The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-12-31
THE TARDY UMBRlA In.
Story Of Her Hard Fight With the
Storms and Waves.
HEROIC STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
Great Rejoicing Among Passengers.
Agents and Anxious Friends rs the
Steamer Reached Her Dock at New
York at 11;15 This Forenoon.

New YORK, Dec. 3i.-The Cunard
steamship Umbria, Capt. Horatio Nc
Kay. arrived off Sandy Hook at S:l5
o'clock this morning. seven days behind
time.
A fracture in the shaft was discovered
south Of the Banks of.Newfoundland at
$3.50 on the afternoon OF Friday, Dec. 90.
After drifting for twelve hours in a
storm she was towed seventy-iive miles
by the Bohemia OF the Hamburg Ameri-
can Line, but the cable that connected
the steamers was broken in a gale on
Saturday and they lost track of each
other.
After drifting for three days to the
southeast she started again with her own
machinery, aud came on at half speed to
her destination.
During dinner Friday the steamer came
TO a stand still.
About 730 in the evening Captain Nc
Kay went into the saloon announced
that they had broken the shaft.
He stated that he should accept n tow
ing offer from any vessel large enough
that cane Within hailinR distance.
just after daylight Saturday morning
ship was seen in sight on the edge of the
horizon bound eastward. Soon IL was
observed that the new conner was making
toward the drifting ship, aud at 8 O'Clock
she was alongside.
She was the Bohemia, remembered in
connection with the cholera scare in New
York harbor, bound from New York for
Hamburg.
She at once responded to the Umbria's
request for "a tow, and before noon she
was connected TO the big steamship by a
steel hawser and was stedming slowly
westward, the German fiag at her stern
N Inf Of ha III
Englshman.
fhe storm grew heavier In the after
noon, and it was all the Bohemia could
dc To drag her burden in the teeth OF a
head wind.
After dark heavy snowstorm sprang
up which o6scured the lights Of the two
vessels.
About midnight the steel hawser broke
In violent gale, and on Christmas
morning the passengers OF the Umbria
found themselves again adrift in rag
ing storm with naught In sight but the
darkened sky aud raging sea.
What became of the Bohemia. no one
knew. She probably lost track OF the
Umbria ia the snow storm after the
hauser pafte aud IL she searched for
her after daybreak she did not find her.
At dusk the same day a vessel of the
Wilson line bound for philadelphia was
spoken, but she could not take the Um-
bria in tow because she did not have coal
enough.
From the hour her time was taken at
noon Friday until she broke down that
evening the Umbria had made l2A miles
She drifted twelve miles TO the south.
east during the night AMI the Bohemia
towed her seventy-tive miles toward New
York on Sunday. Monday noon she mad
drifted forty-two miles iaud the gale was
sill blowing.
Just after luncheon on Monday n
U lfs1 In,
ward. In answer To the Umbrias signals
she cane alongside and proved 10 be the
MAMMA nsett bound IRON SwanS'N to
New York, tire property of Jam. Nc
Caldin one of the passengers on the
Umbria. Her offers of assistance were
refused, and a few hours later the Gallia,
"A sister ship of the Cunard Company,
hove in sight. The Umbria at once sig
nailed TO her: Disabled. stand byr' But
the Galiia replied, "Can'G stand by; carry
ing the mails" She then steamed away
dipping her ensign as she went.
The Umbria's passengers then for the |
first time exhibited alarm, but Capt. Nc |
Kay frankly took them into his couf-
dence and told them he soon expected 60 |
have the shaft repaired.
The action of the Galiia in not coming |
TO their aid was, however, the snbject |
discussed at an indignation meeting the |
same evening.
AT $3.50 o'clock Tuesday afternoon the
engines began to throb again and the |
Journey was recommended Her passage |
up the harbor to-uay was "A regular
triumphal one. She was stluteu by |
steam tugs, vessels and the boom of
cannon.
AS the crack steamship steamed SLOWLY
up TO her dock this morning at l1:l5 |
O'Clock, loud cry went up from the
throats OF the throng that was in wait
ing there.