New-York tribune., 1885-02-07
ALASKA SIX DAYS OVERDUE.
CONSIDERABLE ALARM FELT ABOUT HER.

THE LEssiNG REPORTS THAT THE ALASKA Pa ssED
HER on JANUARY 27-HAs SHE BROKEN DOWN.
The widest rumOrs were current yesterday re-
garding the Guion Line steamship Alaska, now
six days overdue. At the Office of the company
there was considerable anxiety apparently. but
Mr. Guion and others did not seem to fear anything
more serious than some accident to her machinery.
so many inquiries were fmade at the Office that a
bulletin was posted stating. a." Alaska not yet re-
ported"
1.-The captain of the Hamburg steamship Lessing
was the first to bring any news of the overdue
steamer. On Tuesday of last week the Lessing was
bowling alopg at the rate Of fourteen knots an
hour, when the smoke Of a swiftly approaching
steamer was discerned far astern. This was at s
a. III. The morning was bright and clear, tho wind
strong and favorable. The stranger gained on the
Iessing rapidly. Captain Bernard Voss AMI the
first officer of the Lessing watched her through
their glasses.
1t must be the Oregon" said the latter, but Cap
tain Voss felt quite sure that 1t was the Alaska.
The stranger passed the Lessing at 1870, close
enough to allow the watchers the latter TO recog
nize the red rim around her funnel. This was ac-
cepted satisfactory evidence that the vessel was
the Alaska.
The vessels parted company, keeping the same
course, in 400 81 north latitude and 800 20 west
longitude At o'clock the Alaska was lost to
sight in driving rain storm. The Lessng reached
the bar at 2:30 yesterday. The Alaska has not yet
arrived.
Captain Voss was testing the quality of some
RIdesheimer last evening when TRIBUNE reporter
stepped on board his steamship. Submitting the
Rudesheimer TO another test, Captain VosS adj
mitted that he had had "A rough voyage. lie said:
AYES, we passed the Alaska in mdocean. We left
Hamburg at 3 p. IN. on January -. We had fair
weather until January ~. On that day the Alaska
ovcrhauled and passed u.s. We making
fourteen knots and she must have been making
seventeen. Up to this time had fair weather.
Ii began to rain IN the afternoon and the Alaska
passed out of sight abont o'clock We sauted her
as she passed and she replied. We did not show
our namc nor did she. but we recognized her by the
red rim around her funnel From January - until
February we had bad weather. Ii blew great
guns IL ralncd. hailed aud showed. Sometimes we
mcuduus breeze Everything was made hard and
fast and we lost nothing. We passed no icebcrgs
floating ice. Inc coldcst weather we eNI cricnced
was 4 below zero. The Alaska had made about
quick time. | was surprised TO lima that she ha'in
arrived. as she had passed us hen We were two
thousand miles from New-lOtk. | can't say What
has can,cd hrr detention. but she has undoubtedly
broken down. She may have been driving too hard
against a heavy sea and have broken her shaft.
don't know what else could have happened. j ms
isn't the for fast passages. but II the Alaska
hasn't broken down she would Of course nave
reached New-lork in advance of the Lcssirg, and
also ahead OF the Scryll, which sailed four hour
later end arrived yesterday. The Elbc IS overdue
too | don't think anything serious has happened
10 the Alaska. The Lcsslrg wasn't at any time 10
carried 225 passengers and they were glad enough
set foot land