Los Angeles herald., 1893-01-01
THE LONG OVERDUE cUNARDER,
Arrival of the Umbria at New
York.
Exciting Scenes at the Pier as the
Passengers LANDED.
The Vessels Delay Due to Broken
Shaft-No Panic on Board at any
Time, but Considerable I'm
patience Felt.

By the Associated Preesl
New York, Dec. 3l.-The long over
due Cunard steamer Umbria, sighted at
Fire island shortly efter midnight, ar
rived off quarantine at 3: 80 this morn
ing. and after inspection steamed slowly
up the bay to her dock. She had S75
passengers on board, about equally di-
vided between the first and second cabin
and steerage. All on board were well.
The gallant Captain Mckay had brought
his fine steamer and all on board safely
through the terrific gales, though dis
abied, and amid the thanks of the pas
sengers and noisy greeting of steam
whistles from the vessels in the harbor,
brought her to the dock. 1t was IL days
since she left Queenstown, the longest
time on record for crack ocean racer.
Though the weather was embestuous
most of the time from the beginning of
the voyage, all went we'll till the after
noon of December 23d, when a fracture
was discovered in her shaft, aud the
machinery was stopped off the banks OF
Newfoundland, and Engineer Tomlineon
sat about the difficult task of mending
the break. After drifting IL hours the
steamer Bohemia of the Hamburg
American line, bound from New York
to Bremen, hove in sight, and in re-
sponse TO signals for a tow, turned about,
attached Dig steel hawser to the Um-
bria, and began to tow her to her desti-
nation. The weather WAS extremely
rough, and in the night, after having
towed the disabled vessel rs miles, the
hawser broke, and the vessels parted
company in the darkness. When day
dawned over the Umbrie, the Bohemia
was nowhere to be Eeen. After drifting
three days to the southeast she started
again with her old machinery and came
on in fine weather. at half speed, to her
destination.
The first intimation that the paesen-
gers had that there had been an acci-
dent was after dinner Friday, although
the engineer had been watching the
shaft with anxiety for 48 hours, and the
machinery was twice stopped the previ-
GUS night for the inspection of the flaw
in the great steel casting. The steamer
came to standstill during dinner Fri
day, and little later Captain Mckay
entered the smoking room and an
nounced to the gentlemen the fact OF
the breakdown, and added that the
ship was in no danger.
The announcement put a damper on
the spirits Of the passengers, most OF
whom had been looking forward to
spending Christmas in their own homes.
The vessel lay 200 miles from Halifax
and 500 miles from New York. There
was very little commotion in the ladies'
cabin when the information was given
there, and in fact every body decided to
make the best of the disagreeable situa-
tion. The chief danger was that the
vessel would drift out OF che regular
| steamer track, but the steward gave the
| information that enough provisions
were on board to last three weeks with
| out being stinted, or even four or five
weeks with only the deprivation OF a
| few luxuries.
That night oil was poured on the
water, and the ship was quleter than
when the machinery YVES in motion.
| Early next morning the Bohemia hove
| in sight and took the Umbria in tow az
above stated.
On sunday, Christmas day, an unus
ually large number attended divine SER
vices in the saloon, and the prayers
were unusually hearty. just at dusk q
| vessel was sighted to the southward and
| proved to be vessel Of the Wiiaon line
bound for Philadelphia. She WAS sig
nailed, but could not take the Umbria in
tow because she had not enough coal
and proceeded on her course.
Monday the gale continued, and the
vessel continued to drift. Just aftel
luncheon Monday the steamer Manhan
set, from Swansea to New York, hove ir
sight, but had hardly come to a stand
still when another much larger vesse
bore down upon the drifting Umbria
| In a few minutes she was close enough
| to be distinguished as the sister shir
| Gallia of the Cunard line, bound iron
Boston to Liverpool. The captain of thu
Umbria signsled the Manhanset tha
she required no assistance, supposin,
the Gallia would come to his aid ant
! save the heavy prize money. To the as
| tonishment and disgust of everybody
on board, the Gallia, in response to tn,
signal that the Urn bria was disabled ant
needed assistance, answered back
Cant stand by; carrying mails." ant
steamed off.
By this time some OF the passenger
began to show Dissatisfaction, and th
kickers called meeting to demand tina
something be done. But the maiorit,
of the passengers were satisfied tha
everything was being done that coult
be, and the meeting came to nothing
Tuesday notice WAS posted that th
steamer would start that evening, an,
it became known that the machiner,
was moved during the night as an ex
periment that bolt broke and woul,
4 have to be repaired. About s 80 tn
machinery began to move, and from tina
on till the end OF the journey continue,
to revolve slowly out etaunchly, bring
ing the great ship safely to shore.
Among the passengers on the vesse
were J. Henry Harper, head OF the grsa
publishing house of Harper Brothers
Simon Sterne, well known New Yor
lawyer; Thomas Epwith OF the Britisl
diplomatic service; Gen. E. Bur
Grubb, United States minister to Spsi
OF Philadelphia; Oliver Herford, vel
known artiet OF New York, a son of Ray
Brooke Heriord OF Boston.
The scene at the pier on the arrival c
the big liner wss exciting. A grea
crowd of eager, anxious friends crowde
about and there were many affectianst