Evening journal., 1889-04-11
CAUGHT IN THE STORM.
Terrible Experience of the
Steamer Chattahoochee.
ATTHE MERCY OF WINDANDWAyEs

All on Board Had Given Up Hope Of
Ever Reaching L.and-severai Of Her
Passengers Injured--oiI on the Troubled
Waters.
New YoRK, April IA thrilling story Of
experience in a gale was told by the passengers
Of the Ocean Line Steamship company's
steamer Chattahoochee when they reached
this port yesterday morning. Not one Of the
l25 passengers who left Savannah ever ev-
pected TO reach land again, and Il was with
thankful hearts that they stepped ashore.
The steamer, when but three days out, en-
countered the frightful storm Of Sunday, and
II it had not been for the GOODNESS Of the
officers, who, by their careful management
Of the vessel, brought her through, she would
undoubtedly have gone down with all on
board
Passengers and officers both tell tales Of
their suferings while the helpless vessel was
tossed about for two days by the sen. Inst
November the vessel went through terrific
storm, during which her cabins were stove
in, and then She came near going down; hut
her escape this time is considered nothing
short Of a miracle Tho sides Of the vessel
were badly injured, the guard rails broken
and carried away, and the cabin stove in,
windows smashed, and here and there were
places where big patches Of paint had been
/ torn Off
The Chattahooehee left Savannah last
/ Friday with seyenty-six first class and forty
nine steerage passengers and a cargo oe mer-
chandise She reached Cape Hatteras on
Saturday morning. While Off the CAGE she en-
| cQgntered tieTce northeastery gaze, which,
as the dag advanced, increased IN velocity,
and by nightfall the seas were aeavy and the
waves washed over the vessel On Sunday
/ morning a terrific shower Of hail accom-
panied the hurricane. Capt Daggett says
that the hailstones were very large and rem
dered navigation next to impossible About
9 o'clock the vessel was struck on the p0rt
side, Just amidships, by a huge wave 1t
caught the stateroOms on the deck with ter
rife force, smashing them into pieces and
throwing the splintered wood and glass into
the main saloon, whore the cabin passengers
had sought refuge in their terror.
T. = Macy, a provision merchant, his wife
and daughter Belle, occupied the two state.
rooms where most Of the dJ,aee was done.
and were in them when the wave struck An
three were thrown violently 20 the floor and
covered with the debris, out Of which they
We're taken badly cut The main saloon was
soon filled with the rushing water and the re-
naming assengers got thorough drenching
Scarcely an hour after "A second wave STRUCK
the vessel and rushed down the snloon com
panionway aud into the hold, where i
drenched the cargo. J. a. Miller, salool
passenger, was struck by the mass Of wate
and knocked down, FEATURING his skull
Another passenger, Mrs Peirson, wns a.
thrown down and had her face and hea
severely bruised
As the engine rooms were flooded. Captai
Daggett ordered the vessel hove to and al
lowed her to drift 10 the south for twelv
hours, during which time She was at th
mercy Of the waves Bags Of oil were su.
pended from the taffrals and bows and tn
crew believe the action Of the oil on Ga
water aided the vessel to weather the storm
The engines were started on Monday and ia
vessel managed 70 get into port in safetl
yesterday morning. After the storm tn
captain saw a bark and two schooners Ia dis
tress
A large force Of carpenters was put to worl
as soon as the vessel reached her pier repair
ing the damage and yesterday afternoon sh
cleared at the custom house and viii sail o.
her outward trip to-day.
The clyde line steamer Iroquois arrived q
! o'clock yesterday morning, after encoun
tering the same storm. She was not far ds
tant from the Chattahoochee during the gale
She left Charleston last Friday and was com
PEELED to heave to near the cape ON Saturday
On Sunday noon a monster wave struck III.
port side and stove in the woodwork hood
ing the saloon. About thirty passenger
were on board. Manager Keogh, Of thu
Charleston Academy Of Music, was severel,
injured, and an unknown man had his eyi
blacked. Two others were slightly cut b
being dashed against the furniture The So
swept over the vessel on Monday and brok
the guard rails and the fore hatch was cur
ried away.