New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-06
IN A TERRIBLE CYCLONE.
TIE STEAMER JAMES TCRPIE'S GREAT
Danger.
TOSSED FOR HOURS BY RAGING sEAs-A NOBLE
STRUGGLE TO SAVE THE GALLANT VESSEL
UTTER HnrGu rNpERILNCLS

oiN' '"'LE TO SAVE THE GALLANT VESSEL
OTHER ROUGH EXPERIENCES.
Inc BRUSH steamship James Turpic. with
cargo OF raIslnS and Malaga grapes arrived ycscr-
d'N from spanish ports after a passage across the
Atlantic through storms which her captain de-
claTcS were more terrific than any he ever cX-
p'rIencrd before in his thirty-cight years at
ihr steamer passed the Madeira Islands on N0ycm-
Der IS. and bad good weather until November 30
Then she stcercd 10 the northwest and got into
southeast gale. Heavy seas began 10 break
over the ship. and fierce squalls swept over the
ocean. The barometer indicated rapid change
and the wind suddenly shifted TO the south
Captain Smith, the commander Of the Turpic
concluded that ho running into cyclone
and 50 put the ships head 10 the southeast.
BY this time heavy cross running
and the vessel was laborng heavily. Night came
on and the fury of the storm increased. The
wind blew perlcc, hurricane. and the vessel
was buried in laundering -cas and flying spray
Finally She hroached to. and lay helpless in the
trough of the sea. Neither engines nor helm
had the least effect upon her in keeping her head
mp 20 the S"a or getting the vessel before il. II
looked to the people on board the Turpc as il all
hope were lost. In the darkness Of The terrible
night great Hills Of water, capped by
cataract, Of Secthng foam. tossed the
ship from side - side dsshinc down on her
with terrific force. burviug hcr in and
threatening each minute 10 hurl her into
tic whirliug depth below Tho waves burst
in her Grc-room matches ard nearly put ont The
ars Tho hcmcn with death staring them in
the lacc. worked nearly up 10 their waists IN
water 10 keep the fires alive Twice the cabin
was noolcd with water.
For eight hours the vessel lay in this prccariouS
condition. IN" sea making a clean breach over her
~ o'clock ihc ncNt morning the wind hauled To
thr westward and Captain Smith got the vessel
headed 10 the southwcs'. II was something 10
have tho vcsscl ont OF the trough ~ tine ~ca again
and responsive ~ hcr engines and her helm Blt
tIr struggle (or life WAS not yet over Tie
Turpic was now about coo miles on IIottcraS II
W., indeed cyclone which had come bowling
up from tho cali which TIE vessel had struck.
When day hfohe tie Turpc headed 10 the south
we,i and We, laborinc in such sea that her
veteran commander in his report says ship was
Lr,orin. fcarful, OWING 10 hca>y 81, which
~ this time was appalling 30 loo" at. and have
been at -, thirt,-Grc Ncars twenty years of II
a, master never experienced sacu "a terrific
storm could hear Tho cargo adrft in tie hold,
but corld do uothinl 10 secure 1t
- With mountainous seas Threatening dcstr"c-
'ioa and The cargo in Ire hold hat'crus the sides
Of the vessel ni every plunge. 'ic lurpic and
her gallant crew still struggled against inc cIe-
picnfs N oclock that morning tho
wind h,.'cd - ire northwest aud
terrific taIlstorm swept down upon the
ycssc Ih" barometer marked 2~'o ~ noon
tnc bsromo'cr began 20 r~". and with u the hop"S
ri the crew hiit iust then heavy sQuall again
struck the shin. and cro,s-sea "rncned and
twisted and tossed her about. Aftcf the s1uail
had passed men wcrc sent into the hold where
AZ the risk Of their lives they managed to secure
some ~ the cargo. All that day and all tha'
night the vessel struggled in the heavy croSssras
The morning Of December broke with only
,,ronr w,nd blowing from the southeast. hut at
midnight ,ha, night fierce gale again S'rnck
tl,. vessel. accompanied hy binding lightning and
dc,fcniup thunder ~ o'cloci, the neat morn
me- tine wind sudden shifted - northwest. "n"
i,rv. "a hurricane \ tlcmrndou, SEA was running;
and D., thc forenoon Of that d.. 50 il'l
,hc steamer ofer her bows, Wh'h S'"t''' Va va
f,iocn,tlc deck smashed tnr bod's. ana
arncIelr >Ycpt the deck oi everything. carr
nm. away thc hurricanc- house ON tI'
norp.dee, After tins tuc elements cNid"ntP
como ludcd ii,i ~ W., u>e'"-s :" irf longer U"
Icsfro, Inc Iurpir and the weather moderated
lacn thr ,c~,cl made m" hc>' ~ hcr "'' - iNlN
port aud probably uo set OF men ever -'/'" Ill.,, In''
i,.,.,uaI. nu tine barren shores o' 81 100"
liam an tho. vln ,,N u yesterday morning from
,ic Gcr',> of the James lIrp."
rur hrl4 Fnrl-N. "hrh rlmr ~ \'>'''I'| 'i"u'
N,ror.~ ~,u'o- Domingo. evidently c'"SW pPi
ilou of ihr storm which ~" nearly i9"hI'i'" W"
jam, rurpic From latitude 80 d'i N"' ~
t,rlcn,c, a >cric, of heavy Gales from "I "a
fhc compass Her forctop'nosi wa> Spr"h%' hri
deck, wrlc iooGrd and sire i'N' 'uo Np'' N"''
and received other d,nn-" ah"tc decks.
Ttr shin N1upactuS. from I"up'n' ''Wr '"' J."
por,iua d, continuation Of northwest 2alc>' "r-
comr1uicd hl terrific SOS Severn u I'I sui
Vrfc blown fror IN" holtropcN. ana nearly al
the other Wor' >pl!i. -. , .. L
Tie hr2 E,tclc. from III" West Inul"N. @ W%tm %
approaching IlattcraS rncoun'cfrl H''NN ES'rs
nom IN around tho compass. Nn" sprung h'I
forcnast and ropmo>, started her bachNta>' ana
loei or split her sails. A. Lia
TIE bark iyoca. from Rotterdam. ana thr nIlf
S2,,ia from Nucvitas, also reported ronch cN-