The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-10
STORMS ON RAG ATLANTIC.
fhe Terrible Experience OF the Pnsser
gers ontb Steamer Perisre.


NEw York, December with the arri.
yal of each incoming ocean steamer fresh
chapter ia added TO the records OF the ter
rible storms that have recently swept over
the surface OF the broad Atlantic. The
latest story Of perils encountered BY rea'
son Of tempestuous seas, sfed into fury
by every shifting wind, blowing with the
iorca Of IA hurricane, 10 gathered from the
statements Of the officers, crew aud pas
sengers Of the French steamer Periere,
which arrived on Sunday. Terrible as
was the ordeal passed through by the
steamers that reached this port during last
week, In no single instance had the loss
Of single lie to be deplored. Unfortu.
nstely the same statement cannot be made
with regard TO the voyage ot the Periere,
IS one steerage passenger, Claude Mixsiler
by name, aged twenty-five, and native
Of Paris, crszed by terror when the gale
vas at It's height, on November 23d, and
thinking that the vessel was about to go
down, jumped overheard and was
drowned.
10 describing the voyage Capt Della
plsine stated that It had never before been
bis lot to experience such terrible weathe.
as the Pereire had encountered alter leav.
Ing Hayre on November 20 The weather
was all that could be desired during the
first twenty.iour hours. About midday,
however, on Sunday, the 2lst, the. wind
Ireshened and soon increased to 0 heavy
gale from the westward, which chopped
round to the west by north. This weather
continued without any abatement until
noon on Monday, when change for the
worse took place, and the storm increased
toahurficano. In theaiternoon of this day,
when the effect on the Iaboring vessel ofthe
combined efforts ri the wind aud sea was
enough to make the strongest hearts quail,
panic and confederation prevailed among
the passengers In the steerage. Having
been constructed especially with the view
OF atttaiuiug high rate Of speed, being
long and narrow 10 the hull, the Periere
dipped deep in the trough ot the sea, chip.
pibgvolumes I water almost continuously,
aud this added fresh terror to the wholly
inexperienced and already will nigh fran.
tic passengers.
Some OF the people in the steerage de-
cided to 90 sft and petition the Captain to
reduce the speed at which they mistaken.
ly supposed the ship to be travelling,
whereupon Claude Mixsiler, who appears
to have been frenzy stricken with terror,
exclaimed: ave must all 20 down moth
ing can save us" and rushing up the gang.
way, he clambered on the bridge and
withousa moments hesitation jumped
overheard into III boiling waves. To
lower q boat In such sea was an impossi'
bility, but alife buoy was init lntly thrown
the poor fellow, who momentarily grasp.
ed 1t, but failing to retain his hold 1t DRIFT.
ed away from him, and an incoming wave
euVulhuH him he was Feen no more.
On the same dav one OF the two sailors
was badly bruised by being washed almost
the full length OF the deck by an unusual.
ly heavy sea that broke over the vessel.
This sort OF weather continued with little
abatement until the 9th. During this
period the readings Of the barometer were
at times almost phenomenal, the mercury
rising and falling with unexampled rapid
ity.
The terrified passengers again and again
thought their last hour had come, and
some OF The inmates OF the steerage' who
managed to retain possession OF their sem
ses, described the scene as the most terri
bic they ever Witnessed. Women were
on their knees praying, children were cry.
log aloud, aud the men were lmploring
the stewards to tell them II there was q
chance Of the ship riding out the gale.
Many passengers were busy In securing
their valuabes about their persons, while
others lay down in their berths, worn out
with sickness and the inability to procure
sleep. and apparently abandoned them
selves 10 their fate
Several times during the week the Can
tain was compelled to lay to, and on moro
than one occasion the vessel failed to make
more than fifteen knots dnriug the twenty
four houra. On the 9Th the ruddeI
chains parted, and this at moment when
sea after sea was breaking over the ship
and the hurricane was at ita height. For
tunalely, however, the Pereireis equipped
with double set OF steering apparetuII
and this mishsp was speedily Temedied
On Sunday, the 2Sth. the storm appeared
TO have exhausted its violence, and th'
weather improved considerably. No tur
ther gales were encountered, and tne Tes
otthe voyage was made in tolerAbly iai
weather.