The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-01-05
UMBRIA SAFE IN PORT.
SHE DROPS ANCHOR AT HER DOCK
SEVEN DAYS OVERDUE.
Greeted by the Blowing Of Hundreds Of
Whistles as She Passed up the
River-Passen gers Praise the
Captain for His Judgment.

New YORK, Dec. 31.-The long
overdue steamer Umbria has arrived.
Her passengers are all ashore. Their
baggage has been examined, many of
them have left town and thousands of
anxious hearts rest easily relieved of
the burden OF anxiety that for many
DAYS has weighed them down. The
great Steamship rests easily III her
berth at the foot of Clark street. She
is comparatively sound. Captain Nc
Kay sleeps at last, for the first time
since the steamship, out nearly a
thousand miles from her des-
tination, broke down and be-
came helpless, and when the
steamship broke down the lives of
hundreds of men and women fell upon
the shoulders of one man. Capt. Nc
Kay, now that he has landed his
hundreds OF souls, deserves the sleep
he is now enjoying. 1t was 1890
O'Clock last night when the first news
Of the arrival Of the long overdue
Cunarder reached this city from the
observer at Fire Island. Instruments
licked on one hundred circuits and
within ten minutes of the time the OBJ
server on Fire Island saw the first
lights of the Umbria nearly every city
tor thousands of miles knew she had
at last put in al appearance.
i he Cunarder had come in sight of
land, her lights had been seen, and
within few hours she would be at
dock 1t was cold and bleak on the
bay this morning, but to the handful
of passengers hIddled together ON the
deck OF the Umbria at day break the
bleak land looked precious indeed,
and there were many who in sheer
happiness threw their arms about
each other and danced around until
the old black sea gulls began to won.
der what had struck that part
OF the country. There was a
heavy mist over the bay, but
towards o'clock it began to lift a lit
tie and then the Cunal der came in
sight of those waiting for her at Quar-
antine. She came up along, hugging
the shore around the fort, and small
army of tugs and small boats accom-.
panied her, footing at the huge mon
ster and barking around her like so
many pug dogs about mastiff. The
Umbria looked quiet and ladylike.
There was nothing to indicate that
she had anything but her usual voy-
age.
1t was $50 O'Clock when she dropped
anchor off Quarantine, and minute
later she was boarded by DR.. Jenkins.
On the DOCTORS boat were about score
of reporters, who scrambled up the
side of the vessel like so many cats.
About.the vessel clustered many boats,
hired by friends of those on board. 1t
was all happiness and good cheer.
The first man seen by the pilot
when he boarded the Umbria some
miles from Sandy Hook was Captain
Mckay. He stood on the bridge with
one hand on the railing and with his
glass in the other. He had been there
almost constantly since the time the
vessel broke down and the lives of his
charges endangered, and he stood
there when the reporters boarded the
vessel, after she left quarantine this
morning and when the vessel finally
reached her dock at 11:30 O'Clock.
Then he took off his hat and coat and
lay down and went to sleep.
A fracture was discovered in the
Umbria's shaft and the machinery
stopped south of the banks of New
Foundland at $50 on the afternoon of
Friday, Dec. %. After drifting for
twelve hours in the storm she was
lowed seventy miles by the Bohemia
OF the Hamburg American line, but
the cable broke in the heavy gale Sat-
urday night and they lost track of
each other, After drifting three days !
she started again with her own ma
chinery, which had been repaired
under great difficulties by Chief
Engineer Tomlinson, and came on in
fine weather at half speed to her des-
tination, arriving seven days over
due.
The first intimation the passengers
on board had that there had been an
accident was after dinner on Friday
when Captain Mckay entered the
smoking room "Gentlemen," he said
calmly, addressing the entire room, 81
dLu very SOrIy w lnlolLh W. uh"V "o
have broken our shaft and will be un-
able to proceed at present. | shall,
however, accept towing offer from
any vessel large enough that comes
within hailing distance"
There was momentary silence as
the situation dawned upon the room
and then plaintive voice inquired:
"Why don't you send up roDkets?"
"There will be time enough for
Rockets" responded the Captain,
"when vessel comes near enough to
see them"
The conditions that confronted the
company on the Umbria were not en-
tirely gleeful. In the first place the
idea Of reaching home by Christmas
day, which many had cherished, was
OUT of the question, and then there
was a possibility OF drifting out OF the
ocean roadway and the track of other
vessels, so it might be weeks before
port was reached. Nevertheless,
there was no actual danger, and al
most every passenger on board &C
cepted the situation cheeriully. When
the ladies were informed Of their sit
L. . alVy n