The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1879-10-30
A TERKIBLE VOYAGE.
\ Hurricane In Msd.Dcean-Kescue
or a Starving Crew

| or a Starving Crew.
| NEW YORK, Oct. 23.-The steamshi,
Montana, of the Guion line, left Liverpool
for this port on the 14lh Of October, anc
reached here on Wednesday night, afte
encountering storm of very unusual Sc
verify. The ship wac in a perilous posi-
ton for short time, aud there was grea
alarm and excitement among the passen
gers. Two lives were lost-one a passenger
and the other a member Of the crew. Tn.
men were washed overload and drowned
A narrative of the terrible storm by a pas
senger, and statement from the purser.
/ will he found below:
ave left Liverpool on the 4th of Octo-
b.r," said one OF the passengers to a re-
porter, gin a westerly wind, the breeza
being fresh and fine. We had fogs and II
was cold, but all went well until Frida
the 10.h. On the oh, however, there was
| a strong breeze from the southeast. Ii was
cloudy and it was evident that a storm was
coming up. On Friday, the l0tb-an IN.
lucky day, indeed, on this occasion-the
wind continued strong and there was a
heavy southerly swell. This was the be-
ginning, as we afterward found, of one OF
| the most terrible storms ever experienced
10 the Atlantic at this time of the wear.
All Friday night it was very rough, and
when We turned out next day we found the
gale increasing to an awful extent. 1t was
almost a miracle that enabled the ship to
live through it. On Saturday heri position
vas in latitude 45 degrees "a minutes, lon
gitude so degrees 30 minutes The wind
had shifted to the northeast and was blow
ing hurricane. 1t was almost impossible
to have breakfast or to get about the chip
The sea was running mountain high and
the wind was blowing with terrific forcs.-
81 and five others who veutured on deCk
were able to get to the smoking-room by
holding on to the rails. From there We
could watch the storm by holding to stati-
onary objects. The captain was obliged to
put the ship before the wind as measure
Of safety. She was fairly flying over the
waves, but seemed to ride beautifully a1d
safely over them. managed to get upon
the bridge with the second officer, and
while holding on for dear life / could not
but wonder at the terrible fury Of the
storm. One moment the ship would be
lifted up By gigantic wave, and the next
we would drop d1wn into the trough of the
re- vans VI wafer On
sides. Every few moments . terrific wave
would strike US with a shock that made
the vessel tremble from stem to stern.
After running before the gale for some time
and finding 1t increase, the
captain decided upon going abou,
and heaving to. In sew words
he warned the sailors to look out for their
lives. He ordered the engines stopped.
and then caused the wheel to be put hard
down. ihsn the engines were started
slowly, and TO turn the chip about vas to
60 directly in the teeth of the gale. As |
the seas struck "a the great ships course
was changed, and as she wore around she
careened over 20 that her beam ends were
under. They tell me that even the captain
held his breath as the ship vent through |
the trough of the sea. The po.i,Ion at
this critical interval was "a dangerous az it
could be, and had heavy ses struck us at
this time We would probably have gone to
destruction. All this time / and three
others we're in the smoking room, and We
thought it was all over.
sIn the saloon a terrible scene was taking
place. Panic-stricken passengers we're cry
ing and screaming, and ladies we're faint
ing. To make matters worse q sea va
into the engine room, which sent
; pIf of steam into the saloons with a
Kissing sound. This caused An alarm of
ire, and for q short time there vas terrible
excitement. Heavy seas continued to break
,ver "a, and at quarter past q gigantic
rave washed awsy large iife-boat, crush
ng it into q thousand pieces. Later on
'thsrs were damaged, until only ons sea-
worthy boat was left.
at The time the FIRST boat was crushcd