coast, only finding 1t necessary
to haul OFF, as soon as the small rivers which
empty into the Sound are frozen over
Old navigatOrs who have handled the wheels
OF Sound steamers for many years state that the
severe weather experienced this winter has eX-
ceeded that OF any winter tor twenty or thirty
wears past. Some of these old 'inlandn seameu
say that they never saw such masses Of ice as
those they have encountered during the past
fortnight In the narrower sections of the
Sound the ice has been found extending in
solid mass from shore to shore, rendering il
almost ostimpossIbleior even the strongest steamers
10 cut their way through and save themselves
from an icy imprisonment. Up to yesterday
morning, however, the boats succeeded in
forcing their way through without suffering
any long detentions.
On yesterday morning the steamboats, bound
for this city from Newport and New Haven sue
ceeded In coming as far az ThrOg's NeCk-the
point of land on the Westchester shore on
which Fort Schuyler is situated-without meet
ing any serious obstruction. At this point,
however, they discovered that they must run
gauntlet OF solid ice in order to reach the open
water beyond and make their way TO their
docks in the city. The Continental, of the New
Haven line, was the first to arrive-reaChing
the point of obstruction at 8 O'Clock in the
morning. On arriving there it was discovered
Glaucus, of the Boston Outside line; and Chesa
peake, of Portland, were locked in by the ice,-
and unable to move foot in any direction.
Captain Bownes, of the Continental, at once
realized the difficulties of the situation, and
having staunCh, strong steamer unQer his
command, determined, if possible, TO force his
way through the ice. A number of unsuccess-
full efforts to accomplish this result, however,
suggested the impossiblity of cutting through,
and these were followed by various attempts to
back out. Even this could not be done, and the
vessel was Obliged, Tor five or six hours, to
remain hemmed in by the ice, and await favo-
rable opportunity for escaping from her imprl-
sonment.
There were over one hundred passengers on
board, and some of them became greatly terri.
tied. One of the passengers stated to our re-
porter that the noise caused by the breaking of
the ice, while the steamer struggled to free
herself from the obstruction, was like can
nonade, while the shock experienced was ter
rifle whenever the immense cakes OF ice struck
her bow and sides. Many of the passengers
were afraid the vessel would be stove IN and
sunk, in spite of the efforts which were being
made to get her out of the difficulties by which
she was surrounded. Captain Bownes, how
ever, was hopeful, and assured all on board
that they'd come out all right This assu-
rance had some calming effect upon the minds
and fears OF the passengers for time; but
when noon came, and the prospect of cut
ting through seemed to be no more favorable
than it was hours before, it was suggested that
the gangplank be lowered, and that all on
board leave the vessel and cross the Sound on
the ice TO Whitestone-a distance of two miles
and half At first this suggestion was not
acted upon. The passengers looked down at
the ice, and across TO the shore, and saw, they
thought, many perils lying between them and
the land. Finally, however, it was decided to
have the plank lowered to the ice. This was
dSne-it was now Il o'clock-and more than
one.halt the passengers marched down the
pluuhi anu Sbdiltu IOI w HliCSlOuCs luCIC WtIt
two women among the number, one OF these
being an elderly lady, who carried two large
Carpet-bags
The ice was not an unbroken mass between
the boat and the shore, and "Cakingn had to be
INDUCED in quite frequently. Two of the pas
sengers-a father and sOn-durng the journey,
suddenly found themselves on a large detached
cake OF Ice, and were obliged to wait and be
patient for ten or fifteen minutes before their
'iCe-boat" came in contact with the main body
OF ice, by which they were enabled to continue
their Journey towards Long Islands sea.giTt
shore" number of gentlemen received a
ducklng while leaplng from one cake TO another,
and the old lady with the caTpet.bag went do wn
through gap and was saved from drowning
| by some comrades near by, who promptly came
to her assistance.
1t was stated that she would have been
| drowned, at all events, if the carpet-bag had
not checked her descent into the water and
supported her until her resCuers lifted her out
and placed her upon the best apology for terra
dY1nd that they had to offer II was nearly
three o'clock when the passengers arrived al
| Whitestone. After refreshing themselves at
the hotels of that place, they hired a number OF
! large sleghs and proceeded to Flushing where
| they took the 80 p. M. tram for Hunters Point
| and arrived in this city between five and six
| o'clock in the evening.
The steamboats, Empire State and Old Colony,
| both of the old Fail River (Newport) line,
| reached the scene of obstruction at o'clock in
| the morning, so that at one time there were
| three large steamboats, and three propellers in
| limbo. One gentleman on the Empire Statd
said that he had ito give a bride away at noon
| and he must get there 20 do II, sure.n He was
lowered to the ice, and was last seen as he dis
| appeared behind the walls of Fort Schuyler
| The Old Colony was the first of the vessels "a
overmaster the ice. After tugging away at the
| obstinate cakes for hours, she succeeded at
| o'clock in getting through. The Empire State
in less than an hour afterwards being assisted
| by the tide, managed to secure her freedom
! The propellers next followed, and the Cont
mental emulated their example. The Cont
/ nl nA of Pnnk .ain q