New-York tribune., 1890-03-31
TOWED INTO QUEENSTOWN.
THE CITY OF PARIS SAFE AFTER A VOYAGE
OF PERIL AND EXCITEMENT.
uow THE ZIG SHIP WAS DIsABLED-BRAVERY
or THE SECOND ENGISEERITHE ADRI-
Alto REFUSES TO AID THE DIS
TRESSED VESSEL.

Alto REFUSES TO AID THE DIS
TREsSED VESSEL.
Queenstown. March 3O.-The Inman Line
s..amey CITY of Paris, towed by the steamer
Alderseate. arrived at Queenstown at 80 O'Clock
this morning The accident by which the CITY
of Paris was disabled occurred on Tuesday when
the vessel was 21 6 miles west of Fastnet and was
caused by the breakage of the low-pressure cyl
inder of the starboard engine, the flying pieces OF
metal forcing the bulkhead and disabling the
port engine. The passengers became panic
stricken when they found that the ship was
leaking and that there was possibility OF The
vessel fo,tsdering. The water, which flooded the
engine compartment was forced through the IN
lection tubes, which, it is alleged, the engineers
during the excitement had neglected to shut. The
ttarboard engine was shattered almost to pieces,
the mort eprine-rooms We're filled with upward of
1000 tons of water, and the port engine was en-
tirely useless.
All went well with the City Of Paris until the
evening of March 25, when, at 5 80 p m while
the steamer was going at full speed the starboard
engine suddenly collapsed and the low-pressur
cylinder broke. smashing the injection water-pipe
connections and bursting the iron bulkhead divid-
ihg the port and starboard engines The metal flew
around In all directions. A portion OF the ma
chinery smashed through the steamers double
bottom. The water poured through the hole
into the engine-rooms. compelling the engineers
and firemen to rush to the deck for safety.
Terrible consequences would have ensued but
for tie bravery of the second engineer. who. at
the peril of his lfc enveoped he was in kissing
steam managed to shut off the steam. thus saving
the machinery from total demolition. which would
have happered had the engines continued work
ing lie escaped unhurt
The passengers were murh excited. but the
captain and officers succeeded in assuring them
that there no danger. The lifeboats were
cleared in readiness for use. and the pumps were
kept working.
The steamer drifted helpless until March 26,
when the captain sent Chief Officer Passon and
six men in lfeboat to get into the track of other
line steamers. in the hope Of being able 10 inter-
cept the City Of Chester. the Adriatic The
boat met the AdIiatic. which declined 10 take
the City of Paris in tow. The Aldersgatc now
hove In sight. and offered TO tow the City Of
Paris. The offer was accepted The Aldersgate
is a. small steamer. unable to tow over four or
five knots hourly and progress was slow until
Saturday, when the Ohio was sighted She stood
by until p. m, when Fastnet was sighted Two
tugs were sent later. The water kept increasing
in spite of the york of the pumps Divers are
Statements by passengers, which are similar to
other accounts of the accident are 10 the effect
that there was loud crash. followed by an ex-
plosion. The ship quivered and the engine
thumpcd The vessel leaked rapidly from the
hole in her bottom. The officers calmed the
excited passengers. The conduct of the crew was
admirable. The weather was fine, and there was
no wind. During the sixty hours thar tl,e steamer
drifted, she kept showing distress signals, send
ing up rockets and burning flares.
On Friday morning the Adriatic was sighted
She offered to convey the passengers TO New-lork,
but the offer was declined. The Adriatic then
proceeded and sent the Aldcrsgate to aid the
City of Paris Three tugs joined the disabled ves
sci to accompany her TO Queenstown.
The passengers held a meeting, at which they
returned Thanks to Providence for their delivery.
They also expressed their appreciation of the cx-
emplary conduct of the captain and crew, and
raised subscription of $500 for the Liverpool
and New-York Mariners Institute.
Frederick Watkins, the captain OF the City of
Paris, has furnished 10 the companys agents az
Queenstown the following report of The accident
1t must be considered a meagre account OF an oc-
currence that has every appearance Of being one
Of the most serious of the kind on record The
report is dated From the City of Paris March
2e," is addressed to Mr.. Cummins, and says;
On Tuesday. March 25 at 80 p. m, when el6
from an unknown cause, The cylinder went to pieces
injuiing the bulkhead and breaking the injection and
water pipe connections. and allowing considerable
quantity OF water 10 run into both engnerooms and
adjacent sections. No one on board was injured
Mr.. Cummins went in tug TO meet the City of
Paris When the vessel entered the harbor num-
Der of press agents who sought to 90 of 10 the
ship were not allowed TO do So Indeed, through
out the whole matter scant courtesy has been
shown them.
A second tug that went out brought back
neither mails nor passengers. 1t was only on The
arrival of the third tug. considerably later in the
day, with dozen passengers, that anything could
be cleaned as 10 the nature of the accident.
Special trains were kept in readiness here
throughout the night with large stan OF rail
way hands AS morning approached it became
known that the steamer would be brought TO
Cork harbor and all the passengers and mails dis
embarked. The mails were all landed by a. M,
but in spite Of the greatest dispatch and energy
it was well into the afternoon before the passen-
gers and baggage got away
The getting of authentic and detailed informa-
ton Is attended with the utmost difficulty, owing
TO the reticence of the companys officials How
ever, interviews with passengers furnish fair
outline of events both before and after the acci-
dent
III appears ohat "ieH thc GRE" "oi' w WIN
TO clear the ship of water, it was found that only
the hand-pumps were available, the gear OF the
steam-pumps having been destroyed. Recourse
was had TO the buckets and with the external
application of heavy sails and blankets TO the
damaged portion Of the vessel, the struggle
against the inroads Of the sea was SUCCESSFULLY
maintained Calm weather and smooth sea
materially assisted the efforts Of the crew. 1t
is the general opinion that if the conditions had
been otherwise and the steamer had experienced
twelve hours OF stormy weather she would in
evitably have foundcred. In readiness for such
an emergency the boats were cleared and every