The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-14

Narro Escape Of the Ancient Collier
From Destruction

From
San Francisco, Dec. l3.-The ship India
arrived in port today and relieved many
anxious minds concerning her safety.
She was heavily loaded with coal when
she left Nanaimo 10 days ago. and when
shipmastsrs who were lucky enough to
reach port told of the awful gales that
were blowing out at sea there was some
apprehension felt for the India She was
sighted far off the land early this morn
ing, and about noon she was headed for
the Golden Gate in tow. Great holes
yawned in her bulwarks. and her rigging
was tangled. Ropes, sails and fittings
lay about the decks in a confused snari.
and the crew were hardly able 10 make
the tugs hawser fast when they were TAX
en- in tow Capt. Merriman says he does
not know how they managed TO weather
the storm, and his presence in port to-
day, he claimed. was entirely due 10 the
heroic work of the crew. For eleven days
and nights they stood continually at their
posts and never fiinched.
The ship was off Cape Blanco when the
gale first struck her. That was on De
cember !, and the long battle with the
waves commenced. Sea after sea broke
over her, and as she rolled in the huge
blllows. seams in her hull opened and
water spurted into her hold in many
places The pumps were worked by
donkey engine and they served to keep
the hold clear for day or two. but dur
ting a particularly heavy blow wave
that broke on deck smashed in the doors
OF the engine room, and the fires under
the boilers were extngGished- From that
time on the men were compelled 10 work
the pumps TO keep the ship from sinking.
The decks were almost continually waist
deep with water. and the men were COM
PEELED TO lash themselves in place to
keep from being washed overheard az
every roll OF the ship. For six days the
shin weathered gale after gale success
fully. with the exception Of losing few
sails. but on the seventh the wind
seemed to have Joined forces with all
the gales OF the preceding six days, de-
ternained on destroying the ship. The
seas too. rose and washed the ship
about more dangerously than before. She
rolled frightfully. and Capt. MerriTan
said the old collier actually dipped her
wards in the sea In the blow sail after
sail was torn out OF the holt ropes. and
before new ones could be bent she was
In the trough OF the sea. thrown almost
on her beam ends by the gale. Her car
go shifted to starboard, giving her
heavy list She lay almost on her side
with the starboard under water and the
seas rolling over hsr.
The men we're called from the pumps,
and. headed by the captain, every man on
board with the exception OF the one az
the wheel, went below to trim cargo. and
for over 50 hours they stayed below. Al
last succeeding in rig1tiug the ship. In
the meantime the galley had been washed
clean and 4 was a day after the ship
was again put on an even keel before
anything could be cooked The men were
faint for the want OF food, on, they kept
A. their work. and the ship arrived IN
royt without further uAshaps While the
shgp was n her greatest peril the schoon-
sr General Bannsng, bound from Grays
harbo- for this port. was sighted, ana
sra was asked 70 stand by until the
danger was passed. but she had all she
could do 70 take care OF herself and
eav hours afterwaryi she was out q
usvh, T-ne last three days OF the trip
we're rfeasaut. but when she was towed
sn she had about four feet q water n
I her hold
-rha steamer Willamette cane n from
I he sound with q cargo % coal she
v-es nearly three days overdue. ard ae-
! counts for the DELAY by the storm. o'E
/ Care BlEncc she was hoTe-ie foF seFsf-
+ teen heurs, ard her capfa3n reports ta@t
/ the storm was the most severe q any
Z Re has experienced on the coast-
+ Tgne steamer walIa Walla came ia eaFly
4 this morning FROM Puget Sound ports
I nearly a day late
Great anxiety IS being fest Tor Ire
steamer Mougssrraf. which vas three DAYS
late. capt. Merrsulan says tfat x Ehe
e.. in ths same gale 81 the inais she VIII
I never reach tbs pert as she vas heavily
ioadeA
Nswrs q TIE arrival e tire ships 81.
Trrn ard Glen Luis az Portland = beng
( trrrqt8entiy awaited ~ the local agents.
Beth vesaess left IA as1vaues oS the SCOT