The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-11
THE ARIZONA DISASTER
Departure Of the Relief Ship
Nevada To-Day.
GROSS CARELESSNESS ATTRIBUTED
The Iceberg Sighted by
the AnchOria.

Many anxious people yesterday called at the once
of Williams X Guion to learn further particulars OF
the accident which befell the steamer Arizona on
Friday night of the coast of Newfoundland They
were told that no additional information had been
received. Last evening. however. despatch from
Halifax N s.. announced that the latest report from
Newfoundland to the effect that the bow OF the
Arizona was of the water up to twenty-five feet
from the foremost, and that it would
quire three weeks to make the necessary repairs.
Mr. Underhil the agent of the line. kept busy
yesterday at the office. No. 30 Broadway, answering
the questions relatives and friends Of those on
board the vessel. They had read the newspaper ac-
counts but called to make doubly sure that no loss
of life had occurred. Grea. indignation was ex-
pressed by them at the risk which the passengers
were made to run by some ones negligence. AcierA
was engaged during most the day replying to in
quiries by mail or telegraph.
Mr., Underhill said that the vessels cargo was I'M
injured, the water entering the bow compartment
only where no cargo was stored The forward COM
partment, adjoining the one which was broken In
contained principally cotton, butter ana cheese.
The first bulkhead kept the water out. but even had
it given away believes the vessel could easily have
made her way back to st. Johns.
Mr. w Ii. Guion said that several dispatches were
received from Mr.. S. b. Guon at st. Johns, but
they contained further particulars OF the acct
dent He could not. therefore. form any theory
about the matter Arrangements were being made
to forward the vessels cargo and mails as soon as
possible. He did not know as yet whether the YES
sells passengers would be forwarded from st. Johns
by the steamer Caspian or wait until the arrival OF
the Nevada.
the line, telegraphed yesterday to know how many
of the different classes OF passengers the Nevada
would have to take from the Arizona. The Nevada
lies at her pier. foot Of King street. and will sail to-
day. at halt-past two O'Clock. st. Johns
viii be reached on the fourth day out
Her passenger list tor this voyage is light
Her capacity is III the first class. 90; second
class, 81; steerage. 900 Therefore it is believed
there will be plenty room for the Arlzonas pas
sengers 1t is claimed that better fare is provided
on the Arizona than at the st. Johns hotels. The
hotel bills of those who go on shore will. however,
be paid, it is understood, by Mr.. Guion. 1t is
pected that tugs with the Arizonas passengers ana
luggage on board will meet the Nevada three miles
out, ana thus only TWO hours time Will De LOST xt
that point.
The Arizona is scarcely year old and was con-
sdered the finest vessel of the line. 1t is believed
by Mr.. Dewar that her peculiar construction pre-
vented serious casualty. The bow was stove in
half way through the first compartment. and that
space, filled with water, would settle the ship
quarter of an inch The Arizona had eight such
Compartments, all with sluice valves worked from
the deck. The turning Of deck
closes one OF them III second. Two or three
of the compartments could be filled with water and
the vessel not endangered. Only the forward COM
partment having been crushed the closing OF the
suce valves would shut of the water from every
other part OF the vessel.
correct gross neglect the sole of the
disaster. The man at the lookout could have de-
cold that surrounded it. Mr. Guion. who
board, would see to it that proper investigation
was made.
THE ICEBERG SEEN FROM THE ANCHoRIA.
The ogbook of the Anchor line steamship An
ehoria shows that about two o'clock on Wednesday
afternoon that vessel passed the iceberg which
caused the disaster to the Arizona. The officers Of
the Anchoria said they positive it tho
same, judging from the position in which they first
it. its bearings ana the course Of the Arizona
which they afterward met. 1--WE In north lat
itude ~ deg. 06 min. and west longitude AZ deg. SO
min.." said the Chief Officer. "when the lookout
the bridge deserted the huge mountain of ice about
ten miles to the southwark. The ship WIS then
Learly abreast of the berg and thirty miles to the
the word to the superior officers deck, it
was eagerly caught up by the passengers
who went below to bring up thor friends.
Everybody came deck, even the watch
who had been sleeping i'll their berths. Positions
were taken i'll the rigging by the more adventurous
passengers. The ice looked to 1t lay quietly in
the be about hundred feet above the
waters surface and five hundred feet in length. It
was watched eagerly by the passengers and crew for
% hal-ho 1t slowly dritted out of sight. AS
approached from the westward the vast mass OF ice
seemed like HILL with the higher point to the cast
sent word to the lookout to ascertain the tempera
ture OF the water at the time of it's nearest
to and found 1t to be A degrees, while that Of
the air was 40 degrees. During the previous eight
hours the thermometer stood at 45 degrees, aud
eight hours alter the iceberg's appearance 1t had
fallen TO Az degrees 30 you see the ofcers OF the
Arizona could not be aware OF the approach of the
berg by the rise and fall in the temperature is
the customary way. 1t was on the eastern side
that the Arizona struck 1t. We steamed along at
a high rate of speed afterward, and the Guion
steamer was soen over our starboard quarter burn
ing her signals. 1t was then half-past eight on
Thursday night and from the published account it
was twenty -tour hours later that the Arizona
into the mountain of ice. Judging from the posi-
ton OF the striking steamer should the iceberg
had moved. from the time our lookout first saw it..
about one hundred and ten miles to the eastward,
and was drifting toward the middle OF the Atlantic.
Why did we not inform the Arizona, when they were
passing, that we had noticed iceberg? Well. You
had better ask tho gentlemen who regulate our sig
nails. There are no signals to inform passing ves-
sci that icebergs ahead of them; n ght
overcast as it on Friday have to trust to
Providence and q sharp lookout for our informa-
ticn."
TIrr Crrh NdDrnNr nIcA CITED