The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-12-28
HOURS OF ANXIETY.
Broken Main Shaft Dangerously
Crippled the NoordIand.
TOSSED AT MERCY OF WAVES.
The Ohio Succeeds in Towing the Vessel
Into Port-Diid-winter Experience OF
An Ocean Liner--voyage One of Hard
ship and Suffering.

QUEENSTOWN, Dec. 2S.-The steamship
Noordland was towed into Queenstown
harbor by the steamship Ohio, at o'clock
last evening. All the passengers were on
deck waving hats and handkerchiefs and
cheering The passengers were removed
TO shore by a tender.
All showed signs OF tho anxiety they
had suffered. Some Of the elderly steer
age passengers were hardly able to walk,
Several OF the women fell on their knees
and cried as soon "a they were landed.
Frank Kotz, n first cabin passenger,
says: son the night of the accident the
ship was rolling heavily and most OF the
cabin passengers were below sick. Five
or six OF US were in the smoking room.
Suddenly there was a terrific crash and
we were thrown from the seat into a heap
on the floor. The vibration of tho shir
almost shook US from our feet as we
started for the door.
"The captain soon informed the terri
fled passengers that the main shaft was
broken, but he and the officers tried 70
convince all that there was no danger. In
few minutes We learned that the engi-
neers, at
Great Risk to Their Lives,
had found the two stay plates and the
plummer blocks that had smashed the
gland of the engine. The bulkhead, how
ever, had been kept tight.
1.-The passengers were just becoming
calmer when we saw the crew rushing
through the steerage carrying bedding,
mats and carpets to be stuffed into the
tunnel box. All knew then that water
was coming in. Nobody slept that night.
The women sat crying in the cabins and
all were badly frightened.
"The vessel rolled terribly and with
every roll came tremendous thump as If
piece OF the shaft was loose and smashing
things in the hold. The sails had been
spread, but they did not steady the ship
noticeably. On that night the chances OF
life did not seem more than two in five.
"The crew worked heroically at the
pumps for "a hours after the accident, emo
engineers were busy at the shaft, fixing
plugs and trying to prevent further influx
that the flow of water had been checked.
Friday was uneventful.
cat o'clock on Saturday morning the
lookout yelled: Light ahead Every
body turned out. She's a steamer was
the next call. We all shook hands and
cheered, and many ran about
Shouting for JOY.
We all remained on deck for the rest OF
the night watching the Ohio's lights. Az
daylight she stood by and passed haw
ser. AT that time, as / learned subse-
quently, our after-peak was full of waite
and despite their expressions of conf
dence, the officers of the ship were in.
tensely anxious.
.,"The Ohio began towing us very slowly
The strain caused by the heavy seas wa
too great, however, and after five minutes
the hawser broke. Before another hawsei
could be passed, nine hours elapsed.
"The second hawser broke as did also tht
third. On Sunday other hawsers wer,
fixed and as the weather had improved
meantime, they held till we reached har-
bor."
The Ohio proceeded to Liverpool las
evening. Most OF the steerage passengers
who went ashore were taken back later
and will live aboard the Noordland until
orders are received from London as re-
CARDS their transport to Antwerp.
Probably the Noordland will be re-
paired temporarily here and then will pro-
ceed to Antwerp, where she will be com
pletely overhauled.