The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-04
THE SPREE is SAFE.
She Was Towed into Queenstown
Yesterday.
Her Shaft Broke in Mid-0cean and Panic
Ensues-P Preparations Made to
Abandon Her.

LONDON, Dec. 3.-The North German
Lloyd steamer Spree arrived at Queens
town this afternoon. She sailed from Bre-
men for New York on November %. Her
main shaft broke early on the morning Of
Nov. 20, and before the engines could be
stopped the broken shaft had pounded out
portion Of the stern and part Of the ma
chinery went through the BOTTOM under
the second cabin which Immediately filed
with water. The passengers thought the
vessel was going TO the bottom and rushed
on deck.
For time veritable panic prevailed
and the officers were helpless to calm the
torrorized passengers. The water could
De heard rushing through the hole in the
bottom and in short time the vessel began
to settle The widest confusion ensued
but when 1t was discovered thai the vessel
was not Immediately going to the bottom
semblance Of order was restored. Never
theless the passengers were anxious aud
kept life preservers close &C hand.
The boat crews were piped TO their sta
tons and everything placed in readiness
for an abandonment OF the vessel. IL was
soUn found that the water tight bulk heads
were answering The purpose for which
they were constructed, and though the
water was pouring into the compartments
beneath the second cabin very little was
reaching other parts of the vessel. When
this accident occurred the Spree was
about q thousand miles from Queenstown.
Two anxious days passed when the British
steamer Lake Huron from Montreal came
IN sight and took the disabled vessel in tow
on the 2Sth.
There were 2S3 passengers on board.
Among them was General Howard of the
United States army, Mrs Adelaide How
ard and child. Dwight L. Moody. the
evangelist; Mrs. Lewis Brach and family
of Milwaukee, DR.. Sidney Quh of Chicago,
and others.
A second class passenger named Paul
Kelson was so badly frightened after the
accident that he jumped overheard and was
drowned. The other passengers are all
well.
Some of the passengers and portion of
the Sprees mail will be forwarded by the
Etruria tomorrow and others by the North
German Lloyd steamer Havel, which leaves
Bremen tomorrow for Queenstown to en-
bark them.
The captain in an interview says he
never before had such an eyentful voyage.
The weather was favorable and splendid
progress was made until the accident oc-
Cured. Immediately after the crash
the captain and crew took strong
measures to prevent water entering
OOuSI tuGu TIC QGludkoQ Gull pEEb-
ments. After strenuous efforts these
were crowned with success, and at o. clock
in the afternoon seven hours after the acct
dent the captain was able to announce to
the passengers that the water WAS under
control and would undoubtedly be confined
to the damaged compartment.
Grave fears still existed for serious con-
sequences should bad weather be expert
enced. Throughout Saturday and Sunday
the crew worked hard, and secured the
bulkheads in such manner that the vessel
was considered safe. She drifted south
ward and shen the wind changed and it took
a back track. The steamers fires were
kept burning during the night and flags fy-
ing during the day. There " as the widest
JOY when the Lake Huron was sighted
Monday morning. A heavy sea was run
ming. and it WAS necessary TO wait for Tull
daylight until a line could be passed be-
tween the vessels.
It was successfully accomplished. Then
amid rousing cheers from the pasSeng gers
the two ships were gotten under way at
am. for Queenstown, 72S miles distant.
The port was reached without further in
cidept. Dwight Moody presided at prayer
meeting Sunday, and all the passengers
petitloned the Almighty to preserve them.
Thanksgiving service was held aboard
the Spree after the arrival here at this
evening. A meeting Of passengers was
also held, at which an address of thanks to
the captain was unanimously approved. A
collection was also taken for the crew.