The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-01-04

New YORK. Dec. 3l.-The Cunard
steamship CmDria, Capt. Horatio NJ. Nc
Kay, arrived off Sandy Hook at 3:15
o'clock this morning.
A fracture was discovered In her shaft,
and her machinery was stopped south OF
the banks of Newfoundland at 8 80 o'clock
on the afternoon of Friday. Dec. %. Alter
drifting for twelve hours in storm she
was lowed seventy-fve miles by the b.
hernia of the Hamburg American line,
but the cable that connected the two
steamers was broken in heavy gale on
Saturday night, and they lost track OF
each other. After drifting three days TO
the southeast she started again with her
own machinery, which had been repaired
with great difficulties by the chief engi-
tneer, and came in in fine weather at half
speed to her destination.
The first intimation the passengers had
that there had been an accident was after
dinner on Friday, although the engineer
bad been watching the shaft with anxiety
for forty-eight hours. and the machinery
had twice been stopped during the previ-
Gus night for an inspection of the flaw in
the great steel casting. During dinner
Friday the steamer came TO a standstill,
which caused some speculation among the
passengers, though, as the weather was
rough, it was not at once perceived that
she machinery was not in motion. At : 80
p. m, as the men in the smoking room
were lighting their cigars. sitting over
their coffee. or drawing up their chairs to
the poker tables, Capt. Mckay came in.
Gentlemen" he said calmly, address
ing the entire room. Il am very sorry to
inform you that We have broken our
shaft and will be unable to proceed at
present l shall, however, accept a tow
Ing offer from any vessel large enough that
may come within hailing distance"
There was q momentsry silence as the
situation Gswned upon the room, and
then plaintive voice inquired: why
don't YOU send up rockets?'
There will be time enough for rock
sts, responded the captain, when a yes
vel comes near enough 20 see them"
The condition that confronted the COM
oany on the Umbria was not entirely
gleeiul
No Christmas at Home.
In the first place the idea of reaching
home by Christmas day, which so many
cherished. was out Of the question, and
then there was possibility of drifting out
OF the ocean roadway and the track OF
other vessels, so that it might be even
weeks before a port was reached. The
big steamer lay disabled in latitude Is IS
and longitude 57.Il, about 200 miles from
Halifax and 500 miles from New York
with hesvy gale blowing. Nevertheless
there was no actual danger and almost
every passenger on board accepted the
situation cheerfullv. There was very lit
tie connection when the ladies' were in
formed of their situation. They took IT
as calmly a. the men. The principal
anxiety of everyone. indeed, was on ac-
count of relatives ana friends ct home.
The ''CineraI'' from Texas.
of course there was an exception. 1t
came in the person of longlimbed man
with DundreaTy whiskers and an I'M
usually large nose, which he used as a
subsidiary organ of speech, as we'll as for
purposes OF TesplratlOns anu VINO nad
been noticeable on board before, prin-
cipaly because he wore his wife's fur
cape when he promenaded the deck. he
uprose at the end OF the smoking room
after a startled interchange of views with
some women about him, and said, in
tones at once nasal and fearful
Gentlemen, We are In eminent there
he is supposed TO have meant i'm
minentl danger. We are drifting in mid.
ocean, with every chance of a hurricane
coming up at any moment TO send us 10
the bottom, and yet the captain refuses to
send up rockets. Why, in the case of a
peril ike ours. he should be firing rockets
all night. II is plain that his idea is TO
economist for his company, and do not
believe he would accept tow if it was
offered on account o. the expense. Now,
we have got 20 act for ourselves in this
matter. and ] will be one of ten men to
subscribe $4,000 each in order TO put up
bond to indemnify the captain On cOndl-
ton that he engage a steamer at once to
tow US TO the nearest pOrt."
burst of laughter and Kisses greeted
this Grafton, mingled. however with APP