The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-01-06
A PEHlLOus PASSAGE.

1ompeste Followed tut @te"u'Vs 1S"sosessS
Across the Atlantic. eliminating La an
Accident TO the Machinery OF the Nes-
sel-Timely Assistance by the steamship
Ohio, which lowed the Disabled Vessel
Into Port-story of the Disaster by Ono
OF the rassengers-A Tame OF Peril and
Consideration.
LONDON, Dec 29.-The voyage OF the
Nordland was tempestuous almost from
the hour of leaving Sandy Hook. The
winds blew almost hurricane and the
ship had much difficulty in making head
way through the waves. Some of the pas
sengers were so apprehensive of danger
that they could not be induced TO retire
mt night The waves tossed their icy
foam on the decks until the lower rig
ging was covered with concealed FROST
ing and the deck itself was like
skating pond. The Nordland labored
along successfully until Thursday
evening. 1t was bitter cold and the
passengers were congratulating them
selves on gradually nearing the end OF
their stormy voyage.
The steamer was in latitude 1879
west and longitude 50:l5, when. az
$50 o'clock in the evening. tremen-
dous crash was heard and the vessel
quiycred from end to end. Three ter
rife blows resounded one after the
other, as il the vessel was being struck
by gigantic hammer: which. indeed,
was the fact The fright of some OF
the people was pitiful TO behold. They
rushed hither and thither. delaying the
officers in their efforts TO get at the
cause and extent Of the disaster. The
engines raced furiously, while the
broken shaft-for that proved to be the
seemed about to crush the ship
at every conclusion.
Water rushed into the tube, men
acing the stockhold and the engine
rooms. and the panic-stricken passen-
gers thought for awhile that the vessel
was about to sink Several minutes
elapsed before word was given for the
engines to stop. The Nordland lay
helpless. tossed by the gale. and as the
water rushed in it seemed in great
danger of sinking. The pumps were
manned and put to work, every man OF
the crew being summoned to duty.
For twenty-four hours continuously
tho pumps were kept at work and the
water was prevented from gaining.
The Nordland was 400 miles west Of
Queenstown The crippled steamer
was sighted by the steamship Ohio.
which left Philadelphia on the same
day that the Nordland left New York,
and needed assistance was given. The
voyage to Queenstown in tow was at
tended by much difficulty and the con-
tinuous stormy weather made il neces-
sary to navigate with caution, but the
Eordland arrived without further acct
cent
An examination showed that the
fracture of the shaft was six feet in
side the stern.
The steamship Nordland was towed
into Queenstown harbor by the steam
ship Ohio at I o'clock last evening. All
the passengers were on deck waving
hats and handkerchiefs and cheering.
Anchor was dropped and the passen-
gers were removed to shore by tender.
All sho~ed signs of the anxiety which
they had suffered; some Of the elderly
stccrage passengers were hardly able 10
walk Several women fell on their
knees and cried the moment they were
landed. Fred keelse, first cabin pas
scnger, now stopping at Queenstown
hotel, told his experience last night
''Thc first two days out of New York
were fair. although part Of the time a
heavy sea was running. The weather
then grew rapidly worse. On the night
.s,f the accident we were making about
Twelve knots an hour. The ship wa
rolling heavily and most Of the passen
gers were below. sick. Five or SIX o
xzs were in the smoking room talking
abous how we should pass Christmas il
Antwerp, when there was terrific
crash and we Were thrown from tn,
seats into heap onto the floor. Th'
vibration OF the ship almost shook u
from our feet as we started for thu
door 1t seemed as il gigantic ham
mcr was pounding out the ships bot
tom.
when we got outside we saw the cap
tain coming from the cngine-room
The passengers came running on dec
half dressed and white from fright w
surrounded the captain and he told u
that the main shaft was broken, bu
there was no immediate reason fo
alarm. The other officers who wer
not busy below walked among the pas
sergcrs necessarily and tried "a ell
courage all to believe that there was n
danger.
In few minutes we learned that tn
engineers at great risk to their lives
had found that two stay plates and tn
plummcr blocks had smashed the CLAN
of the engine. The bulkhead, how
ever, had been kept tight. The vcss
pitched and rolled terribly. so that W
saw we could not trust to the boats
the worst came.
Friday was uncvcntful The table
were laid "a usual. but few cared
cat At2 o'clock on Saturday mornir
Che lookou. yelled: Light ahead
Everybody turned out and listened ca
crly for the next word.
"'She's a steamer. was the next ca
I'VE all shook hands and chcered M
many ran about shouting for Joy. v
all remained on deck the rest OF u
night watching the Ohio's lights.
daylight She stood by and passed
hawscr. At that time las | learn
x.,h.sAoraptlvl our after peak was III