Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-01-02
SAFE IN PORT.
The Umbria Arrives Saturday
at Her Dock.
0rifted About Three Days With He
Main Shaft Broken.
Engineer remiinsea's Clever Wesk Enables
Rer 10 Proceed "a Hsr veyass.


Rer 10 Proceed "a Hsr veyase.
NEW YORK. Jan. The long overdue
Cmhris, OF the Cunard line, arrived oil
the bar at $3.50 a. m. Saturday. All were
well on board. Ii was twelve and hall
| days since the steamer had left Queens
town, aud the trip was the longest on rec
ord for a crack ocean racer.
story Of the Trip,
The first intimation the psssengers had
that there had been an accident was after
dinner Friday. dec. - although the
engineer had been watching the shat
with anxiety for forty-eight hours, and
the machinery had twice been stopped
during the previous night for ali inspce'
tion Of the tiaw Id the grea, steel casting.
During dinner Friday the steamer came
to u siandstiil. which caused some specu-
iation among the passengers. though, as
the weather was rough, IL was not al once
perceived that the machinery was not in
motion.
Ahont s.3b o'clock in the evening Cap
Mckay came into the smoking room,
Gentlemen he said, Il am very sorry to
inform you that we have broken our shaft
and shall be unable to proceed at present
shall. however, accept towing offer
from any vessel large enough that comes
within hauing distance"
The conditions that confronted the con-
pany on the tmbria were not entirely
gleetui. Ia the first place, the idea al
reaching home by Christmas day. which
so many cherished, was ont of the ques-
tion, and then there was the possibility of
drifting out of the ocean roadway and the
track of other vessels, so that 1t might be
even weeks before u port was reached The
big steamship lay disabled in lat, ~ ~ aud
long. 81 II, about 200 miles from Halifax
and $40 miles from New York. with a
heavy gale blowing.
Nevertheless, there was no actual dan
ger on board, and almost every passenger
on board accepted the situation cheerfully
Tbnre VA, very little cominotion when the
ladies were Informed of their situation
They took il as calmly as the men.
The Principal Anxiety
Of every one, indeed, WAS on account of
limbria had sighted only two ships since
leaving Queenstown. and IL might be n
week or even two weeks before she was re-
ported.
Chief Steward Gore said there was
enough provisions ON board to last for
three weeks more without any one being
in the slightest degree stinted, or even for
four or five weeks. with the deprivation Of
"a Fsty In Nnry f,t. # ba.
gers remained up much later than WIS
their wont on Friday night, although
they fully realized that they were drifting
hclplcssly ia mid-ocean in storm. OIL
was poured upon the water through the
drainage pipes Of the ship. and she was
quieicr than while the machinery was in
motion.
just after daylight those who were
asleep were awakened by several reports
from the tmbria's gun and the sound of
her whistle. In ten minutes almost
everyone was on deck To ascertain what
WAS the matter.
\ SHIP Was in sight,
Just on the edge of the horizon, bound
eastward For half an hour. duriue
which time the gun WAS continually dis
charged and the hoarse whistle blown. il
was impossible to detect whether or not
the other boat had seen or heard the I'M
bria' S signals, RS during the entire VOYAGE
she had siSnaled but two other vessels.
and the passengers felt that it was almost
too much luck that help should he at
hand SO soon after the breakdown
i5oou, however, 1t was seen that the new
conner was making toward the drifting
ship, aud at 5 O'Clock she was alongside
- proved to be the Bohemia, remcin-
Md in connection with the cholera scare
in New York barbor, OF the Hamburg
American line, bound from New York to
Hamburg. She at once responded Iu the
Cmbria's request for IA tow, and before
noon she was connected To the big stcnr,
ship by steel h;swser and was steaniug
slowly westward, the German fiag at her
stern Haunting before the bow of the dis
abled Englisbfnan.
The storm grew heavier IN the af,rr-
noon. and It WAS all that the Bohemia
could do to drag her big bur,iei, in the
teeth Of i head wind. After dark brayY
.nowstorin spFsns up, which oiscured
the lights Of the two vessels from eucl1
other; about midnight the steel hawscr
broke in violent gale, and on Christmas
morning the passengers OF the t'mbria
found themselves again ahrift in Ii raging
storm. with nattght in sight hut the Sk =
and STA What became Of the T,ohemia
no one knew. She probably lost track of
the nibria IN the snowstorn after the
baw-er parted aud II she searched for her
after Gay break she di'i not iind her.
Christms. at sea.
Christmas Day passed without any dem.
onstration OF discomfort among the uas-
sengefs. just at dusk light was sighted
to the southwark, aui again the pas-e,i-
gers iockc1i on deck Rockets were iir.ai,
| and soon the light that at first seemed 20
fate away b, gan to grow more and more
distinct. and in half an hour "A smali
steamship lay alongside. 10 answer u
tar [ mbrias = signals The new conner Il.
ported that she was vessel u the Wilson
line, bound for Philadelphia, and that she
could not take the other in tow became
she did not have coal enough. with which
pleasing information she slgualed good i,y
and departed
From the hour her time was taken 1T
noon Friday until she broke down that
evening, the Umbria had made IA IniI5s
She drifted twelve miles to The southes@i
during the night, and the Bohemia lowed
her sesenty-fiye miles toward New Yufk
On Sunday. At noon Monday she had
driftcd forty-two miles and the gale was
still blowing.
t.st after luncheon on Monday d
steamer was sighted proceeding west
| ward In answer to the Umbria's sixnai.
| sshe eame alongside, and proved to be ti.f
/ sManiaifsset, round from SWANSEA to NeN
| Work, the property of Jane, NJ Ca.eiiH
| me ot the passengers on the Gmbris.
! The Manhsuset had scarcely cerne 20
| T. anistiii, however. aud epusidered tht
| big prize money she would obtain by tow
| ing the big vessel TO New York, than
Much Larger steamer
| hove In sight and bore down rapidly upon
! tire drifting vessel In few minutes shs
" as close enough for the officers Of the
| Umbri~ to distinguish her as the Gsllia
| of their OSn line en- route from Boston
20 Liverpool The officers Of the Mas.
hs.nset also recognized ths CALI. and
| steamed of hoyaewsrI disconsoisse. done
/ ont Of their prize money.
Everybody on board the ifnbris was
| jubi;ant. 'Isnis this cunsrd Iucks" the
=. officers asked each other. The GaiIis was
large enough 10 tow her larger sister ship
{ with ease, and there would be no big sal.
/ wage To pay to rescuinz steamer Of an
other line. The CONSERVATION Of captain
officers. crew and passengers may be i'm
asined when. in response to the Umbria's
signal, Disabled. stand by" the Gsilia
returned, Can't stand by, carrying
mails"
The Umbria signaIed back, I'VE hold
/ you Responsible" whereapon the Gailia
| simply dipped her ensign. signIfyinz
/ 'good-by." and disappeared to the east
ward as the Manhsnset passed ont Of sight
a. . L. T.