The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-05-30
A PERlLous PASSAGE.

The Experience of the Inman Line Steam
err City of Berlin with an Iceberg-A
crash, n Panic and Scenes of Terror
Level-Headed Commander Brings Ut
der Out of Chaos and His Vessel Safely
Into Port.
NEW YORK, May 24.-The Inman Line
steamer City of Berlin passed through
the Narrows yesterday morning and
steamed slowly up the bay. The bow
OF the steamer was broken and great
masses of ice were still hanging to the
bulwarks She seemed to tremble with
every stroke of her engines, and as the
choppy waves of the bay were divided by
her broken stem, they rushed in and opt
of the black hole in her bows with
sound painfully suggestive of the perils
that had been undergone. No bowsprit
remained, and the only things which dl-
vided the water were the broken sides OF
her front water-tight compartment.
A COLLISION.
At about four O'Clock last Tuesday
morning, when the passengers were all
quietly sleeping IN their berths and only
a small watch of seamen was on deck,
collision occurred. The reverberating
booming of the waves on the foes OF ice
about the banks of Newfoundland were
heard through the heavy fog, but with
the exception of these sounds, which had
become monotonous, there was nothing
to indicate that danger was near. The
steamer was being run at low speed on
account of the heavy fog. Suddenly the
air became extremely cold with strange,
unearthly chill that was not borne on the
breeze but was caused by the influence of
an immense mass of ice. 1t grew more
chilly and the mate on watch put on his
oil-sklns to secure additional warmth.
The older sailors observed to one an
other: "There's an iceberg near" Sud-
denly the mist in front of the vessel be-
came denser and more white. Still she
kept on her course.
A MOUNTAIN OF ICE.
A huge iceberg, towering high above
the manmast of the steamship, hove in
sight. 1t was too late to change the
course of the ship. The forward watch
leaped from his perch upon the bowsprit
and rushed back, shouting to the man at
the wheel, sport your helm; an iceberg"
The wheel whirred around, but it was
useless. There was a deafening crash.
The sailors on deck were thrown from
their feet and some of the passengers
hair ha NJ ha
pinnacles of the iceberg was hurled from
its base by the force of the shock and
crashed on the bow of the ship, fitting
her stern up and overturning some Of the
furniture in the saloon. Cries of terror
filled the air. Passengers arrayed only
in their night clothing rushed up the
companionways and out into the cold
night, shouting their fear that the vessel
was lost. Forward they could see moth
ing but a mass of ice and wreckage.
ORDER OUT OF CHAOS.
The mate OF the watch ordered the
boats to be lowered, and gangs of sailors
were about to follow his commands when
the captain appeared on deck. With him
there came some order. He counter
manded the mates order, reasoned with
the passengers, partly quieted them, and
finally obtained discipline among the
crew. The we'll was sounded and found
to be dry. The heavy iron plating of the
bow was badly shattered, but the vessel
was still comparatively safe. The en-
gines were reversed and thorou n ex-
animation made of the damage. Then
the City of Berlin proceeded on her way
to this port.
TERROR-STRICKEN.
Mr.. Henry Z. Abbey said "a descrip-
ton of the scene is beyond my powers.
The fright of the feminine portion of the
passengers was terrible, and they rushed
about the decks screaming at their wits
end. The ship trembled like a reed, and
many thought it was all over with them.
They rushed on deck in the condition in
which they had left their berths, so sud-
den was the shock and so great the haste.
On the deck the confusion was greater.
Some ran about uttering heartreLding
cries of distress and getting in the way
of the sailors. In front was one vast
mountain of ice that rose up in the all
like huge crystal wall. The cold was
something terrible. | shall never forget
that scene. The crew was excited al
first, but the GOODNESS of the Captain
equalled that of the iceberg, and he soor
I had things put right. He assured the
, passengers that there was no Immediate
danger, and the calm way in which he
/ went about his work did more than any
talking could have done to reassure timi(
ones"
... .r GRATEFUL. err
The cabin passengers, to expires!
| their gratitude to Captain f. S. Land fol
his GOODNESS, raised 5000 by subscrip
lions for testimonial. committe,