The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-29
SAFE AT THEIR DESTINATION.
The City Of RichmOndS Passengers Brought to
This Port by the CircaSsia.
PERlLS OF OCEAN vOYAGING.
Adrift for Twenty-four Hours
After Breaking the Shaft.
'ERlLs OF OCEAN vOYAGING.

Tho passengers of the disabled steamship City of
Richmond of the Inman line. reached this city yes
terday morning board the steamship Circassia. Of
the Anchor line. having arrived at Quarantine at ten
O'Clock the previous evening. Their voyage was
tempestuous most of the way. and the breaking OF
the shaft the former vessel when about 240 miles
southeast of Halifax. not only occasioned several
days. delay but produced great deal of excitement
among the passengers.
The City of Richmond sailed from Liverpool on
November 49, with ~ saloon passengers. SIT steerage
and f3400 600 f530.000 according to different par
ties. in gold The weather stormy and the ocean
rough nearly all the time until Thursday, the 10th
inst when the wind increased in violence and the
waves mounted to an uncomfortable height On the
evening Of that day the second officer, William
lyman. was the officer of the watch. and the heavy
sea that rose washed him overheard He was last
seen o'clock thar night by the quartermaster
the wheel. but half hour later he missing.
He was . widower. and leaves six children. The
wind still increased in violence and the waves in
turbulence toward morning, the City OF Richmond
plunging and tossing about completely at their
mercy. Her bow dove down in the water furiously.
the screw of the steamship being for the nonce in
the air.
THE BREAKING OF THE SHAFT.
It was when the vessel plunging heavily in
this that the shaft broke. The noise of the
breaking is described as terrific report. 1t
awakened the passengers, who sleeping
soundly. and in fow moments there many
anxious persons on deck inquring whether the ship
was going to the bottom. The fright was of course
occasioned by the mystery that surrounded the ac-
cident. for almost instantaneousy the steamship
stood still. with the exception of the move
ment impaired to 1t by wind and wave.
The shock was very great. and many of the
vbo he'd deck IN hasfv
toilet before putting in an appearance Several Of
them said afterward that they thought the vessel
the mercy OF the elements, SO they kept their beds
and tried to be resigned to their fate. The officers
mind and soon succeeded in quieting the fears of
the passengers by assuring them they were in no
returned to their beds. On Saturday morning. after
drifting here and there, the Circassia came up and
towed the vessel into Halifax. the nearest port
From there the following saloon passengers came by
rail to this city went in other directions The
Rev. Charles p. Bush. w. Gostenhofer, John Z.
Kerr Mrs. Kerr and two children, John Quick.
Holland Prior and Thomas G. Purdy and Mrs. Purdy.
Leaving the City of Richmond at Halifax the following
saloon passengers came to this city on the Crcas-
Arthur Clarke, Miss Clarke. Miss Susie and Master
Clarke. governess and nurse p. j. Dunnigan. Thomas
Cannon and child. j. G. Gordon, Miss Amelia Her.
bert, Miss Howson, Charles johnson. +. Keppel,
Miss Leitch, Miss c. Leitch. j. h. Laid, Mrs. A. s.
lazarus A. s. Lazarus Jr.; w. Lazarus. N. Lazarus,
Michael Mulene, Miss Moore, Mile. Marimon and
maid, Il. j. MOorcroft, Mira. NJ. NOwakOwski, Robert
Nowakowski, W. A. Robinson. Mrs. Robinson Miss
Edith Robinson, Master s. Robinson, Master Fred
Robinson. Lieutenant Colonel Russell Thayer.. Mrs.
Russell Thayer. Miss Wolf. Miss NJ wilkins and
james Q. Winston.
HERALD reporter asked Purser Thomas Knsey.
OF the City Of Richmond, yesterday afternoon for
some of the details connected with the breaking Of
the shaft and the excitement among tho passengers
c,tv ~ RcSmond is in as GOOD Condition TO-DAY as
when We lett Liverpool She Is in perfect order
There was not rope. yard anything carried away
236 miles southeast OF Halifax when happened, but
after tho accident she rode like duck. No, there
has been no claim put in for any salvage. That's .
matter to be adjusted by the companies them
CAPTAIN MoNRor's STATEMENT.
Captain Robert Douglass Monroe of the Circassia.
was found on board his steamship He received the
reporter coureously and said he glad to give any
Information IN his possession touching the accident.
1--WE lett Greenock on Thursday the 18th inst. ut
nine A. M" he began, land enjoyed fine weather
during the first four days. after which heavy gales
reached us from southwest to northwest. We first
sighted the City of Richmond ut half-past three
Saturday morning, showing signals of distress. This
was in latitude ~ 81 longitude So They asked US to
lie by them until morning rs IT was blowing big
guns and 1t would have been IMPOSSIBLE TO tow the
but supposed their shaft had broken The steamship
had enough sail to keep her steady but was drifting
before the wind. At eight O'Clock that morning
they signaled us to tow them to Halifax. We
got the hawser out at ten. and in half hour
on way to Halifax, q distance OF 240 miles. We
reached our destination on Monday. At ten A. NJ 1t
was of the question to transfer any OF the pas
sea. for it was too rough. We remained at Halifax
until Tuesday night before starting for New York.
We took on board there 40 saloon passengers and 517
steerage. the mails and f530.OO in gold"
Suppose. Captain. you had not sighted the City
of Richmond. do you think the vessel would have
weathered the difficulty In safety to her passengers
Tile City OF Richmond alone would not have
reached Halifax In all creation. She would have got
to no port except England She had lost sixty miles
by the accident before picked her up. and tell
you. steamer is no good after she breaks down ex-
cept in fair wind. There has been no arrangement
,Io tn tba nj nj fxviII
be settled afterward and awarded by the Court You
the City OF Richmond was not taken up as an
Tomorrow. but the delay will probably keep US over
until Tuesday next.
toward getting her under way againf
81 understand that two pieces of the shaft to
to this city to be repaired, while section
will be made in England
A FEARFUL SHOCK.
Fifteen stewards of the City Of Richmond also
came To Now York on the Circassia. Thomas Will
Jams, who has been employed nine years by the
Inman line. was then questioned by, the reporter.
when the shaft WAS broken. he said, 1.-THE
engine worked furiously and then stopped instantly
This happened In about two seconds. There was
fearful shock to tho vessel. and thought for the
John Phillips, tho second engineer. was In charge OF
the engine. He was on tho city of Berlin when it
broke down. The passengers ran out OF their rooms
in fright; but the purser told them what was tho
mattcr and that they were safe and they went back
again..
DR.. James G. Winston. son Of President Winston
of the Mutual Life Insurance Company. was pas
seneef on tue Cty VI ischmohu ie tolu INC re-
porter 1t his Residence. No. Is West Thirty FIRST
street, last evening. that stormy weather had toll
lowed the vessel all the way from Liverpool to Hall
fax. and that the breaking of the shaft occurred
about three A. NJ There was naturally excitement
among the passengers, but the cooiness Of the
officers had prevented panic. There some
anxiety among the feminine element while the
sci was drifting before she was picked up.
DIR. j. Il. Richardson, of No. 125 South oxford
street, Brooklyn. was passenger the Circassia,
but ON leaving Halifax with the City of Richmond
passengers lie learned from them interesting partic
ulars OF the accident.
"when reached the disabled vessel" no said,
"she drifting at the rate of and half to
two knots hour. We signalled that they
distress at half-past three A. NJ and, as we
approached to lie by until morning. The next
morning they signaled that they wished to be towed
either to New York Halifax. and captain
feared that the rough weather would continue he
chose the nearest port, which Halifax. Ii a
daring thing to venture in q lifcboat 10 bring tho
hawser, 10 connect our ship with the City of Rich
nd for fharo AZ a ynr heavy but the LII rd