New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-18

IT SWEEPS OVER THE DECK OF LA CHAM
PAGNE.
THE sKYLIGHTS BROKEN. IIFEBoATs DISPLACED.
SETTLES CARRIED TO SEA THE SALOON
AND CORRIDORS FLOODED PASSENGERS
THROWN FROM THEIR BERTHs
But THE sTANCH BOAT
DIOTGHS On


The passengers on the transatlantic steamer La
Champagne. which arrived here yesterday. had
unusual story TO tel 1t related TO their expert
last Friday morning. when great wave
struck the b, at and rolled over the deck Her sky
lights and companion doors smashed, her
steel feboats displaced. and nearly all the
settees the promenade deck were washed
board. The saloon which had been flooded through
the smashed skylights sti, damp and uncom-
Portable
In spite OIL the ruin wrought by the sea-
on board had been seriously injured. Fortunately
al the time the wave struck La Champagne. ali OF
her saloon passengers in their berths.
La Champagne left Havre December S one
day later than usual Outside the harbor she rushed
into head gale. and from that moment until she
reached this port Yesterday her voyage
constant battle with heavy The steamship
kept up speed OF ten knots. however, and con.
tinued 70 cut her way through the enormous waves
The wind at ! o'clock last Friday morning.
blowing directly from the westward and
stantly increasing in strength Occasionally waves
broke the deck bu' the vessel ploughed on her
course
FROM THE PORT SIDE
II was not until $50 a. m OF the 18th that the
gigantic wave rolled onto the steamship. !; came
over the port side just abaft the bridge. and swept
everything before IL. La Champa gnes officers say
the great volume OF water swept the vessel
Win the speed OF WnlrlNlnd. livery Setlet OF the
promenade deck wrenched from its fastenings
and carried into the deep The strong plate glass
OF the saloon skyght. one and a half inches thick
broken If made of clay, and the water
poured into the dining saloon with the force OF a
mountain torrent, The doors leading to the saloon
from the promenade deck were crushed in, and
water poured down the stairway. In less than
minufe the water was three feet deep in the saloon
and sweeping aft through the corridors.
Three OF the steel nfeboa;s were picked up II
they feathers. and hurled against the side Of
the steel-walled deckhOuse. They were dented and
Ventiators we're torn loose and the openings
leading below We're converted into tunnels, down
the wave rolled her. She heeled far over to
spurted IN huge jets from her scuppers The cleo
trio lights which had Illuminated the vessel mo-
steamer in darkness. The current had been
cut OFF
the second Officer PSSe were We're on the the b 6rdg
rails with difficulty. The speed OF the engines was
reduced and the steamship soon rode more easily.
though she had still to buffet her way through a
head sea.
THE PASSENGERS AWAKENED.
Meantime the passengers had been awakened by
the roar of the waters. Some OF them were thrown
bodily of their berths by the shock. and all were
filled with terror They in utter darkness. and.
ignorant OF what had occurred, imagined that the
vessel was about TO sink me water rushlfs aohe
the corridors could be heard In the sateroons, ana
IT added TO their fears of impending death;
The water In speeding along the Corridors had
leesene1 in depth but II was still ankle deep when
the officers OF the vessel procured lights and pro-
Ceeded TO examine the boat and to reassure the pas
sengers Some OF them came out OF Their state
rooms on seeing the lights and started for the
main saloon wading in the water They were soon
persuaded TO return TO their rooms and then stew
ards by the light OF candles and kerosene lamps
began TO clear up the wreckage In the saloon They
bailed out the water in buckets.
Captain Porot said he was or the port end OF
the bridge and saw the ware coming. IL was
an enormous comber. with foar-tipped crest ana
reared far above the promenade deck on winch IL
fell with tremendous force The wave was SO close
aboard when first that there was no time 10
head the vessel up to meet IT, IL,
Some Of the passengers do not exactly agree win
La Champagne's officers as to there being no panic
on hoard They declare they were frightened OUT
Of their wits Miss Alice Thompson OF boston
said she ran out OF her room into the nooded cor
rjdor and was knocked fiat her back. Later on
she was picked up b. one Of the s'e~a b VINO
and nut her into her berth There she had 10 re-
main In her soaked garments