Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-10-31
4 TERRlBH VOYAGE.
The Steamer Montana Encounters Hur.
ricane In Midoceaa--rwo Persans
Swept Overheard and the Boats Wreck.
M Rurn.,n - n ~ r,ri.,.n IN...,,..

Swept Overheard and the Boats Wreck.
ed Rescue of \ Starving Crew.
From the New York Herald, october II.
The steamship Montana OF the Gaion
line left Liverpool for this port on the
All of October, and reached here ON
Wednesday night after enoountering n
storm of very unusual severity. The
ship was in perilous position for n
short time, and there was great alarm
and excitement among the passengers,
Two lives We're loSt--Nue ota passenger
and the other member OF the crew.
The men were washed overheard and
drowned. 4 narrative Of the terrible
storm by u passenger, and a statement
from the purser will be found below:
"We lett Liverpool ON the 4th of Go.
toher," said one Of the passengers to n
reporter, I'm westerly wind, the breeze
being fresh and fine. We had fogs and
il was cold, but all went we'll until
Friday, the 10th. On the 9th, however,
there was strong breeze from the south.
east. Il was cloudy and It was evident
that storm was coming up. On
Friday, the Io,h--an unlucky day, in.
deed, ON this occasion--the wind con.
unued strong and there WAS heavy
southerly swell. This was the begin.
ming, as we aterward found of one of
the most terrible storms ever expert.
enced In the Atlantic ut this time oi
year. All Friday night il was very
rough, and when we turned out next
day we found the gale increasing to an
awful extent II was almost n miracle
that enabled the ship to 1.-Two through
it, On Saturday morning her position
was in latitude is degrees ~ minutes,
longitude 81 degrees So minutes. The
wind had shifted to the northeast and
was blowing " hurricane. II was al.
most impossible to have breakfast or 10
get about the ship The sea was run.
ming mountains high and the wind was
blowing with terrific force.
THE HURRICANE,
I" and five others VINO veutured on
deck were able to get to the smoking
room by hanging ON to the rails. From
there we could watch the storm by
holding fast to the stationary objects,
The Captain had been Obliged to put
the ship before the wind rs measure
Of safety. She was fairly flying over
the waves, but seemed to ride beauti.
fully and safely over them. | managed
to get up on tho bridge with tho second
officer, and while holding on for dear
life could not but wonder AZ the terri.
BILE fury OF the storm. One moment
the ship would be lifted up by gigan.
tic wave, and the next il would drop
down into the trough of the sea, inn
prisoned by walls Of water ON all sides.
Every few moments terrific wave
would strike us with u shock that made
the vessel tremhle from stem 10 stern,
After running before the gale for some
time and finding 1t increase, the Captain
decided upon going about and heaying
to. In few 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. Then the engines were
started slowly, and to turn the ship
about was to 20 directly in the teeth oil
the gale. As the seas struck us tn,
great ships course was changed, and Il,
) she wore around she careened over sC
that her beam ends were under. They
tell me that even the captain held his
breath as tho ship went through the
trough OF the sea. The position at this
critical interval was as dangerous MS il
could be, aud had heavy sea struck
us at this time, we would probably have
gone to destruction. At this time and
three others were in the smoking.room
and we thought il was all over.
:" In the saloon a terrible scene was
| ~ t,,, ,1nn. D.niC - ~ ,kaa.a.,
gers were crying and screaming, and
ladies were salnting. To make matters
worse sea was shipped into the en-
gine-room, which sent puff of steam
into the saloons with II kissing sound
This caused an alarm Of fire, and for q
short time there was terrible excite
ment. Heavy seas continued TO break
over us, and Mt u quarter past one i
gigantic wave washed away a large life
boat. crushing il to u thousand pieces
Later on, others were damaged, unit
only one seaworthy boat was left.
"At the time the first boat was
crushed the first loss OF life occurred
two steerage passengers were STANDING
near the funnel. The same wave which
smashed the boat swept them ava,
One OF them managed TO grasp the raj
Just AZ he was going over, He wa,
quickly rescued, but his companion wa,
never seen again. do not know hi
name, but he was travelling alone. IL,
lived in Pennsylvania. Shortly aftel
this, while the sailors were trying tt
secure the foresail, another heavy sea
dashed over IFS. One OF the sailors
/, named Michael Higgins was sweep
overheard and drowned, and another
! was badly hurt. At $ p. m. the fur,
Of the hurricane had in nowise abated
The sails had been cut or blown away
one Of the tunnels dismantled and In,
wheesman's place on the bridge broker
up. During the night there was no
much sleep among the passengers. Tn,
ships bell kept tolliBg with tho pitch
ing Of the ship, and the scene WAS 4
dismal one. Tho engine had been KEEP
going just enough TO keep the ships
head in the right position.
"The only other noteworthy incident
Of the voyage was the relief ofa starry
ing crew which we ran across on the 9th
OF October. We sighted a bark flying