Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-02-12
that two tug boat captains and four
deckhandS

egraph Office and telephone rooms, for
with all the enthusiasm the gentlemen
OF the presss were on the watch Tor the
slightest crumb OF news
Every rumor was carefully investi-
gated and little more could be gathered
than the dull fact that away off Fire
Island steamer, apparently disabled,
was slowly. painfully threading her way
TO port and under her own steam at
that That was the milk in the cocoa
nut. Little by little, the good news
beamed out brightly from the mists of
uncertainty aud nearer and nearer came
the gallant steamship with its happy
human freight.
QUARANTINE, February 12.-La Gas
cogne, the long overdue Freach steam
ship limped iuto port last night with
three red lights hanging from her fore
ma st as sIgual that she was sabled.
Her passengers were all on deck, some
OF them singing ana most OF them
cheering, as persons are won't TO 90
when their minds are suddenly relieved
OF . heavy strain For thirteen days
OF voyage lasting sixteen days the
ship had been disabled, one OF her main
piston rods having broken on her third
day out from Hayre.
For sixteen hours on that fatelul
third day the vessel was hove to while
the break was being repaired. 1t was
comparatively good weather when the
break occurred, but the disabled
steamer was fateG to run into some OF
the
wOBsT WEATHER on HER VOYAGE.
When the break had been repaired
the steamer proceeded Gu her way, out
under greatly reduced speed. When
near the banks of New Found land, La
GaScOgne ran into gale that increased
to hurricane force. While off Sable
Island + bruarY the machinery broke
down again aud tue steamer hove TO
again, this time for forty-one hours
During all that period the engines did
not make a siugle revolution. When
the second repairs had been made, the
steamer started ahead once more under
still further reduced power, and headed
towards the Long Island coast
II is remarkable fact that during
the entire voyage across the Atlantic,
La Gascogne did not sight steamer
until she passed one bound for Phila-
delphia late on Sunday. Late yesterday
afternoon the French steamer signalled
Fire Island aud then proceeded to-
wards Sandy Hook light,hip.
While the passengers were consider.
ably worried on account of the delay,
there was never panic among them.
l. hai CT a y m
they had every confidence in their cap
tain. And, besides, they knew that
the ship was not totally disabled. But
they we're nervous and spprehensive at
times, and they hailed the conclusion Of
their voyage with JOY.
FoLLoS, lSG IL ! cory
OF the official log OF La Gascogne, copied
by one OF the passengers. 1t shows the
vessels position from day to day and
the number OF miles reeled of every
twenty-four hours:
January q, 449 miles; January %,
4O7; January %, $50; January 30, &C
January 81, 215; February 1, 255; Feb
ruary 5. $50: February 3, 2I3; February
I. 40; February ;, -; February g. --;
February 1903; February 8. 169; Feb.
ruary ., II; February 10, 79; February
u, Is.
At the request OF a reporter. Mr..
Mix, q representative OF the Thomson
Houston Electrical Company, one of
the cabin passengers, hastily wrote out
the following statement, which be
threw aboard the tug:
"Al went well until January %,
three days after sailing from Havre,
when the ship was stopped and the pas
seugers on inquiry as TO the cause. were
informed that a part OF the machinery
had broken down. There had been 90
shock or noise sufficient 70 cause alarm.
The passengers had Ooticed commotion
am lng the crew aud officers, consequent
upon the breakdown, AID when inQuir-
les were made by the passengers, the
officers made no attempt to conceal the
true facts. We learned that the piston
OF Que 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 al the time. The pas
sengers were quite cool and no Rppre-
bension of danger. In fact, We were
not at first distressed by the knowledge
OF the accident. None of US realized
that the break down was more than
an ordinary affair and many OF US
began specuating how long a time
would elaDSe before the engineers got
the break patched up and we would De
agatn on our course. We lay 30 for six
teen hours while the full corps OF en-
glceers worked on the fractured cylin-
der A brass sleeve was slipped over
the fracture and bolted in position aud
in this way the engineers were enabled
again 10 start up the engines.
The broken cylinder aud its com
uanlon could not be used, however, snd
as steam was cut of from the boiler OF
the engines the speed was reduced one
nsn. Even at hi, rate We were furtn-
er handicapped by being compelled TO
stop over tweiye hours to repace the
brass Innings which were continually
wearing out under the strain.
"Au would have gone we'll but for
terrible strain which beset the disabled
vessel on the fourth OF this month. III
struck rs while we were lying TO, 10
make repairs. The vessel pitched aud
tossed frightfully in the gale
and for the drst time since the break
down, the passengers began TO feel ua-
essy. The engineers were unable to
work because Of the violent tossing Of
the shin. 1t was impossible TO handle
the heavy piece OF machinery For
fortv.one hours the vesse lay 10, while
The engineers did their utmost to MAKE
TEMPORARY REPAIRS AGAIN.
II was impossible to make as perfect
lob as first, owing TO the constant in
crease in the extent Of the deranEement
10 the machinery, and from speed OF
o5O miles which we we're enabled 70
~ - n-at hraa kdnHn we had