Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-09-03
BUTTED A BERG.
A Moment of Peril on the At.
lantic Ocean.
ROUGH VOYAGE OF A STEAMSHIP.

Escaping the Rage of the Tempest to
Crash into q Mountain of Ice-A Fear
full Panic Among the Passengers-A
Coal Heavens Experience That He Will
Remember-The Collision Fortunately
Does Little Harm-Safe in Port.
MONTREAL, Sept 3.-The royal mail
steamship Vancouver Capt. Lyndall, of
the Dominion line, which arrived in this
port yesterday, had terrible experience
while on the way across. The Vancouver
sailed from Liverpool at midnight Thurs
day, Aug 81, with nearly co passengers
on board, and encountered terrific gale
Friday night, which lasted until late
Tuesday. During the gale nothing was
safe unless dashed. The passengers were
thrown out of their berths, and il was i'm
possible to set the tables for meals, as the
chinaware glass. etc were dashed to the
deck and broken. Tons of water das he'd
orer the main deck fore and aft, many
passengers were drenched and few were
thrown off their feet aud dashed against
the bulwarks
Entering the Iceberg Belt.
noon rain again began to fall, and dense
fog set in shortly afterward Immense
iceburgs had been seen in the distance,
seven of these monsters being visible at
once Capt. Lyndall decided to lay-to till
the fog lifted. The vessel was now ap-
preaching the entrance to the Strait of
Belle Isle. Toward morning the vessel
uta Cd Il
Land was sighted at the south about s
O'Clock. and numerous icebergs were
passed.
Headed for Destruction.
Exciting and terrible had been the voy
age, but il was on Friday morning at 10
o'clock that the most dangerous and
thrilling event happened. Fog had once
more set in and the speed had b cen re-
duced to dead slow A sharp lookout
was kept from the bow as well as by two
officers, one being the captain on the
bridge. All AT once what was thought to
be dense fog bank was observed about
three lengths of the vessel ahead, but in a
moment more it was discovered to be
huge iceberg extending TO great dis
lance on either side of the course of the
ship, and a collision was inevitable
The order was instantly telegraphed to
the engineers to reverse the engines, but too
late to diminish the speed to any very no.
ticeable extent, though the command WAS
promptly executed. By this time the
passengers on deck saw the situation and
the CONSERVATION was indescribable
Women screamed and tainted, and the
widest confusion prevailed during the
few terribly anxious momends before the
crash came. Chief Engineer Murphy WAS
conversing with Chief Officer Walsh on
the main deck aft when the alarm was
sounded
Rough on the Coal-Heaver.
He turned quickly, looked over the rail
ing. and, seeing the threatening calamity,
rushed into the engine room and ordered
the doors of the water tight compartments
closed all through the ship, so that before
the ship struck the ice this wise arrange.
ment was accomplished, to the horror of
one cosl-heaver who was imprisoned in
one compartment, time being considered
too precious to allow him an opportunity
TO escape.
The Crash Against the Berg.
The engines reversed did little good, for
she struck the huge berg with crash
that sent a thrill of horror to the bravest
deck, and the 800 passengers aboard were
thrown into panic. Many of them
rushed for life preservers and the crew for
the boats. but the ships officers were very
cool, and through their efforts the more
excited of the passengers We're finally
Gained. The steamers how ran into the
berg distance of fifteen feet and she
raised herself out of the water five to ten
feet by sliding upon the ice.
The Moment of Danger Passed.
She was so tightly wedged in that it was
twenty mintes before her engines were
able to break her off the berg An exami
nation was Immediately made of her
plates, but only one. and that above the
water line. was found to have been dam
aged. Many women among the passen-
gers tainted. and several were i'll until
they landed at Rimouski Sunday night.
Only to the GOODNESS of the officers and
the crew was due the averting of the con
tinuancc of the panic and an excited rush
for the boats.