The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-03-22
PERILs OF THE OCEAN.
Thrilling Experiences in Crossing the
rretful Waters Of The Atlantic
the Chief O6scsr Carried Overheard and
Then Washed Back Again by the Next
sss-rhs Grew Thought She Would Turn
Upside Down


II there ever was season OF anxiety
where the storm-tossed crew was la
constant peril and where each sue
ceeding fear was chased by scenes OF
greater fright. IL was the journey Of
ihe steamer Washington City which
sailed from Hamburg on January :.
and from Portland. England. January
=, and reached New York not until
February 5. She encountered heavy
gales and high seas up TO the 18th. at
times rolling badly and shipping much
water. Ga the 18th IL commenced
blowing from :. :. W. AT 10 o'clock
that night II had increased TO hur-
ricane. and at o'clock the next morn
ing IL blew with fearful violence. ac-
companed BY snow and hail ana vivid
lightning The sea was running
mountains high and dashing over the
deck
At about III o'clock "a tremendous
sea came aboard on the port side. lift
ing Chief Ofilcer l.engelow OF his feet
and carried him over the side. lie
gave himself up Is lost. but another
sea. which came rushing along. threw
him back on deck. lie was dashed
against an iron rail. and his ribs and
side were badly injured, aud he was
unable 10 leave his cabin for eleven
days after
At noon on the 18th the hurricane
moderated 10 "a heavy gale. but with "A
heavy sen, the ship going clear under
water. and the deck being cleared fore
and aft Of everything. The hurricane
deck forward. all the boats. and "A
number OF headlights on the vessels
side were stove in, aud the ventiators
aud the after and pinnacle compasses
were carried away. The roar OF the
wind and the furious dashng OF the
sea at this time were something
frightful. The cabin doors were stove
in, the stoke hole and engine room
were flooded and the fires were almost
extinguished. The vessel was then
lying in the trough OF the sea. and
rolling so dreadfully that those on
board thought she would turn over
She remained in this dangerous
position for over twenty-four hours,
when her head was again brought 10
the sea.
On the morning OF the 2lst the sea
was still running mountains high. and
the stesmer was laboring heavily and
taking water all over. On the 10Th,
in latitude a. degrees. ~ minutes
north. longitude IS degrees. ~ min
utes west, heavy field ice was run into.
She remained la the Ice all that night,
and the next morning a. became much
heavier aud the vessel hud 10 go dead
slow through il. When daylight broke
nothing but ice was TO be seen, the
glistening mass extending on all sides
as far as the eye could see. tre-
mendous iceburg was In sight about
nine miles distance. II appeared TO be
about 800 feet high and quarter OF a
mile long. and had high peak which
looked like "a castle. There was
heavy swell on at that time, ana large
cakes OF ice were surging about the
steamers side In n dangerous manner
and threatening at times TO crush her.
By evening the ship entered clear
water. but. owing TO the proximity OF
the ice, the engines were stopped. and
the ship lay to till daylight On the
morning OF the 27th nothing could be
seen on all sides but Ice aud icebergs.
The ships head was turned west. aud
IL was not till noon that she got into
clear water again. The wind then be-
gan blowing from the northwest again.
and large bodies OF ice were tossing
and crashing dangerously near the
ship. AT O +. NJ. very heavy ice was
again encountered. and the vessel con-
tinued almost uninterruptcdly steam
ing slowly through IL all night, only
occasionally being stopped by Il.
Several OF the bow plates were started
and the ship commenced 10 make
water At 4 O'clock on the morn
Ing OF the 18th IL commenced showing
heavily and the sea began rising. BY
$3.50 the lee began TO get thinner. and
half an hour later clear water was
reached. On the morning OF the 18th
the wind aud sea increased with thick
snow. aud by ten o'clock the gale was
At Its height. with tremendous So "a.
which swept over the deck from ste m
20 stern. several OF the crew being
Knocked down and badly injured.
Tarpaulins were torn from the matches,
aud IL Is thought the cargo IL badly
damaged. At one o'clock the shi p
was obliged 10 lay 90. At this time a
regular blizzard prevailed. IL being
impossible TO see the length OF the
ship Tor the dry. binding snow.
On the afternoon OF the 3lst heavy
field Ice was again met extending
from Sable Island To the Nova Scotian
coast She steamed through IL all
that night and the next day, only leav-
lug IL when twelve miles of Beaver
Light oil was used for twenty -four
hours dnring the hurricanes OF the
nth and 18Th. but the wind was SO
strong that IL had no effect