Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-12-29
IN PERIL AT SEA.
Alarming Accident to tho Steam
ship Nordland.
Her Main Shan Fractured-The Pieces
KNOCK a Hole In tho Iiuli--Des-
perate Efforts 20 Stop
the Leak.

Her Main shan Fractured-The Piecel
KNOCK Hole IN tho IIuli-Des-
perate Efforts 20 Stop
the Leak.
QUEENsrowN, Dec % The steam
ship Nordland was towcd into Queens
town harbor by the steamship Ohio al
Z o'clock last evening. All the passen
gers were on deck, waving hats and
handkerchicfs and cheering. Anchor
was dropped and the passengers were
removed to shore by tender. All
showed signs OF the anxiety which
they had suffered Some Of the elderly
steerage passengers were hardly able
TO walk Several women fell on their
knees and cried the moment they were
landed. Frank Shea, a first cabin pas
senger, now stopping at Queenstown
hotel, told his experience.
'srhe first two days out Of New York
We're fairish, although a part OF the
time u heavy sea was running. The
weather then grew rapidly worse. On
the night of the accident we were maxi
ing about twelve knots an hour The
ship was rolling heavily and most of
the cabin passengers were below sick.
Five or six Of US were in the smoking
room, talking about how we should
pass Christmas in Antwerp, when there
was a terrific crash and we were thrown
from the seats into a heap on the
floor. The vibration of the ship al
most shook MS from our feet as we
started for the door 1t seemed as
IL gigantic hammer was pounding the
ships bottom. When we got outside
we saw the captain coming from the
engine room. The passengers came
running on deck, half dressed and
white from fear. We surrounded the
captain and he told Us that the nam
shaft was broken, but that there was
no immediate reason for alarm. The
other officers who were not busy below
walked about among the passengers
and encouraged all to believe that there
was no danger. In few minutes we
learned that the engineers at a great
risk Of their lives, had found that the two
stay plates and the plummer blocks had
smashed the gland of the engine. The
bullShead, however, had been kept
tight The vessel pitched and rolled
terribly, SO that we saw we could not
trust to the boats in case the worst
came
I'VE were just becoming calmer when
we saw the crew rushing through the
steerage carrying baddings, mats and
carpets to be stuffed into the tunnel
box We all knew then that water was
coming in. Nobody slept that night
The women sat crying in the cabins
and the men crowded the smoking room
to play cards and talk over the situa-
tion. We all were badly frightened
The vessel rolled terribly and with
every roll came a tremendous thump
as Il Il piece of the shaft was
leese and smashing things in the
hold The sails had been spread,
but they did no, steady the
ship. noticeably. We knew we were
far from the track OF transatlantic
steamships and most of US ON that night
would not have guessed that our
chances of life were more than two in
five. The crew worked heroically at
the pumps for the twenty-four hours
after the accident and at the same time
the engineers were busy at the shaft,
fixing plugs and trying to prevent the
further influx OF water Eventually
word was sent out that the flow OF
water had been checked. We had
plenty of food and water and therefore,
with fairly favorable weather, would
have been able to hold our own for
some time
Friday was uneventfuL The table
were laid as usual, but few cared to eat
At o'clock on Saturday morning, the
lookout yelled: Light ahead Every
body turned ont and listened eagerly
for the next word. 'She'sa steamer
was the next call. We all shook hands
and cheered and many ran about shout
ing for Joy. We all remained on deck
the rest of the night, watching the
Ohio's lights At daylight she stood by
aud passed a hawser. At that time,
/ learned subsequently, our after peak
was full Of water and despite their ex-
pressions of confidence, the officers Of
the ship We're intensely anxious.
THE Ohio began towing US very
slowly The strain caused by the heavy
seas was too great, however, and after
five minutes the hawser broke. Before
another could be passed nine hours
elapsed. The second hawser broke as
did also tho third. On Sunday morning
other hawsers were fixed and as the
weather had improved meantime they
held until we reached harbor We pro-
eeeded about seven knots an hour. At
Daunt's Rock the hawsers were shert- |
ened off
The steamship Ohio proceeded TO |
Liverpool this morning Most OF the |
'teerage passengers who went ashore
we're taken back later end will live
aboard the Nordland until final orders
are received from London as regards |
Lheir transport to Antwerp Probably |
-he Nordland will be prepared tempor-
,rily here and then will proceed to
Antwerp, where she will be completely
)verhauled
Mr. blaine Much BETTER.