Huntsville gazette., 1890-04-05
THE CITY OF PARIS IN PERIL,

Foundering-A Serious Accident to Her
Machinery Supposed to be Attributable
to an Effort at Record Brea akine-Safe in
Port Mt Last-Thankful Passengers.
QUEENSTOWN, March 30.-The steam
ship City of Paris reached here at 4 a. M.
Divers are examining her bottom, but
the exact nature and extent of the dam
age has not been made public. When
the accident occurred and it was found
that the vessel was making water with
possibility of laundering, a panic
arose on board. The excitement was
heightened by the fact that the firemen
and some of the engineers rushed upon
deck immediately after the crash oc-
CURED and displayed great alarm. The
engine-room had been flooded through
injection. tubes, which, it is alleged, the
engineers, in their excitement, neg
lected to close. The second engineer
remained at his post and risked his life
in the effort to shut off steam, in which
he finally succeeded, and saved the ma
chinery from total wreck. After the
steamer had drifted about for a long
time without sighting a vessel the
chief officer and six men started in a
liners, hoping to intercept some one Of
them and procure resistance. They en-
countered the Aldersgate, which will
ingly came to the aid of the disabled
steamer.
THE ACCIDENT TO THE STEAMER.
LONDON, March 31.-The accident to
the steamer City of Paris happened
when the vessel was 216 miles off Fast
net. The passengers say they heard q
loud crash, followed by an explosion.
The ship quivered, and the humping
of broken machinery in the engine room
shook the steamer from stem to stern.
She began leaking badly from hole
which had been broken in the bottom.
The pumps were quickly manned and
the boats were ordered to be cleared.
The passengers were much excited, but
the officers remained calm, and their
presence of mind and enforcement of
regular discipline soon had the effect to
restore the confidence of all on board.
The steamer Adriatic passed the City
of Paris, bound west, and would have
aided her but for. the fact that the
freight steamer Aldersgate, which also
came up about the same time. was able
to tow the disabled steamer into port.
Three tugs soon joined the Aldersgato
and aided in towing the City of Paris to
Queenstown. On arrival at that port
the passengers assembled in the saloon
and after religious service in recogni-
ton of their providential escape had
been held, resolutions were adopted
mplimenting the captain and crew
upon their able and unwearied efforts
for the safety and comfort of the pas
sengers. A purse of So, 900 was raised,
which will be devoted to the Liverpool
and New York Mariners Institute.
The steamer drifted about for sixty
hours before aid came to her. Fortunate
ly the weather was fine and there was
hardly breath of wind. Signals of
distress were constantly shown, rockets
and fare lights being used at night.
Finally, on Friday morning, the
Adriatic was sighted. She offered to
take the passengers and convey them to
New York, which was all that she could
be expected to do under the circum-
stances. Some of the passengers thought
that the big White Star steamer ought
to have turned around and towed the
City of Paris into port, but the officers
of the City of Paris said this would have
been against all precedent, and entirely
unnecessary in view Of the fact that the
disabled steamer was not in distress,
and was in reach of other help.
THE OFFICERS AND CREW COMMENDED.
LONDON, March 31.-The passengers
from the steamer City Of Paris speak
very highly of the conduct of the Off
GERS and crew, both in the matter Of
managing the disabled ship and in
making the passengers as hopeful as
possible. At the same time there is a
general feeling that the giving way OF
the machinery was the result of the
tremendous strain put upon it in the
desire to beat the record. The officers
of the vessel were very reticent as to
the exact nature of the accident, and
the passengers have very hazy views on
the subject. There is a general impress
sion that the affair was much more seri-
Gus than was given out, or than the offi-
GERS cared to admit. If it turns out
that the breakdown was caused by eX-
,cessive pressure incident to record
breaking" the effect of the accident
may be to somewhat discourage that
pastime. Many of the passengers con-
fess that they now entertain less admir-
alton for great speed than they did
few days ago. Others, however, say
they would take the fastest steamer
afioat again next trip just as readily as
before and run their chances.
The little freight steamer Aldersgate
comes in for good many hard words
from the passengers, Notwithstanding
the delight with which they hailed her
first appearance. She is very slow
craft, and made only about five knots
an hour with the big liner in tow.
The passengers, who were greatly fret
ted by their long detention, were in
clined to think the Aldersgate could
have done better if pushed, and they al
lege that her captain made a hard job
of it deliberately, with the idea Of get
ting more salvage out Of the company
for his services.
After landing at Queenstown early