The Portland daily press., 1891-12-05
She Is Disabled in a Nasty Sea,
OF aBad. Coast. T
a 8F - 50 n = " ssA~r
Two Portland Tugs Went Out
After Her,
An Anxious Night for Officers Of
the Dominion Line g9 Z
And Also for the Oregon's Sew
7.A&es 6 q - 9 sseA8sss Esss~.sa svs
enty Passengers.

At o'clock yesterday morning, a large White
row boat, containing. six men, who rowed as II
they were tired was seen coming into the har-
Dor around the White Head end Of CushiDg's
Island. The few who were abroad at that hour
watched the boat as It came On Through the
thick smoke that hung low over the water, and
saw it put inA at uone of totheo) Grand Trunk
wharves. Then it began to be suspected that
itwas boat from an English steamer, and
that something was wrong somewhere.. 1t was
discovered later that the boat was the first cut
ter of the steamer Oregon, of the Dominion
line, which left here at 2 O'Clock Thursday,
without suspicion OF anything being wrong,
The coxswain Of the boat, the first officer Of the
Oregon, reported to Mr.. Torrance, agent of the
line, that at 40 O'Clock the main shaft broke
when the steamer was "a miles ESE of Half
way Rock light. At O'Clock, after making
sure what the trouble was, Captain Gibson
started the boat back. The men made the 40
miles in almost exactly IL hours.
Mr. Torrance at once cabled to Liverpool and
ordered new shaft to be sent over by the Lab
rador. He then secured the tugs Belknap and
Plymouth and despatched them to the Oregon.
Later the Mary j. Finn went out to lend her as
slstance.
When the tugs went out everything looked ia
vorable; and it was thought that they would be
in with the Oregon by midnight. But towards
night conditions began to change, and storm
of wind and rain began to develop. The Wea-
Their Bureau office in the First National Bank
building hoisted red light, which is a caution
airy signal to mariners. The Dominion line Off.
Gals began to get little anxious, and Port
Captain Reed took the steamer Forest Queen
and went out past the Two Lights. He found a
nasty sea on; but it was clear enough for him
to be able to sweep the horizon with his glass;
He saw no signs Of the Oregon or the tugs, and
returned.
As early as 10 O'Clock lin the evening, both
Mr.. Torrance and Captain Reed had given up
expectation of seeing the Oregon get in during
the night They were in considerable doubt as
to what she would do, or what the tugs would
be able to do with her. One of these large iron
steamers is hard to manage when the machin-
cry is broken. The sail power is not sufficient
to amount to much. and, with the propeller
dragging disabled, the rudder is not of much
avail.
1t was thought probable that the tugs would
not attempt to make Portland with the Oregon
when they found the storm coming on. They
might get under the lee of Monhegan Island, or
get into Townshend Harbor, Boothbay. Either
Of these would be nearer than Portland. Or
they might find it impossible to do either. In
that case the efforts of the tugs would have to
be directed towards holding the Oregon off
shore in safe position.
There was another possibility which was can
vassed last night. The Austrian, of the Allan
line. from Glasgow, was due here yesterday.
The Oregon broke down right in the Austrian's
pathway, and it was thought that the latter
would at least lie by the Oregon, and If neces-
sary take her In tow.
As the night wore on, the wind freshened un-
til a gale was blowing, and one, too, about as
severe as any Portland gets in the course of a
year, and heavier than any experienced in some
years. That is the wind blew between 40 and
80 miles an hour, and kept it up all night. The
rain fell in torrents at times up to midnight,
when the stars came out. The wind was gen.
orally southeastin direction.
Allnight there has been good reason for anxi-
ETY. for the disabled vessel and the tugs that
went out to assist her. The Oregon has ~ pas
sengers aboard IN all, two cabin, 15 intermedi-
ate and 60 steerage. Many of them are on
their way to spend Christmas in the old coun-
try. The Oregon, herself, is worth at least an
half million of dollars, and her cargo is valued
at $4,000.
There was some talk that the big Bath tugs,
Knickerbocker or Morse might be secured; but
they were found to be away from Bath.
The apples and fresh meat from the Oregon
iu case she. arrives all right, will be
put on board the Toronto which will be
despatched to Liverpool instead of to Bristol.
The passengers and mails will be put on the
Partisan, which leaves Tuesday. The grain
and other heavy freight will probably be kept
aboard.
1t will probably be about five weeks before
the Oregon will be able to get away. Her pro-
peller shaft is broken near the engines. II is a
very heavy piece OF forging, such as could be
made here only by long labor. The quickest
way to get it will be that which was taken ca
BILE to England, where duplicate pieces of ma
chinery are kept all the time, ready to be for
warded. One of the steamer officials described
to PRESS reporter yesterday the methods the
great steamship companies have of preparing
for accidents. In the first place every piece OF
machinery is duplicated, so that, In case of a
break, it Is only necessary to forward the piece
wanted. Then, of the iron parts Of the vessel,
all the moulds are preserved, even to the plates
on the hull. These are numbered, and can be
ordered by cable from any part of the world
where the steamer may be disabled.
There has been considerable wonderment ex-
pressed as to the method TO be used in putting
the new shaft in. The dry dock can not be
used, and vessel OF the sze of the Oregon
would push the marine railway so far down out
of sight that 1t could never be used again. 1t
Is about decided, amongst the steamer officials
and The old sea-dogs along the wharves, tn
bringing the vessel a little down by the head,
by tightening part of the cargo aft and moving
1t forward the stern would be elevated far
enough to bring the well clear of the water and
allow the shaft to be put in place, from float
ing stage or scow.