The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-12
PASSENGERS STATEMENT.
MIR. Mfx's Account of the Accidents
and the Long Voyage.

MIR. Mix's Account of the Accidents
and the Long Voyage.
QUARANTINE, S. l., Feb. 12.--At the
request of a reporter Mr.. Mix, a repre-
sentative of the Thomson-Houston Elec-
trical Company, one of the cabin pas
sengers on La Gascogne, hastily wrote out
the following statement, which he threw
aboard the tug:
''All went we'll until Jan. %, three days
after sailing from Havre, when the ship
was stopped and the passengers, on in
quiry as to the cause, were informed that
a part of the machinery had broken down.
The information was a surprise to the
passengers, who were unaware at the tirne
that an accident had occurred. There had
been no shock or noise sufficient to cause
alarm. The passengers had noticed COM
motion among the and officers, con-
sequent upon the. breakdown, and when
inquiries were made by the passengers the
officers made no attempt to conceal the
true facts. We learned that. the
piston of one of the intermediate cylinders
had broken, thus incapacitating the entire
machinery. The engine had been stopped
as soon as possible and the steamer fell
off into the trough of the sea, which was
not heavy at the time. The passengers
were quite cool. and had no apprehension
ct danger. In fac fact; we Were not "a at first
dent. None of us realized that the break
down was more than an ordinary affair,
and many of us began specializing how long
time would elapse before the engineers
got the break patched up and we would
again be on our course. We lay to for six
teen hours while the full corps of engineers
worked ON the fractured cylinder. X brass
sleeve was slipped over the fracture and
boIted in position, and in this way the en-
gineers were again enabled to start up the
engines.
''The broken cylinder and its companion
could not be used, however, and as steam
was cut off from the boiler of the engines,
the speed was reduced one-half. Even at
this rate we were further handicapped by
being compelled to stop every twelve hours.
TO renlace the brass Innings which op-
tinually wearing out under the strain. All
would have gone well but for terrible
storm which beset the disabled vessel on
the 4th of this month 1t struck us while
We were lying to to make repairs. The
vessel Iitched and tossed frightfully in the
gale, and for the first time since the break
down the passengers began to feel uneasy
The engineers were unable to work because
of violent tossing of the ship 1t was i'm
possible to handle the heavy pieces OF ma
chinery. For forty-one hours the vessel lay
to, while the engineers did their utmost
to make temporary repairs again. 1t was
impossible to make perfect a job as at
first owing to the constant increase in the
extent of the arrangement to the ma
chinery, and from speed of 2S0 miles, which
breakdown, we had to reduce our speed to
one hundred miles a day This made
progress exceedingly slow and we were
further impeded by the constantly recurring
gales. The weather was frightful.
"A gale bordered with sleet and
came out OF the west with terrific force
and the vessel pitched and tossed in the fer
ment. Passengers and crew realized the
seriousness of position then, and for
the first time signals of distress were dis
played We signed by signals that we were
disabled, but it was not until yesterday that
we sighted and signaled a vessel. She was
an English steamer. She answered our
signs, but proceeded on her way. She was
too far away to understand that we re-
quired assistance. But for the storm the
passengers would not have expressed any
anxiety. We were frequently beset by
gales which at times threa tened to founder
vessel nyna
were aboard disabled vessel in terrible
storms made many of us very gloomy in
deed. We cannot say too much in praise
OF the captain and officers who behaved
manfully and did all in their power to make
our lot as comfortable as possible"