Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-05-18
ON FIRE IN A CYCLONE.
The Frightful Peril of Steamer During
Recent Transatlantic Trip.


Recent Transatlantic Trip.
One of the most exciting and event
full voyages Of the present exciting
season at sea was concluded the other
day when the steamship Cresswell
reached her dock at Philadelphia,
and Boatswain George Doeman was
lifted into an ambulance and taken
to the Pennsylvania Hospital. Capt.
Ralston told a Times man the story
of the voyage thus: "We left HAM
burg March Is and stopped at Dart
mouth, England, and after taking on
some Worlds Fair goods started for
Philadelphia. On March % heavy
gale sprung up and at noon the next
day terrific sea swept on board,
carrying away the starboard lifeboat
and captains gig, and breaking in
the engine-room skylight. On March
30 the storm, which haG lulled, sud-
denly increased to a regular cyclone.
In spite of the most clever steering
one of the big seas toppled on board,
stove the wheelhouse and chartroom
in, carried over four cases of goods for
the Chicago fair and smashed in the
after skylight. At the time all hands
thought the steamer must founder,
as she had fallen off into the trough
of the sea. She was rolling her lee
rails under, the water pouring in
through the broken skylights and
threatening to put out the engine
room fires
while in this precarious condition
dense volumes of smoke were seen
rolling up through the broken sky
light and that Cry which is far more
appalling on board ship than on
shore rang out amidst the turmoil Of
the elements, Fire. Firen [ had
good officers and a Well-disciplined
crew. / Immediately ordered the
boatswain to pipe all hands to fire
drill. The men took their stations,
and in spite Of the terrible peril from
the elements the most perfect dis
cipline was maintained and the fire
was fought with heroism. Those on
shore can have but faint idea OF our
situation. A furious hurricane blow
ing, the steamer tossed to and fro
like toy boat in whirlpool, huge
cliffs of angry water appearing them
selves all around us, and a raging fire
in the coal bunkers. While fighting
| the fire a furious blast from the
southwest blew away our last remain
ing storm trysail with which we were
trying to keep her head to the sea.
After eight hours hard work the fire
was put out, and then the exhausted
crew sought to get some rest.
"However, the storm, which had
| lulled, broke out with redOubled fury.
On April 2 a sea came on board
which resembled a tidal wave. 1t
literally overwhelmed the steamer.
All hands thought the vessel was
gone. I was washed off the bridge,
cabins were Quilted and the forecastle
skylight smashed. The starboard
lighthouse was knocked into kim
ding wood and all remaining boats
smashed. Boatswain George Doeman
was found lying on the deck TANNED
! in between the main funnel and some
! of the wreckage He was lifted out
and said, I think my backs broken,
but, suddenly recollecting a duty he
was on when knocked over, he ex-
claimed: Look to that mizzen stay;
| it's nearly chafed thought Doeman's
thigh was broken. Several times
other waves swept on board before
/ the storm broke on the Sd. Thick
fogs were encountered on the Sth
/ and 9th inst, and twice the vessel
was nearly run down"
|